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How Nomads Hack Technology
What can we learn from nomads and remote tribes on how they use technology yet still preserve their cultures?
It was a frosty, early spring morning on the plains of inner Mongolia. Just before dawn Khairulzhan (who’s name means “one who is sought”) had set out for the days trading of horses not too far away from the family’s encampment. He’d charged up his mobile and checked the trading app was still linked to the family bank account. Everything was set and he was excited to get the day underway.
From pastoral Mongolian tribes to the Maasai in Africa and Inuit in the far north of Canada, remote cultures are using digital technologies in fascinating ways to enhance cultural practices, traditions and religious traditions that have been in place for thousands of years.
The Indonesian Bajau people, considered the “sea nomads” use wooden masks and tools for underwater fishing. Their bodies have even developed unique genetic mutations for the amount of time spent underwater. They’ve also been helping scientists track ocean health using mobile devices to input data into a marine management software tool.
As illegal deforestation and mineral mining continues to trouble Brazil’s remote areas, the ancient Yanomami people have begun to use drones to conduct…
