Wula Na Lnuwe'kati: A digital multimedia atlas

Abstract

Wula Na Lnuwe'kati is a cartographic product which reintroduces a different type of art into the practice of cartography: maps are more than information sources, they are offered to as images that invite one to linger and enjoy. In a digital multimedia environment, the atlas redistributes the responsibilities of map maker and map user. Through interactivity, the map user is a participant in the writing of the cartographic narrative. This user engagement is facilitated by an interface that offers many avenues for selfdirected exploration through a complex of possibilities. Media elements compliment each other and are presented as partners in information delivery. Interface devices assume the dual roles of both functional and decorative components. Sound and image are vehicles for information delivery as well as acting to ground the work within its cultural foundation. What has been achieved in Wula Na Lnuwe'kati is, in part, a result of embracing the possibilities of new technologies while allowing traditional techniques to influence the evolution of the cartographic practice. While this chapter has let the author dissect his work (not an easy undertaking, but a very valuable exercise), the best way to experience Wula Na Lnuwe'kati is to explore it. If a reader interprets the piece in a way that was not foreseen, the work has not been created as an encapsulated moment: it has achieved a life of its own. © 2007 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.