Culture Matters

DARA E HEALY

"I want to tell our stories from an indigenous perspective, and I want to show the beauty of our culture," Jones said. "But I don't want to share too much where I'm giving away parts of my culture that shouldn't be put on TikTok or social media…I try not to share anything (traditions) that's too spiritual or too sacred."

- James Jones, member of the Cree Nation

THE LEGACY of this pandemic will be the stories that were told.

Stories of the single mother baking happiness in a kitchen almost empty of food to ensure that she and her son survive. And of the neighbours who drove miles simply to purchase her bread. Stories of the young woman who cut herself to stop the hurt of her hopelessness. And of the poetry that now channels her pain as the community rallies to give her the support she needs.

History will record other stories of survival as well. These are relatively new, born out of the necessity of a globalised world that still struggles to truly connect. In one of these stories, a man uses humour and the power of social media to help him overcome his depression caused by the pandemic.

Elsewhere, indigenous communities use the unlikely avenue of the music and video-sharing platform TikTok to share details about their cultural heritage - they demonstrate how to braid their hair, special dances, or share their confusion over having an indigenous identity. As one writer put it, communities '...like hijabi TikTok, Deaf TikTok and transboy TikTok' show that it is possible for marginalised people to find their voice.

So how may we effectively use the digital tools available to us to tell the stories of TT? Which stories should we preserve and who should tell them? As we discuss regeneration of communities in the face of persistent poverty, crime and rampant family violence, can storytelling serve as a counter to social ills or is that just another nancy story?

First, why is storytelling or the sharing of oral history important? Ancient stories hold the key to wisdom. For instance, the UN-protected Ifa/Orisa belief system from Nigeria is largely founded on stories. The moral lessons are interpreted by the Babalawo or priest, who must memorise hundreds of narratives over the duration of his lifetime of training.

Further, stories contain the soul of a people. Early societies developed the custom of documenting their practices, experiences and beliefs through stories. The physical depiction of events through drawings on stones or caves was another way to document heroic battles or the simple ebb and flow of life. Through stories, 'individuals use their particular cultural narrative to interpret experiences and construct a personal narrative or life story.'

A large part of the attraction of social media for storytelling is accessibility. A phone and internet connection allows people to broadcast their ideas and their art to the world. It is immediate, non-