Course Profile
Expressing Aboriginal Cultures, Grade 9 open, Public
Unit 3: Functional Arts and Aboriginal Cultures
Activity 1 | Activity 2
| Activity 3 | Activity 4 | Activity 5 | Activity 6 | Activity
7
Unit Developer(s)
Gloria Thomas, Grand-Erie District School Board
Rocky Landon, Limestone District School Board
Gerry Winger, Niagara District School Board
Development Date: July 1999
In this unit students examine the diversity of Aboriginal functional art within the traditional and contemporary context, including: canoe and watercraft design, clothing, and architecture. The significance of women’s work to Aboriginal art and culture is an important theme in this unit as is the relationship between the natural environment, Aboriginal culture, and the products of that culture.
Strand(s): Identity, Relationships, Sovereignty, Challenges
Overall Expectations: GLV.08, GLV.09, GLV.10, GLV.11, REV.01, REV.02, REV.03, SOV.01, SOV.02, SOV.03, CHV.04.
Specific Expectations: GL1.01, GL1.02, GL1.03, GL1.04, GL1.05, GL1.06, GL1.07, GL1.08, GL2.02, GL2.05, GL3.01, GL3.02, GL3.03, GL3.04, GL3.05, RE1. 02, RE1.03, RE1.04, RE2.01, RE2.02, RE3.02, RE3.04, RE3.06, SO1.01, SO1.02, SO1.03, SO1.04, SO1.05, SO1.06, SO1.08, SO2.02, SO3.01, SO 3.02, SO3.03, CH1.05, CH2.01, CH 3.02.
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Activity 1 |
The Cultural Significance of Natural Materials and Their Uses in Native Art |
120 minutes |
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Activity 2 |
Stories in Stone |
120 minutes |
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Activity 3 |
Collaborative Carving Challenge |
180 minutes |
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Activity 4 |
Portrait of a Journey |
240 minutes |
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Activity 5 |
Pride in Women’s Work |
240 minutes |
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Activity 6 |
Contemporary Aboriginal Clothing Design |
240 minutes |
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Activity 7 |
A Case Study: Douglas Cardinal, Aboriginal Architect |
180 minutes |
Within this unit there is a variety of opportunities to involve local Aboriginal resource people. This type of collaboration works best when it is planned well in advance. It is the teacher’s responsibility to share with the invited guest the objectives of the course, as well as setting up the learning environment so as to maximize the learning for the students and also make the situation as comfortable as possible for the invited guest. Elders, for instance, are often more comfortable working with small groups of students in an experiential mode. See unit activities for specific planning requirements.
Basic skills and knowledge from the Visual Arts and History Grades 7 and 8 program.
The following teaching and learning strategies are employed in this unit; teacher-directed discussion, video, Internet and computer database research, collaborative learning, field trips, guided imagery and visualization, class discussion, structured worksheets, guest speakers.
Assessment and Evaluation in this unit include; checklists for collaborative skills, formal evaluation of art products according to specified criteria (teacher-developed), self and peer assessment, use of student-developed product evaluation criteria, short answer questions, use of evaluation criteria from “real-world” sources, teacher observation.
Time: 120 minutes
This activity introduces students to the wide range of natural materials used in traditional functional art by Aboriginal artists. Students consider how the choice of materials reflects compatibility and knowledge of regional natural environments.
Strand(s): Identity, Relationships, Sovereignty
Overall Expectations:
· describe the elements of culture reflected in various art forms;
· demonstrate understanding of how Aboriginal art forms reflect cultural identity;
· demonstrate understanding of the relationships among Aboriginal peoples, their environments, and art forms;
· identify how specific Aboriginal art forms reflect aspects of the society that produced them;
· produce art forms that demonstrate Aboriginal relationships;
· demonstrate how Aboriginal art affirms Aboriginal cultures.
