A stronger representation of First Nations voices in the media would improve coverage not just for aboriginal issues, but for other sectors of Canadian society, say some Canadian aboriginal journalists and media observers.
Aboriginal media took the spotlight Thursday in the panel at the United Nations headquarters to mark the UN International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.
A common misconception is that aboriginal media are telling stories only for the aboriginal community, said panelist Monika Ille of Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.
“Some people will say well it’s only relevant to indigenous people but no – what we want to do is share stories to all – but with our perspective, which is completely different.”
She said it’s about adding an aboriginal lens to current events.
“You’re going to see it through the eyes of aboriginals, so what the impact will have on the aboriginal communities,” said Ille.
Ille said global indigenous media are operating in a changing and competitive market.
“It’s important for us to get together to be able to talk about the challenges we have and how we face them, and to talk about our know-how and see the different opportunities that are available to us to go further,” she said.
“It gives you strength, it gives you resources,” said Ille.
The panel, which was broadcast live on the internet, featured speakers from Canada and around the globe.
June Allison, with the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, said background information and historical context is often missing from mainstream Canadian coverage of aboriginal issues.
“I don’t think the Canadian public really gets the full story about a lot of the issues that are out there that deal with aboriginal people,” said Allison.
She points to the 2011 housing crisis in Attawapiskat. “I’ve come across other blogs that are written by First Nations people, which really go behind all these questions that the Canadian public has to really flesh them out.”
Allison said she isn’t sure to what extent Canadians outside of the aboriginal community are reading some of those blogs.
“So they’re left to make snap decisions and judgments. They could really benefit from having that other perspective,” she said.
Ille said APTN has broadcast in 32 aboriginal languages, which is important to preserve both language and culture.
During the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, that meant a distinctly Canadian touch.
“People were able to watch, let’s say, a hockey game in Inuktitut,” she said.
But hockey terminology wasn’t always a part of traditional lexicon, and APTN had to put together a dictionary including sports-related vocabulary.
“Some of the words did not exist in the aboriginal languages,” said Ille. “We had to train some commentators to be able to do the play-by-play or comment (on) the sporting events.”
Statistics Canada reports that in 2006 aboriginal peoples made up 3.8 per cent of the country’s population.
