Updating the Moccasin Telegraph: Indigenous People Embrace Digital

Advertisement

Originally published in TEACH Magazine, Digital Citizenship Special Issue, 2020

By Shelby Lisk

As a kid, I only ever saw my community, Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, make headlines when there was a highway or railroad blockade. The public knew us for protests, cigarettes, and gas. Even from a young age, I knew there was more to that story and there still is.

Most media content about Indigenous communities are created by non-Indigenous people, for their consumption. This leads to the reproduction of the stereotypes we’ve seen time and time again. Accomplished Anishinaabe reporter Duncan McCue coined the WD4 rule, which has become ubiquitous in the Indigenous journalism world. In a CBC article, he shares the story: “An elder once told me the only way an Indian would make it on the news is if he or she were one of the 4Ds: drumming, dancing, drunk or dead.” (He added the “W” for warrior.)

In 2011, Professors Carmen Robertson and Mark Anderson co-authored Seeing Red: A History of Natives in Canadian Newspapers, an examination of Indigenous representation in Canadian newspapers from 1869 to 2009, and will be releasing an updated version in 2021.

“Things have not improved that much,” Robertson said on CBC’s Unreserved in November. “The stereotypes that we found in the nineteenth century are still being reproduced but maybe different descriptor words are being used.” The updated book will include contemporary examples, such as the reportage around Cree Red Pheasant First Nation resident, Colten Boushie’s death, in 2016.

Retired journalist and Professor John Medicine Horse Kelly and Professor Miranda Brady argue in their book, We Interrupt This Program: Indigenous Media Tactics in Canadian Culture, that “whoever controls or subverts the content matters in the meaning-making process, as do varied audiences and modes of production access, and circulation.” We can’t rely on one source or medium to reach people.

Within the classroom, it is important to share content that doesn’t position Indigenous people in the past but brings them into the present and future. The division between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada grows smaller through education, where those who have been dehumanized are now seen as whole people, with beautiful cultures, amazing senses of humour, artistic talents, and voices with important things to say.

The places to find these voices are not within mainstream texts but within spaces where the non-Indigenous teacher or student may be taking the seat of the one feeling “othered.” But that is where the real learning starts—with listening.

Subscribe to Keep Reading

🔑 You’re one step away from unlocking premium content.
Subscribe now for just $15.99/year and get full access!
If you’re already subscribed, please .

Shelby Lisk is a multidisciplinary artist and journalist from Kenhtè:ke (Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory). She currently lives in Ottawa, where she works as a multimedia journalist, capturing news and current affairs stories that affect Indigenous communities across the province.

Education News

National Principals of the Year Announced

The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) have named the 2025–26 National Principals of the Year.

Is Your Child’s Literacy on Vacation? How Parents Can Beat the Summer Slide

Did you know students can lose up to two months of learning progress over summer break? Here's how to tackle the “summer slide” and keep kids engaged.

Nominations Open for Heroes of the Classroom Teacher Recognition Program

Nominations are accepted through August 3. Ten finalists will advance to a public vote for the chance to win the Grand Prize—valued at approximately $16,000 in cash and prizes.

New School Safety Trends Report Shows Training and Technology Are Saving Lives in U.S. Schools

CENTEGIX’s 2025 School Safety Trends Report reveals a national movement toward proactive, integrated school safety strategies, including campus mapping.

Join Our Newsletter

Get 10% off a subscription, monthly giveaways, and the latest updates—straight to your inbox!

Shelby Lisk
Shelby Lisk
Shelby Lisk is a multidisciplinary artist and journalist from Kenhtè:ke (Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory). She currently lives in Ottawa, where she works as a multimedia journalist, capturing news and current affairs stories that affect Indigenous communities across the province.

Advertisement

Read More

National Principals of the Year Announced

The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) have named the 2025–26 National Principals of the Year.

Guardians of the Coast: Building Kids’ Confidence Through Art

I was recently involved with an art exhibition in the Thanet District of Kent, England, that helped students see themselves as artists, advocates, and changemakers.

Is Your Child’s Literacy on Vacation? How Parents Can Beat the Summer Slide

Did you know students can lose up to two months of learning progress over summer break? Here's how to tackle the “summer slide” and keep kids engaged.

The Power of Music and Melody: Using Songs to Engage Young Learners

By harnessing the power of music, teachers can create a lively and dynamic atmosphere that also improves concentration, focus, and retention.

Nominations Open for Heroes of the Classroom Teacher Recognition Program

Nominations are accepted through August 3. Ten finalists will advance to a public vote for the chance to win the Grand Prize—valued at approximately $16,000 in cash and prizes.

Real (and Really Funny) Math

I'm an author of math books, which may sound like a dry job, but that’s exactly why I do it. It’s my goal to show kids that math can be fun (and funny!)
paypal casino mobile | dragon born slot | bet online slots | hellboy slots free | quay hũ slot | slot online asia | bonus member baru slot | sv388 casino | cởi quần áo | slot drill | dd xstn | game joker slot | 77betsports slots | tsumugi | happy luke casino | game lậu mobile việt hóa | ku vip slot | lô đẹp 888 | thiendia | b79 club apk download | nextgen free slots | darwin casino restaurants | plaza hotel and casino las vegas | ket qua 7 | tai zingplay ve may tinh nhanh nhat | sd slot | judi slot terpercaya | king slot | casino prom theme | soi cầu cơm gạo | aspers casino logo | best rated online casino | thống kê loto | giochi online slot | slot weld | những bài hát karaoke | jungle trouble slot | BWIN | ký tự liên quân | thống kê xổ số gia lai | cách tải vương giả vinh diệu | siti casino online | vnngaynay | tai game fan slot | slot 9999 | shanghai beauty slot | chăm sóc xe hơi | wap soicauxoso doan | xsmnchu nhat | bingo slots uk | thống kê giải đặc biệt theo năm | druid spell slots | slot spiele | nvme vs m2 slot | sweet alchemy slot | tải app CMD368 | đá gà trực tiếp casino 999 | casino trực tiếp | giải đặc biệt theo năm | kính lặn bắn cá | bancah5 code | mod skin liên quân |