Self-Representation and Decolonial Learning in Library Makerspaces

Indigenous Digital Storytelling

Abstract

This paper explores how Indigenous digital storytelling can be used as a mode for self-representation and decolonial learning in library makerspaces. Digital storytelling involves expressing your lived experiences and stories through a dynamic combination of textual and digital literacies. Implementing Indigenous digital storytelling programs allows library makerspaces to show the value of technology, digital and visual literacy, Indigenous Storytelling, and Ways of Knowing by letting Indigenous Peoples represent themselves and their lived experiences. This paper lays the groundwork on how library makerspaces can incorporate Indigenous approaches to digital storytelling. I argue that creating and implementing Indigenous-centered digital storytelling programs helps decolonize makerspace programming. Using integrative literature review methods, I will qualitatively identify the values of Indigenous Storytelling and digital storytelling to see how they interconnect. I examine how Indigenous Peoples have used digital storytelling and what libraries have done to support digital storytelling and Indigenous Storytelling to explore how these practices can be better adopted by library makerspaces.