Specific Expectations:
· identify characteristics of art forms (e.g., totem poles, storytelling, songs) from various Aboriginal groups in Canada;
· explain how the traditional art forms of particular Aboriginal communities were produced;
· explain the importance of an art form to a cultural group;
· explain how Aboriginal art forms differ across Canada;
· identify various reasons for the creation of Aboriginal art (e.g., functional, moral/spiritual, social/political, decorative/aesthetic);
· explain how natural environments affect the development of Aboriginal art forms (e.g., Inuit soapstone carving);
· describe the role of art forms in relation to the environment in specific Aboriginal cultures;
· describe qualities in Aboriginal art forms that exemplify self-reliance.
· With respect to the collecting required for the natural objects assemblage activity, it is important that this be done in a careful and respectful manner. Traditional Aboriginal use of the natural environment was always marked by feelings of respect and gratitude, and by ceremonies of thanks. This lesson might represent an excellent opportunity for the teacher to introduce ceremony as a learning strategy within the classroom or while the students are outdoors doing the collecting. The introduction of ceremony with a group of adolescents is not something to be undertaken lightly and the teacher is well advised to seek out a local Aboriginal person of knowledge for both advice and assistance. The following resource can also be useful: Roberts, E. and E. Amidon. Earth Prayers from Around the World. San Francisco, CA: Harper Collins, 1991.
· If the teacher wishes to incorporate the extension activity, initiating a natural materials exchange with another class in another region of Ontario, it would be necessary to make arrangements substantially before the activity so that the materials will be on hand when needed.
· The teacher should be aware of activities in other profiles that support the achievement of expectations in this unit (e.g., use of clay in the Grade 9 Visual Arts profile).
· The teacher may take advantage of opportunities to diverge from the suggested activity sequence to incorporate the use of locally popular and significant materials.
· See Unit Overview.
1. Tell the students that two important characteristics of traditional Aboriginal art were that it utilized natural materials found in the geographical region inhabited by the Aboriginal group and that the production of objects as “art” – something without a functional utility – was unknown.
In a teacher-directed discussion have the students contribute suggestions regarding what natural materials could be used as art (e.g., bone, antler, hide, quills, fur, stone, wood). Freda McDonald, a traditional Ojibwe craftsperson, (see article, “From the Hands of a Master”) uses the following materials from the boreal forest around her Thunder Bay home: spruce root, porcupine quills, sweetgrass, rabbit fur, owl and grouse feathers, spruce gum, sphagnum moss, bone, antlers, sinew, stone, moose and deer hide, the wood or bark of cedar, birch, spruce, aspen, and ash.
Show students the video The First Nations, an episode from the Video Series Origins: A History of Canada. This introduces the following research activity. Have students form small groups. Provide each group of four students with a cultural/geographical Aboriginal grouping from the above video, (e.g., arctic, plains, woodlands, east coast, north-west coast). Using a variety of resources, including computer databases and the Internet, have students compile a list of natural materials from the geographical area for that Aboriginal cultural group that they feel could have been used for artistic purposes. Have students compile this information in chart form, (possible headings could be: animal products, plant products, non-living materials).
The teacher should specify that the chart produced by the collaborative research group should be handed in for marking. As part of this assignment, all groups should address the question: “How did the natural environment affect the development of Aboriginal art forms?” This question leads to an understanding of how and why Aboriginal art forms differ across Canada. The teacher should make this connection explicit through classroom discussion. The material in each group’s chart could then be organized by the teacher into a larger chart that illustrates results for all the cultural groupings.
