TiareIA

TIARE-IA

Technologies for Indigenous Archives and Revitalization through Educational Intelligent Applications

Innovative approaches to cultural continuity through community-based participatory research and advanced technological applications.

Moorea, Indigenous Heritage in French Polynesia

Moorea, a volcanic island in French Polynesia, serves as a vital case study for the TIARE-IA project. This lush paradise harbors rich indigenous Mā’ohi cultural traditions dating back centuries. The island’s communities face unique preservation challenges as modernization and tourism impact traditional knowledge systems and language use. TIARE-IA collaborates with local elders to document oral histories, traditional ecological knowledge, and ancestral practices before they fade from living memory.

Critical Challenges in Indigenous Preservation

Global Context

Contemporary challenges to Indigenous cultures

Linguistic Shift

Acceleration toward French among younger generations

Community Needs

Imperative for innovative approaches

Scholarly Response

The preservation and revitalization of Indigenous languages and cultural practices in French Polynesia presents critical challenges in the contemporary global context. As linguistic shift toward French accelerates among younger generations in Moorea, the Indigenous community has articulated a pressing need for innovative approaches to cultural continuity. TIARE-IA emerges as a scholarly response to this imperative, proposing a methodologically rigorous framework that integrates community-based participatory research with advanced technological applications for sustainable cultural preservation.

TIARE-IA Interdisciplinary Conference Team

This interdisciplinary conference, scheduled for early October 2025, assembles a distinguished cohort of international scholars and practitioners whose expertise spans theoretical physics, humanities, social sciences, Indigenous studies, literature, and maritime technologies.

Neil Davis (UC Berkeley)

Specialist in maritime technologies

Vicente Diaz (UCLA American Indian Studies)

AI-work on traditional voyaging technologies

Warren Essey (Kudu Educational Platform)

Educational technology specialist for platform implementation

Alex Kusenko (UCLA Physics)

Theoretical physics expertise contributing to interdisciplinary approach

Elizabeth Landers (UCLA History)

Educational technology pioneer integrating AI innovation with historical methodology and global learning design

José Luis Passos (UCLA Spanish and Portuguese)

Brazilian literature scholar pioneering digital documentation of critically endangered indigenous languages in Northeast Brazil through innovative preservation methodologies

Shannon Speed (UCLA American Indian Studies)

Chickasaw Nation citizen and AISC Director specializing in indigenous sovereignty, language revitalization, and activist research methodologies across Mexico and the United States

Zrinka Stahuljak (UCLA Comparative Literature)

Medieval studies scholar and educational pioneer leading UCLA’s first AI integration in humanities through innovative Kudu platform implementation

TIARE-IA Conference agenda

October 7, 2025

Indigenous Language Preservation & Revitalization

José Luis Passos demonstrates cutting-edge AI applications for documenting critically endangered indigenous languages in Northeast Brazil, while Shannon Speed facilitates community-centered discussions on sovereignty-based reclamation methodologies and culturally responsive engagement strategies.

October 8, 2025

Indigenous Voyaging & Technologies

Vicente Diaz leads an immersive workshop bridging ancient Pacific navigation wisdom with modern AI tools, exploring how traditional canoe building practices inform contemporary technological approaches through hands-on collaborative learning and cultural exchange.

October 9, 2025

Indigenous Narratives & Storytelling

Interactive group session examining the intersection of ancestral storytelling traditions and digital documentation methods, exploring how AI can support rather than replace indigenous narrative practices for sustainable cultural continuity across generations.

October 10, 2025

AI in Education

Warren Essey, Elizabeth Landers, and Zrinka Stahuljak present groundbreaking AI-assisted classroom applications from UCLA’s Mellon grant initiatives, demonstrating practical implementation strategies that enhance pedagogical innovation while preserving academic integrity and humanistic values.

Tiare-IA Latest Posts

  • AI Integration for Cultural Preservation
    Digital Humanties applications, Scalable solutions, and Community Sovereignty
  • Methodological Approaches
    The Tiare-IA project’s methodological approach centers on community listening protocols designed to document and archive Indigenous knowledge systems and technologies through ethnographic engagement with Moorean cultural practitioners. These sessions will generate primary source materials for the development of pedagogical resources delivered through the Kudu platform, utilizing artificial intelligence to enhance accessibility while maintaining cultural authenticity. The integration of AI technologies represents a significant advancement in digital humanities applications for Indigenous scholarship, offering scalable solutions for knowledge, language, and technology revitalization that respect community sovereignty over cultural knowledge.
  • Significance and Future Impact
    The TIARE-IA conference represents a significant contribution to the field of Indigenous studies and digital humanities, proposing a replicable model for community-university partnerships in cultural preservation. Through its emphasis on Indigenous epistemologies and community-controlled research protocols, TIARE-IA advances scholarly understanding of how emerging technologies can serve Indigenous cultural continuity while respecting traditional knowledge systems and community autonomy in the digital age.