Drones, Development, and the Dynamics of Cultural Preservation

By Patricia Miller

Indigenous communities are using new technologies to preserve their land and their culture.

Technology is leaping into the future at a steady pace and bringing with it some incredible innovations for people in remote and isolated communities. Indigenous populations in particular have been affected by the increasing availability and portability of new technologies like solar powered generators, IoT-equipped devices, and drones. These technologies are providing access to a wealth of information and native peoples are rapidly working to apply it to empower their tribes and protect their heritage.

Indigenous communities throughout the world are often perceived as being anti-tech, an assumption that has likely contributed to their continued societal marginalization. Their seeming reluctance to embrace new technologies may hinge on a lack of education about the products or, more likely, a lack of access to the resources needed to acquire them. Professor Kim TallBear, Canada’s Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience, and Environment, explained to the University of Alberta the assumptions many people make about indigenous cultures: “People

are surprised that indigenous people need to participate in science and technology like anybody else … People across time and space develop tools and technology to live better. It’s more that science takes a lot of money to do, it takes money and infrastructure … It’s not that we culturally reject it.”

Smart technologies in rural communities are becoming more prevalent, particularly with the increased availability of off-grid renewable energies. With a steady connection to the internet and a reliable source of power, communities are finding new and innovative ways to incorporate technology into their lives.

Drones have proven especially helpful in this regard, creating an avenue for native peoples to exercise some control over their territories. Indigenous communities across the globe face a similar set of problems, namely how to defend their land against corporate entities. The most challenging aspect is how to properly document land ownership and the boundaries of religious sites while obtaining evidence of corporate

violations. In Guyana, members of the Wapichan Tribe are using YouTube videos to learn how to assemble drones from parts available in their village. They then use the drones to monitor and report illegal mining, logging, poaching, or looting of their sacred sites.

Drones also provide an outlet for native people to tell their own stories and document their history. Drone pilot and member of the Paiute and Shoshone Tribes, Myron Dewey, noted the importance of drone video capture technology during an interview with Discover magazine: “Being indigenous, it’s very important that we document our own stories because for too long our stories have been documented for us, and it changes the narrative. And because of the drones, I was able to do that.”

Implementing new technologies has been a positive step for many tribal people, fostering a renewed sense of agency and encouraging them to take an active role in protecting their communities and preserving their cultural heritage. ■