Indigenous Media Making: Affirming Identity

Analyze short videos from TikTok, a feature film, a video game, Hip-Hop video, and a documentary film for messages related to Indigenous identity and cultural pride.

Grade Levels

Middle School ○ High School ○ College / Adult

Objectives

• Students will understand perspectives about cultural pride among Indigenous peoples across the globe. 

• Students will identify and analyze media messages about Indigenous culture and pride. 

• Students will understand how new and traditional forms of media can be used for social change and continuity. 

• Students will reflect on the influence of identity on one’s perspectives. 

Media Included

Guiding Questions

Social Studies 

• What forms of historical oppression or current threats are referenced? 

• What aspects of culture are sources of Indigenous pride in these clips? 

• What peoples were referenced in all of these media clips and where are they from? How can you find out if you don’t know? 

• In these clips, how does traditional media (clothing, dance, song) interact with new media to support Indigenous identity, generational change and continuity? 

ELA

• “Media” can be defined as messages conveyed through visuals, language and/or sound that are produced for a remote audience. What media forms – both “new” and traditional - were shown in these clips and which can be most effective for communicating ideas? 

• How do these reinforce or counter cultural norms about Indigenous people? 

• In what ways can media production be used to support human rights? 

• Who made these? Were Indigenous people the creators? How can you find that out? 

Media Literacy 

• How might one’s cultural identity impact how one views these clips? 

• How do these clips make you feel and why? 

• What knowledge would you need to fully understand this? What knowledge would you need to better understand Indigenous perspectives? How would you find that information? 

*This lesson was created in collaboration with Project Look Sharp.