This module continues the conversation about culturally diverse approaches to naming. As we have discussed, descriptive metadata is, by nature, a naming tool and thus not socially, culturally, or politically neutral. As such, when developing a schema, we need to think holistically about the purpose of our descriptive framework, whether that language is culturally and contextually appropriate, and the overall long-term goals of creating a repository that will meet the needs of individuals and communities.
Educator Naomi Bird will introduce and discuss an Indigenous approach to naming, with an emphasis on the connection between land and names. In addition, she will guide participants in an activity designed to identify and think critically about the cultural and human impact of incorrectly naming people, places, and objects.
Learning outcomes (LO)
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- LO 1: Discuss different approaches to naming objects.
- LO2: Identify four characteristics of an Indigenous understanding of language.
- LO 3: The role that use plays in land names and locations
- LO 4: Some of the risks of renaming places and spaces.