ORAL TRADITIONS AND DIGITAL STORYTELLING: INDIGENOUS PEDAGOGY IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Abstract

Indigenous pedagogy is grounded in oral traditions that function as dynamic and relational systems of teaching and learning. Through storytelling, Indigenous communities have historically transmitted knowledge related to history, ethics, land stewardship, spirituality, and identity across generations. In the context of accelerated technological change, digital storytelling has emerged as a significant medium through which these oral traditions can be preserved, adapted, and rearticulated. This chapter critically examines the relationship between Indigenous oral traditions and digital storytelling, emphasizing pedagogical continuity rather than technological rupture. Drawing on Indigenous epistemologies and theories of literacy, the chapter explores how digital storytelling can support culturally grounded education by centering voice, relational learning, intergenerational transmission, and community participation. Ethical considerations surrounding cultural representation, consent, and intellectual sovereignty in the digitization of Indigenous knowledge are also addressed. The chapter argues that when guided by Indigenous values and community authority, digital storytelling can function as a decolonizing educational practice that strengthens cultural identity and sustains Indigenous knowledge systems in the digital age.