Moccasin trail leads to Internet highway

Page R11

The use of computers in North American Native communities, especially in Native schools, has doubled in the past 10 years. With computer modems linking computers through telephone lines the way fax machines do, Native communities throughout North America are using the technology to their advantage. They are linked to the Internet.

And what is the Internet?

Briefly, the Internet is a network of computers linked together through universities, research and government organizations, and businesses.

This link of computers was started in 1969 by the United States military in case a nuclear attack made other forms of communication useless. As Canada and the United States built-up their networks, other countries did the same. Now universities and other organizations throughout the world have connected together in this web of computer networks called Internet.

With a link to the Internet, many Aboriginal communities are communicating quickly and economically through electronic mail (e-mail) with other Indigenous communities thousands of miles away. In fact there is growing a number of Aborigjnal peoples throughout . North America and other parts of the world that are linking to the Internet. There is even a "NativeNet" which links Indigenous and non-(Indigenous peoples through e-mail and Native news groups.

Native educators, students, tribal Elders, health care professionals, and Native-owned businesses are increasingly linking to this NativeNet on the Internet.

These individuals share all sorts of information about their Native communities. This can range from Native teachers and students sharing educational projects with other students thousands of miles away, to Native Elders and band chiefs sending information to their political leaders. People even communicate via e-mail to other areas of North America and the world about national and international band powwows and Aboriginal assemblies.

For example, Native communities will have the opportunity to receive updated electronic news. This news can be printed by Native newspapers and distributed amongst the community. Some Native communities are even posting community information in the form of electronic newsletters on the Internet which millions of people can read.

With this type of technology, educators and Native businesses play an important role. With one computer in a school or business, a teacher or business-owner can take the role of a community to other Native communities and organizations linked to the Internet.

Isolated Aboriginal communities such as the Davis Inlet Innu can take advantage of this type of communication. Teachers and business-owners must work closely with Native Elders and the community if this is to work. In so doing, there is a greater possibility for other Northern American Native communities to give support to a Native community if needed. This exchange of information and services is one aspect of Aboriginal self-government that will strengthen Native solidarity as a whole.

This type of inter-linking awareness will have a very powerful economic effect. There will be greater transfer of goods and services between Native communities and their organizations.

This tremendous knowledge exchange will be valuable for all Native groups.