September 09, 2010

Creating a Native Facebook

Group hopes to help people find native connections

By Bob StraussA local American Indian band has launched a website that could become the Native American version of Facebook.

Ndn.me (say it aloud) launched last Friday, offering a variety of news feeds, events listings, links to tribal sites and other features. What it mainly offers, though, is a chance for individuals, groups and businesses to connect and keep in touch no matter where they may be.

"The focus is on tying everyone in the Native community together," said Rudy Ortega Jr., tribal administrator for the Fernande o Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, which created the site. "When someone leaves a reservation, they can use it to learn where the Indian organizations and events in a city are at. Or vice versa, they can use it to communicate back with people on the reservation."
Comment:  I think people have tried this before. I don't think they've been successful. Facebook has succeeded not because it's exclusive but because it's inclusive. You can find anyone there, including your Native friends.

For more on Natives online, see Amazon Indian Students on the Net and Distance Learning Via ELKNet.

Below:  "From left, Robert Young, creative marketing director; Austin Martin, tribal senator; Dakotah Pena, website developer; and Rudy Ortega Jr., tribal administrator, are responsible for starting a social website for American Indians at the FernandeƱo Tataviam Band of Mission Indians in San Fernando." (David Crane/Staff Photographer)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"When someone leaves a reservation, they can use it to learn where the Indian organizations and events in a city are at. Or vice versa, they can use it to communicate back with people on the reservation."

Hmmm, if you were from out of town all you would have to do is google Indian organizations and events. As for communicating with people back home that's what e-mail and a phone is for.

I don't know, these people received a grant for this and I've never heard of their tribe. Seems kind of sketchy to me.


Anonymouse

dmarks said...

Great business model: set up something to turn away 99% of your potential customers.

Rob is right. Natives should use the real Facebook, and they are, rather than hide away somewhere.

Rob said...

They're a real tribe, I think, but not a federally recognized one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tataviam

http://www.tataviam-nsn.us/