Design approach 2: The Pluriverse / Indigenous Futurism

Indigenous futurism

An artistic movement where it shows indigenous groups of people within the future. These depictions can be done in many mediums, through art, games, novels, game etc.
Indigenous futurism is an artistic movement where it shows indigenous groups of people within the future. These depictions can be done in many mediums, through art, games, novels etc. This allows for more representations of their people and culture, moving away from the western, often standard American/European point of view. This representation needs to be made to allow for the general public to see these groups of people in both the presnet and future, so that this idea of indigenous people being in the future isn't a foreign thing to imagine about. As stereotypes of these groups have been created with how they are portrayed within media, how they are only linked in the past. Creating a stereotype that they are still using technologies from the past and can’t be technologied advanced, which needs to be changed.

Speculative design critique

Case study

This is an example of indigenous futurism created by Taylor Mcarthur. They use many digital mediums to create their work, such as 3D modelling, animation, augmented reality and games. This allows them to create worlds for the indigenous future by making them interactive and easily immersive places. They look at the landscapes that could be seen from a more indigenous point of view.

Line of Sight
This is an interactive environment that can be explored by the users and walked around. With the use of digital media, she can create a future for the indigenous by using technologies that are newer and more digital - which is where the future seems to be heading.
The interactive manner of this work allows for a better understanding of what the potential future could look and feel like. Making a more interactive experience creates a better impact on the players and a better understanding of the future world.
This work allows for representation of herself, from her identity and how she is linked with the land, such as memories linked with it.

This case study extends and challenges the ideas and assumptions of Dunne and Raby’s version of Critical/Speculative design. This is done by how the case study shows Indigenous Futurism in an artwork manner, providing a world created from questioning the future and its link with indigenous people. This shows speculative thinking in an artistic manner and less of a designing manner, questioning manner. It presents a visual and interactions with the world visualised.
This raises questions and provides a potential answer, not necessarily for society and how we could change but for what could be a future for the indigenous, presenting a future through the lens/culture of indigenous, allowing for showing and representing the potential indigenous future landscapes. More based on culture and celebrating it rather than the technologies of our future.
This work also addresses the issues of the current world, with a link to the past and future and how they need to celebrate and show their people more to help change the opinions of the current, not necessarily things that could improve society in the future if asked, but to celebrate their culture in the current and potential futures. To change the mindset of the current and near future.

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