On Spirituality & Technology

Well, this week's readings focus on Aboriginals and indigenous peoples -- David McNab discusses the canoe's role in securing Aboriginal autonomy/survival, and Adam Lucas talks about the implementation of computer technology into preserving their cultures. What I find incredibly commendable with Aboriginals is that they have managed to preserve such a large chunk of their knowledge and traditions through such beautiful ways, such as folk stories and various types of art. These acts of preservation are in no way unique to Aboriginals, but they have managed to survive this many centuries in such a way that I wonder what the role of technology will bring to the preservation of their cultures and traditions. Computers, although incredibly advanced, are sort of like a "temporary permanence" in that yes, information can be preserved, but this information is enmeshed and integrated into a virtual web of computer space that is essentially nothing. CD-ROMS may provide a means to revisit information, but not everyone has immediate access to computer technologies, like Lucas indicates, and I even noticed a paragraph that was either laden with sarcasm or truth: "Because the CD was constructed in a template format, this will allow other Aboriginal communities to add their own information to the CD in the future. All that is required to do this is a fairly high-powered Macintosh computer, a laser-scanner, a video camera, and a digitizing board". Now I don't know if that listing of devices was meant to sound sarcastic, but that is the impression I got, unless I am underestimating the abundance of technological resources in Aboriginal communities. I also want to mention the threat of oral tradition being abolished with emerging technologies. While it may be beneficial in the long run to educate children about their cultures with the aid of technology, I wonder whether this will gradually eradicate the beautiful act of transmitting oral knowledge from generation to generation (not to idealize Native culture or anything).

Reading McNab's article on the canoe as a central point in Aboriginal life, I was reminded of a film I watched in Nutritional Anthropology about corn, beans, and squash also as a central point in Native American life. Just as the canoe is "central to the creation stories, to the cultures providing a balance practically and spiritually as a means of understanding the natural world...", these 3 vegetables are seen as the "Three Sisters" in Native American mythology. Traditions, rituals, and life basically revolve around the production and praise of these particular crops. I doubt that it was as important as the canoe in that it was used in "inter-tribal warfare", but it certainly plays an essential role in their lives. Anyways, back to the canoe. In relation to this course, this piece of transport is definitely a testament to the interconnectedness of spirituality and technology within a culture. The canoe is a "celestial craft of souls and a focal point for the four sacred directions", as well as being used for warfare, trade, and survival. In our North American society it is difficult to find such a simple piece of technology that evokes such senses of awe and praise. Perhaps one can read into Noble and argue that space travel and DNA technology is an example of this, but the sacredness of the canoe in Aboriginal culture, I believe, cannot be paralleled in any way.