Using reproductions (e.g., poster prints, art cards, art calendars, slides, art books, or actual objects), show students a selection of images that reflect a diversity of materials/regions and artistic/functional products. Students could view these images as a large group or move in small groups through stations where these images are displayed. An individual or collaborative worksheet should direct the students’ viewing and should include questions such as: What material is the object made from? Does the object have a function? What do you think the function is? Possible examples for display might include:
· contemporary and traditional use of buffalo skulls by Plains artists;
· contemporary and traditional Inuit carvings in ivory and bone;
· Ojibwe birchbark baskets and deer and moosehide beadwork;
· West coast cedar carvings (e.g., mortuary poles);
· use of woven cedar, willow, lichen, and Indian hemp fibres in Nlaka’ pamux clothing (BC interior);
· skin clothing of the copper and caribou Inuit;
· Seneca splint basketry;
· Gitskan button blankets;
· Micmac porcupine quillwork;
· Haida argillite carvings;
· Cree tamarack decoys;
· Iroquoian Pottery.
Once students have moved through all the stations or have viewed all the images, the teacher concludes this aspect of the activity by drawing students’ attention to how the images/objects reflect a relationship to the land. Comment on the nature of this relationship.
Lead students through a walk in a nearby nature area and collect objects (e.g., nuts, cones, seed pods, pieces of bark, leaves, pebbles, feathers) that look interesting. When back in the classroom, instruct students to arrange their collected objects so as to make a design that is representative of the relationship between Aboriginal peoples, their art forms, and the land. Use a piece of cardboard (suggested size, 12" x 18" or larger) as a sturdy backboard.
When students have achieved a pleasing arrangement, glue the pieces down firmly. The final product will be a collage made up of objects from nature.
An interesting extension of this activity involves an exchange of natural objects with a class from another region of Ontario. A class group from southern Ontario could exchange a natural collection of objects with a class of students from northern Ontario. This emphasizes to the students how art and culture reflect the natural environment.
· Do a formative assessment of observed collaborative skills.
· Use a collaborative research chart to assess the small group activity in Teacher/Learning Strategy 2.
· Use teacher-developed worksheet on the functional utility of Aboriginal art across Canada in Teaching/Learning Strategy 3.
· Evaluate the art work for aesthetic criteria as well as whether it illustrates the theme of how art forms of different Aboriginal cultures relate to the environment.
· Provide individual explanations of what is expected, with examples, and gain feedback from the student.
· Divide tasks within a group of students according to strengths and abilities.
· Adjust expectations for quality of artwork productions.
Jensen, D. Robes of Power: Totem Poles in Cloth. Vancouver, BC: UBC Press, 1986.
Lismer, M. Seneca Splint Basketry. Ohsweken, ON: Iroqrafts/U.S. Office of Indian Affairs, 1941.
Oakes, J. E. “Copper and Caribou Inuit Skin Clothing Production,” Canadian Ethnology Service Paper No. 18, Mercury Series, Canadian Museum of Civilization publications, Hull, PQ.
Roberts, E. and E. Amidon. Earth Prayers from Around the World. San Francisco, CA: Harper Collins, 1991.
Tepper, L.H. Line and Morning Star: Nlaka’pamux Clothing Traditions. Hull, PQ: Canadian Museum of Civilization publications, 1995.
Whitehead, R. Micmac Quillwork: Micmac Indian Techniques of Porcupine Quill Decoration: 1600-1950. Nova Scotia Museum, 1982.
Wilkins, C. “From the Hands of a Master,” Canadian Geographic, V. 114 (May/June 1994): 64-72.
The First Nations, in Origins: A History of Canada. Toronto: International Tele-Film, 1989, 30 minutes.
Time: 120 minutes
This activity extends the introductory survey of the use of natural materials through a focus on the use of stone by Aboriginal peoples for functional and aesthetic purposes.
Strand(s): Identity, Relationships, Sovereignty, Challenges
Overall Expectations:
· produce Aboriginal art forms that portray Aboriginal culture;
· demonstrate understanding of traditional Aboriginal forms of expression and their influence on the portrayal of Aboriginal identity in contemporary art forms;
· produce Aboriginal art forms that portray Aboriginal culture;
· explain how art forms can be an expression of sovereignty ;
· identify how new and evolving art forms reclaim, revive, and sustain Aboriginal cultures.
