Abstract
Indigenous digital storytelling extends beyond sharing narratives—it is a practice of cultural sovereignty, self-determination, and knowledge stewardship. Digital storytelling aligns with Indigenous research methodologies, emphasising relationality, oral traditions, and community-centred knowledge production, ensuring that these stories remain rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing and being. While digital media provides opportunities for Indigenous communities to share their narratives, it also poses risks of appropriation, misrepresentation, and external control. This study examines how relational design and participatory methodologies can support Indigenous digital storytelling while respecting cultural protocols and reinforcing community governance. By critically analysing existing storytelling frameworks, we explore whether participatory design genuinely empowers Indigenous voices or perpetuates extractive practices. Drawing on Indigenous methodologies, ethical review, and governance models, we highlight the need for community-driven digital storytelling platforms that prioritise Indigenous agency. Rather than adapting Indigenous narratives to fit mainstream digital spaces, this research advocates for technologies shaped by Indigenous epistemologies—ensuring that digital storytelling serves as a means of cultural resurgence and relational accountability rather than a tool of knowledge extraction.
Keywords
Indigenous Digital Storytelling; Cultural Sovereignty; Relational Design; Technological affordances
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/nordes.2025.28
Citation
Qureshi, A., Häkkilä, J., Keskitalo, P.,and Linkola-Aikio, I.(2025) Cultural sovereignty and the future of Indigenous digital storytelling, in Brandt, E., Markussen, T., Berglund, E., Julier, G., Linde, P. (eds.), Nordes 2025: Relational Design, 6-8 August, Oslo, Norway. https://doi.org/10.21606/nordes.2025.28
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
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Cultural sovereignty and the future of Indigenous digital storytelling
Indigenous digital storytelling extends beyond sharing narratives—it is a practice of cultural sovereignty, self-determination, and knowledge stewardship. Digital storytelling aligns with Indigenous research methodologies, emphasising relationality, oral traditions, and community-centred knowledge production, ensuring that these stories remain rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing and being. While digital media provides opportunities for Indigenous communities to share their narratives, it also poses risks of appropriation, misrepresentation, and external control. This study examines how relational design and participatory methodologies can support Indigenous digital storytelling while respecting cultural protocols and reinforcing community governance. By critically analysing existing storytelling frameworks, we explore whether participatory design genuinely empowers Indigenous voices or perpetuates extractive practices. Drawing on Indigenous methodologies, ethical review, and governance models, we highlight the need for community-driven digital storytelling platforms that prioritise Indigenous agency. Rather than adapting Indigenous narratives to fit mainstream digital spaces, this research advocates for technologies shaped by Indigenous epistemologies—ensuring that digital storytelling serves as a means of cultural resurgence and relational accountability rather than a tool of knowledge extraction.