Traditionally, indigenous culture and teachings were meant to be exclusively shared orally. Today, we’re proud to update and continue that tradition by sharing indigenous culture online. We believe there’s no difference between sitting down and sharing information with you in person and sharing this information with you via the web, where we can reach even more people like you around the world.
This is simply an evolution of the oral tradition our ancestors began so many generations ago. This is important not only for helping people feel more connected to themselves and their culture, but to ensuring the continuation of indigenous traditions, practices, and culture overall. Everyone’s journey is different, but as you get started on your quest for personal connection to your culture, there are just a few things you can keep in mind.
ADAPTING TO THE NEW WORLD
This past year has really forced all of us to be adaptable. Not only is our world constantly changing anyway, but the world of COVID has made it so we are forced to adapt in order to survive. We’ve had to adapt not only to modern technology, but to losing the ability to connect in person. That means teaching lessons online, sharing information like this over videos, and compiling digital resources that are crucial for helping people like you connect with their culture.
These adaptations don’t diminish the quality of the material. In fact, they enhance them because they allow us to connect with each other in ways we didn’t think were possible before.
So, just like we’ve had to adapt what we think of as the “traditional” way of teaching indigenous culture and practices, you might also have to adapt your strategy as you navigate the changing world and your personal journey. That’s perfectly ok. Accept that your journey will change as you go and move forward confidently. We are all doing the best that we can to adapt, so give yourself a ton of credit for that.
USING RESOURCES TO CONNECT WITH YOUR CULTURE
In some ways, connecting with your culture is easier than ever. That might sound crazy, but in reality, you have so much information and so many resources available to you online that can make your journey easier. You can pick and choose resources that feel right to you, speak to you in some way, or make you feel most comfortable.
Some other online resources might include doing research on indigenous websites, locating indigenous businesses, participating in an online course or workshop, or engaging with communities of indigenous people online.
WHY CONTINUITY IS IMPORTANT
By connecting with your culture, you’re contributing to an important process: culture continuity. Without this process, we would lose crucial knowledge, traditions, and practices forever. Without people like you who continue to learn about and seek connection with indigenous culture, we might lose:
- Indigenous teachings
- Indigenous perspectives and worldview
- Traditional knowledge about plants and animals
- Important history
- Unique languages
- Empathy, kindness, and understanding
If we let indigenous culture fade away, we lose an important part of what makes us human: our ability to understand one another. That’s why continuing indigenous culture is so important -- not only to your personal development, but to society as a whole.
PRIORITIZING THE SHARING OF INDIGENOUS CULTURE
Spreading the culture at all -- whether it’s online in videos like this one, in classes, or from parent to child -- is important. It doesn’t matter HOW you do it, it simply matters that you do it. Otherwise, you risk losing the culture entirely.
You are not only doing an important service for yourself, but for your ancestors and for all the people who come after you. By connecting with your culture, you are keeping the indigenous culture alive and maintaining its historic and valuable place in our society.
Now that you know a little more about the importance of connecting with your culture in today’s modern world, you’ll be able to move forward with your own journey with a better perspective and a full understanding of the value of your journey. Even if you are struggling, every step of this process is worth it.
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