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GIS (Global Indigenous Summit)

Overview

The Global Indigenous Summit (GIS) is an initiative led by Saagajiwe Studios at Toronto Metropolitan University, under The Creative School. The summit is dedicated to collecting and preserving Indigenous Knowledge, particularly in response to the global climate crisis. It aims to operationalize the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action by revitalizing Indigenous cultures and languages through collaborative, open-source resources.

Objectives

The GIS project is centered around several key objectives:

  1. Indigenous Knowledge Collection: Gathering Indigenous Knowledge resources from focus groups across North America to address global climate change.
  2. Podcasting Resources: These resources will be presented via podcast on the Saagajiwe Indigenous Knowledges Open Source Encyclopedia (SIKOSE), responding to the TRC's Calls to Action.
  3. Indigenous Studies Enhancement: The project focuses on curating and collating Indigenous knowledge for use in teaching Indigenous Studies at various educational levels.
  4. Capacity Building: Developing innovative methods for open-source acquisition and providing learning systems for language preservation.

Key Features

  • SIKOSE Platform: A digital encyclopedia designed to assist in the recovery and revitalization of Indigenous Knowledges, linked to open-source sites worldwide.
  • Virtual Learning Resources (VLR): The GIS will produce and disseminate audio, visual, textual, and experiential learning resources, focusing on Indigenous language education.
  • Global Indigenous Network: Engaging stakeholders and communities globally to inventory and catalog Indigenous Knowledge, particularly in the context of climate change.

Project Scope

  • Internship Opportunity: The GIS grant will fund an internship for a graduate student to facilitate the development of the GIS project, providing hands-on experience in Indigenous Knowledge preservation and open-source resource management.
  • Collaborative Research: The project involves a research team focused on designing systems to curate and collate Indigenous Knowledges, with a particular emphasis on virtual learning environments.

Anticipated Outcomes

The GIS project aims to:

  1. Serve as a resource for Indigenous language education.
  2. Provide free, accessible, and consent-led resources for the global community.
  3. Center the Indigenous Knowledge learning experience in personal and intercommunity growth.
  4. Develop systems to track and improve the user experience with the SIKOSE resource.