Voices of VR

#1546: How Indigenous Storytelling is Changing Non-Proliferation Narratives in “Ways of Knowing: A Navajo Nuclear History”

Mar 29, 2025

Sunny Dooley, a Navajo storyteller, and Lovely Umayam, a nuclear policy researcher, discuss how Indigenous storytelling is reshaping narratives around nuclear non-proliferation. They explore the immersive power of 360-degree VR in conveying the impacts of uranium mining on Navajo land and community. The conversation emphasizes the importance of intergenerational healing and holistic living in Native cultures. Through their collaboration, they showcase how Indigenous perspectives can transform traditional nuclear policies and raise awareness about environmental issues.

54:38

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Episode guests

Lovely Umayam

Sunny Dooley

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The collaboration between Navajo storyteller Sunny Dooley and nuclear nonproliferation expert Lovely Umayam illustrates how indigenous perspectives reshape understanding of nuclear policy and history.

The use of 360-degree virtual reality in storytelling enables a richer, immersive experience that honors the connection between indigenous communities and their land.

Deep dives

The Unique Perspective of Indigenous Storytelling

Indigenous storytelling uniquely integrates the relationship between community and land, as emphasized by Sunny Dooley, a Navajo storyteller. She traditionally shared her narratives within her community context, but found that the immersive qualities of 360-degree video allowed her to preserve the spatial relational aspects of these stories. By adopting virtual reality as a medium, the storytelling not only encompasses the narrative but also encapsulates the landscape and environment that shape it. This innovation encapsulates a multifaceted storytelling approach that aligns with indigenous traditions and emphasizes the deep connection to land and culture.

Intro

4min

VR, Storytelling, and Indigenous Wisdom

21min

Indigenous Narratives in Virtual Reality

15min

Shifting Narratives: Indigenous Perspectives on Nuclear Policy

9min

The Transformative Power of Immersive Storytelling

3min

The Power of Love and Storytelling in the Immersive Community

2min

WAYS OF KNOWING: A NAVAJO NUCLEAR HISTORY tells the story of the impact of uranium mining on the Navajo community. This film is a unique collaboration between a Navajo storyteller Sunny Dooley and nuclear nonproliferation expert Lovely Umayam where the story of US nuclear history is told through an indigenous lens. This means telling the story of how nuclear policy has impacted Navajo land, but also on the intergenerational impact on the Navajo people. The fully immersive quality of 360 video allows Dooley to preserve the full context of how she would tell the story to her community. This was my favorite interview from SXSW 2025 as it is another great example of how the immersive quality of VR is able to capture and transmit indigenous ways of knowing, and how this indigenous perspective is also changing how nuclear nonproliferation experts are thinking about these nuclear policy issues. This film would also not be able to be told the same way if it was only 180 degrees, and it is a prescient example of the affordances of VR to be able to tell the story of a place with its full relational context. This is a listener-supported podcast through the Voices of VR Patreon. Music: Fatality

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Voices of VR

#1546: How Indigenous Storytelling is Changing Non-Proliferation Narratives in “Ways of Knowing: A Navajo Nuclear History”

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Unique Perspective of Indigenous Storytelling

The Impact of Historical Context on Nuclear Policy

Innovative Use of Virtual Reality in Storytelling

The Potential for Change and Healing

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts