Griot-Style Methodology: Longitudinal Study of Navigating Design With Unwritten Stories

Title of the Paper

Griot-Style Methodology: Longitudinal Study of Navigating Design With Unwritten Stories

Paper Information

• Subject Area: Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Cultural Studies, with a focus on oral communities and technology design
• Keywords: Indigenous knowledge, orality, intangible cultural heritage (ICH), longitudinal study, oral communities, storytellers (Griot), design methodology, technology and culture

Research Background and Issues

• Identified Problems:
  • Colonial history has profoundly impacted Indigenous communities and their cultures, including resource scarcity and the marginalization of traditional knowledge.
  • Technology design often prioritizes written expression while neglecting oral traditions, leading to cultural imbalances and the diminishment or distortion of Indigenous narratives.
  • A major challenge in technology introduction is how to respect the unique storytelling methods and cultural preservation needs of these communities.
• Significance:
  • Oral culture is central to much Indigenous knowledge, and its preservation and transmission are crucial for cultural diversity and community cohesion.
  • Technology's role in the transmission and preservation of stories may influence the future and autonomy of community cultures.
• Research Motivation and Related Work:
  • Through long-term collaboration with oral tradition communities in Kenya, the study explores how to design technologies that support storytelling and preservation within these communities.
  • The project draws on UNESCO's guidelines for intangible cultural heritage and related research on oral cultures, aiming to provide a framework for future technology design in Indigenous contexts.

Solution

• Method or Solution:
  • A methodology called "Griot-Style Methodology" is proposed, inspired by the "Griot" storytellers in West African oral traditions.
  • The methodology consists of five stages: foundational preparation, role definition, interviews, organization and archiving, and translation and narration.
• Innovative Features:
  • A respect-based framework developed through long-term collaboration supports community cultural autonomy and the setting of narrative boundaries.
  • Integrates diverse Indigenous studies and participatory design into technology development and design methodologies.
• Implementation Steps and Key Techniques:
  1. Foundational Preparation:
     • Understand national and community regulations, ethical requirements, and research permissions.
     • Emphasize the appropriateness of researchers and the building of trust with the community.
  2. Role Definition:
     • Use community liaisons familiar with local contexts as bridges for research.
     • The liaisons' roles include introducing storytellers (Griots), assisting with ceremonial introductions, and ensuring the research process respects the customs of the target community.
  3. Interviews:
     • Conduct semi-structured interviews inviting community elders and Griots to share oral knowledge.
     • Provide spaces that support community participation and storytelling performances.
     • Establish a "respect boundary" framework to protect sensitive and sacred narrative elements.
  4. Organization and Archiving:
     • Preserve the original meaning of stories through audio recordings and transcriptions.
     • Handle concealed or conflicting narratives with respect, accommodating multiple versions.
  5. Translation and Narration:
     • When disseminating content externally, balance the preservation of community knowledge with participant privacy protection.
     • Use indirect naming methods to ensure cultural respect and anonymity of participants.

Research Outcomes

• Specific Results:
  • The methodology outlines the complexities of collaborating with Indigenous communities and provides recommended pathways to support longitudinal research and technology design.
  • Case studies highlight multidimensional conflicts within and outside the community, including generational differences, narrative ownership issues, and discussions of harmful cultural practices.
• Advantages:
  • Supports the transmission of complex, multi-version narratives within Indigenous communities, avoiding the suppression of oral traditions by singular written accounts.
  • The methodology emphasizes research ethics and community agency in technology participation and discourse.
• Experimental or Evaluation Results:
  • Case studies reveal practical findings, such as:
    • Online spaces organized by younger members facilitated cultural knowledge transmission, but the absence of elders led to generational disconnects.
    • The community's conflicting perspectives on colonial historical records versus their own oral histories exposed existing cultural tensions.
• Limitations and Future Directions:
  • The methodology is currently based on practices within a specific Kenyan community. Future research should explore how this framework can be more broadly applied across different cultural contexts.
  • Potential directions include incorporating decolonization perspectives to further challenge power and knowledge asymmetries in technology design.