Specific Expectations:
· identify symbols found in the traditional and contemporary art forms of specific Aboriginal groups;
· produce art forms that demonstrate understanding of the art form characteristics of a specific Aboriginal culture;
· identify various reasons for the creation of Aboriginal art (e.g., functional, moral/spiritual, social/political, decorative/aesthetic);
· interpret the meaning of Aboriginal art forms in the context of tradition, contemporary art, and today’s society;
· identify materials (e.g., tobacco, sage, deer hide) that demonstrate specific relationships among Aboriginal peoples and their environments, including people;
· use appropriate natural materials to reproduce art forms that convey some aspect of Aboriginal peoples’ beliefs or values related to good relationships;
· demonstrate understanding of the importance of art forms as an expression of a sovereign identity;
· explain how Aboriginal art forms can be a means of self-expression and collective identity that re-establish sovereign relationships;
· describe images that represent various Aboriginal cultures.
· Prior to introducing this activity to students, collect a variety of small, smooth, well-eroded stones for the visualization activity and small pieces of granite, quartz, etc., for the Inukshuk creation activity.
· To achieve a more pleasing effect with the Inukshuk stones, treat the stones with a commercial spray shellac preparation. This must be done in advance to permit drying. It is suggested that this preparation be done by the teacher.
· Adequate ventilation is required when using shellac preparations. Obtain small wooden bases and a fast drying glue for the Inukshuk building activity.
· The students should have some familiarity with the principles of design from the Grades 7 and 8 Visual Arts program (e.g., balance, contrast, variety, pattern, rhythm, emphasis and unity).
2. The teacher should set up the activity by reviewing key features of the previous activity, specifically the use of various natural materials by Aboriginal peoples. Read the poem, “rocks” by Aboriginal poet Jeannette Armstrong to the students. This poem can be found in the Voices of the First Nations: The Senior Issues Collection, p. 59 (see Resources).
Read the poem using guided imagery and visualization techniques. For an excellent model of this type of guided visualization/fantasy (see Seiquist, J. “A Guided Fantasy: Water Cycle,” The Confluent Education Journal, Fall, No. 2, 1975 and Swimme & Berry, The Universe Story: From the Primordial Flaring Forth to the Ecozoic Era). Hand out rocks that have been smoothed and rounded through erosion. Tell the students that stone, by virtue of its permanence and solidity, conveys a sense of calm and timelessness. The teacher can also use commercial mood or soothing stones which are sold for this purpose.
It is important that appropriate music and lighting be used to elicit a mood conducive to visualization (see the book, The Holistic Teacher by John P. Miller for a in-depth description of the use of “Guided Imagery and Visualization”). Direct students to rub the stones in their hands “absorbing the stones’ spirit of tranquility”; reach into the ancient past when the stone was created by the violent processes of the earth; imagine the stones’ birth and its millennium upon millennium of existence, its smoothing by the inexorable forces of the waves and the sea.
For a variety of other means of using this poem in class, see the Teachers’ Guide that accompanies the anthology mentioned above.
Following the above activity, mention to the students that even rough, unsculpted stone had a highly symbolic meaning for ancient peoples. Stones were not infrequently considered to be the dwelling places of spirits or gods. In many ancient stone sanctuaries, the god is represented not by a single stone but by a great many natural stones. The teacher can note or show pictures of the large stone circles from the American and Canadian plains which are believed to have spiritual and astrological significance. (The video, “Standing Alone” from the First Nations : The Circle Unbroken series, features a Blackfoot man who visits the Moose Mountain Medicine Wheel archaeological site which records the history of the Blood tribe.)
Stone was used by many different Aboriginal peoples for a variety of purposes, including the ceremonial and purely functional. For an example of a piece of stone work illustrating ceremonial use, see the “Twin Mask,” on p. 5, in Canadians: A History of Artists and Their Work, by James Rodger, Visual Arts Department, The Waterloo County Board of Education, 1994. A good example of stone used for functional purposes might be a picture of an Inuit stone lamp. Ask the students if they know why the Inuit were more dependent on the use of stone than other Aboriginal groups in Canada.
