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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 July 2025
Abstract: (From the artist's website) Skawennati makes art that addresses history, the future, and change from her perspective as an urban Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) woman and as a cyberpunk avatar. Her early adoption of cyberspace as both a location and a medium for her practice has produced groundbreaking projects such as CyberPowWow and Time-Traveller™. She is best known for her machinimas—movies made in virtual environments—but also produces still images, textiles, and sculpture.
Keywords: Three Sisters, Indigenous futures, machinima, Second Life, Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace (AbTeC)
In the TimeTraveller ™ machinima series, technology appears to be completely transparent: the protagonist wears minimalist goggles and types in mid-air to navigate history, moving seamlessly between an embodied ancestor (such as a Kanien’kehá:ka warrior during the Oka crisis), historical documents or TV broadcasts recreated in the 3D engine. In some of your ideal Indigenous futures, technology has evolved as an emancipatory tool for everyone. Do you think our institutions and the immersive tech sector are inspired by the utopian visions that you and other artists provide? What policies would be needed to move forward in that direction?
Skawennati: I certainly don't believe that the tech world is looking at my thing going: “Oh, yeah, let's do that!” I think we have all been inspired by utopian visions of technology seen in Star Trek for instance—you know, the tricorder, the transporter, the replicator, etc. A lot of the technologies we have now, like the iPhone, have been inspired by these visions. I do think art has the potential to influence inventors and corporations, at least I hope it does.
In terms of what policies would be needed to move forward: I’m thinking about a policy of degrowth. I believe that the biggest problem we’re facing in this world is greed, really. If we can figure out a way to overcome that, I think a lot of amazing stuff is achievable, for a lot of people.
Star Trek is a fascinating example to reflect on utopia and growth. The original series engaged with the idea of pushing the frontier and the colonial narrative of Manifest Destiny in a critical manner.
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