Why we built chuchua.tech
Natasha Hampshire
If you’d told me a decade ago that my brother and I would be running a tech hub from the Simpcw reservation, I’m not sure I would have believed you. We were both raised in the UK, a world away from the North Thompson Valley. But life has a funny way of pulling you back to where you need to be.
My brother made the move home about 15 years ago, getting settled and reconnecting with the land long before I did. I finally followed in his footsteps in October 2025.
Coming back wasn't just a change of scenery. We moved because we wanted our children to grow up knowing their heritage. We wanted them to know their extended family and to live in a community where people actually support each other. But as we settled in, we started asking ourselves a bigger question: How can we use our skills to help our community rather than just helping big organizations make more money?
The shift from "big tech" to "community tech"
In my previous roles, I spent a lot of time thinking about "users" as numbers on a dashboard. But here in Chu Chua, the "users" are my neighbors, my family, and the people I see at the community hall.
We realized that while we’ve spent our careers mastering digital systems, those skills are exactly what’s needed right now as Indigenous Governing Bodies (IGBs) work to design, govern, and protect their own information systems. That was the spark for chuchua.tech.
What we’re building (and why)
We didn't start this to be another rigid, bureaucratic tech agency. We wanted to be a resource for local projects that actually matter.
Supporting data sovereignty: We want to help our community reclaim authority over child and family data in ways that reflect our own laws and values.
Prioritizing cultural safety: Whether it’s a language prototype or a data system, we believe information should be held with care, respect, and cultural safety.
Keeping it human: We believe tech should support human relationships, not replace them. Take a look at the blog I wrote about the "Malling Rocks" philosophy I’ve shared before to learn more here.
The minimum we can do to help
Our approach is simple: what is the minimum thing we can do to help right now? Sometimes that’s building a language tool to help a teacher with pronunciation. Sometimes it’s helping build shared data standards that honor Indigenous sovereignty.
We’re here because we believe in the spirit of Knucwentwécw (helping one another). We’ve traded the corporate world for Chu Chua because we want our work to mean something to the people around us. chuchua.tech is our way of ensuring that as our community moves into the digital future, we are the ones holding the blanket, protecting our stories, our systems, and our children.
Do you have a project that needs a tech-savvy neighbour? We’re not only here for the big corporations; we’re here for you. Whether you’re looking to protect your Nation’s data or have a simple idea for the community, we’d love to help.
Reach out to us here or stop us for a chat if you see us around Chu Chua!