Mention to the students that the Inuit constructed figures out of stone. These piled rock figures are known as Inukshuk, meaning “image of a man’s spirit.” In Farley Mowat’s book, People of the Deer, the author tells of a trip he made to Angkuni Lake in the middle of the barren grounds in the Canadian arctic. When he reached the lake he speaks of the empty spaces and the manner in which the Inuit populated this otherwise land otherwise empty of human presence. The teacher could read the following passage which conveys the sense of wonder felt by Mowat upon viewing the figures: “The canoe drifted on the still waters and nothing in all that vast world moved or lived except we three intruders and a white winged gull. When we landed the canoe we looked out over a dead land but not a deserted one. For our eyes quickly noticed the shapes of men on every side of us. They were men. But men of stone! They stood on every hill, by every lake and river, as they have stood throughout the long ages of the Inuit who created them and called them Inukok.”
Mowat believed that the Inuit built these stone men to keep away loneliness. It has also been suggested that they were built to act as guideposts in an area otherwise devoid of significant landmarks. When the first man came that way he would build an Inukshuk before moving on. When the one he built grew small as he moved away from it he built another. Soon a chain of these stone men lay along the path of his travels. It is also known that in some cases they served to assist in large-scale caribou hunts, by channelling a herd, funnel-fashion, into a progressively more narrow area where hunters waited. Show the students some pictures of Inukshuks taken from a variety of sources (e.g., postcards, Internet, texts on Inuit culture or northern landscapes).
Tell the students that they will be constructing a piece of sculpture called an assemblage from small rocks. They should take care to arrange the pieces in a way that is both pleasing to the eye and true to the spirit of the stones. The pieces can then be glued. Students should be given a fair degree of artistic freedom in constructing the work. They may wish to construct a Inukshuk of their own or take the stone assemblage in another creative direction.
The Inukshuks are an excellent example of a traditional creation that served a specific purpose that has now become a symbol of sovereignty and cultural integrity. The Aboriginal transition team responsible for the creation of Nunavut, chose the stylized version of the Inukshuk as the symbol for the new territory. Ask students to suggest reasons why they think the transition team chose the Inukshuk as the symbol for Nunavut. Have students use the Internet and other research tools to identify various symbols used by Aboriginal governments and organizations. Ask students to investigate whether these symbols have roots in traditional activities or artistic creations. Challenge students to see if they can find other symbols that also represent the relationship Aboriginal peoples have with the land.
Extension: Have students paint pictographic symbols on the smooth surfaces of the eroded beach pebbles used in the visualization activity. Have students develop an illustrated fantasy tale/legend for children that is based on the idea of the Inukshuks coming to life.
· The stone assemblage product should be evaluated with respect to whether the work displays a sense of unity -- unity being a principle of design that has to do with whether the different parts of a piece of art (in this case the rocks) are interrelated, balanced, and organized so that when they are viewed together, they appear to be one thing.
· The assessment of knowledge and thinking processes through classroom discussion following student research in Teaching/Learning Strategy 3. The teacher is specifically looking for student response outlining images (e.g., Inukshuks) that represent Aboriginal cultures, as well as an understanding of how these images and symbols reflect a collective identity and a re-establishment of sovereign relationships (e.g., the utilization of the Inukshuk image by the Nunavut government).
· Students with physical disabilities can be paired with a peer helper for the stone assemblage activity.
· Pair or group students appropriately for research activities.
· The extension activity could serve as an enrichment activity for gifted students.
Ahenakew, F., B. Gardipy, and B. Lafond, (eds.). Voices of the First Nations: The Senior Issues Collection. Toronto, ON: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 1995.
Miller, J.P. The Holistic Teacher. Toronto, ON: OISE Press, 1993.
Rodger, J. Canadians: A History of Artists and Their Work. Waterloo, ON: Visual Arts Department, Curriculum and Instructional Services, The Waterloo County Board of Education, 1994.
Seiquist, J. “ Guided Fantasy: Water Cycle,” The Confluent Education Journal, Fall, No. 2, 1975.
Swimme, B. and T. Berry. The Universe Story: From the Primordial Flaring Forth to the Ecozoic Era. San Francisco, CA: Harper, 1992.
Standing Alone, First Nations: The Circle Unbroken Video Series, Ottawa ON: National Film Board, 1993.
Time: 180 minutes
Students view examples of the carving traditions of various Aboriginal peoples and undertake a collaborative carving project that reflects the Aboriginal value of wholeness which is based on the interrelatedness of all things.
Strand(s): Identity, Relationships, Sovereignty, Challenges
Overall
Expectations:
· produce Aboriginal art forms that portray Aboriginal culture;
· produce art forms that demonstrate Aboriginal relationships;
· demonstrate how Aboriginal art affirms Aboriginal cultures;
· identify how new and evolving art forms reclaim, revive, and sustain Aboriginal cultures.
Specific Expectations:
· identify symbols found in the traditional and contemporary art forms of specific Aboriginal groups;
· use appropriate natural materials to reproduce art forms that convey some aspect of Aboriginal peoples’ beliefs or values related to good relationships;
· explain how Aboriginal art forms communicate the philosophy and political and cultural values of Aboriginal peoples;
· explain how art forms are expressions of the celebration of Aboriginal peoples;
· produce Aboriginal-style art forms that reflect solutions to contemporary issues of Aboriginal peoples.
· Obtain blocks of softwood prior to lesson. The materials and utensils used have to be safe and appropriate to the material and to the level of the students. This activity is an excellent opportunity to have a local Aboriginal carver come into the class.
· The teacher should determine whether there are students with high level skills and previous exposure to carving. These students can be given advanced carving challenges and can serve as peer assistants in this activity.
· Students should have an elementary level of knowledge with respect to the use of sculpting tools.
3. Show students reproductions of masks and other functional carved items from different Aboriginal cultures across Canada. Include West Coast mask work, Iroquoian snow snake, cane and ladle carvings, and paddles from Ojibwe and Algonquin artisans. Point out stylistic conventions within each carving tradition. Show the video Kwa’nu’te’: Micmac and Maliseet Artists from the Circle Unbroken Series. It highlights carvings and other functional arts from the east coast of Canada.
In a teacher-directed session, discuss with students the importance of the circle as a symbol of Aboriginal values and beliefs. Use segments from the resource text, The Sacred Tree, Four Worlds Development Press, to highlight the significance of the circle. The circle is commonly viewed as four distinct components (e.g., Fire, Water, Earth and Air). The balance and wholeness so intrinsic to Aboriginal values and beliefs is a result of the unity of these distinct components within the circle. In plains culture, the circle took the form of the medicine wheel which represents a basis of cultural teachings. The philosophy behind the circle and medicine wheel has much in common with the belief systems of other Canadian Aboriginal cultures. Tell the students that they will undertake to reflect the circle’s message of unity and wholeness in their carving challenge.
Put students in groups of four. Each individual in a group will be given an identical block of softwood (e.g., pine, cedar, birch, balsa). Each individual in a group will be expected to carve his/her own block but the final product will be evaluated according to how all four pieces work together to create a unified whole. Students should reflect upon the carving reproductions they viewed in the initial part of the lesson and upon the symbolism of the circle.
Before working on the wood, it is suggested that students, working in collaboration, complete a paper design of their final product. This should be handed in to the teacher and will be used for formative assessment.
· A thoughtful approach to the grouping of students should ensure success for the group as a whole;
· Physically challenged students can be provided with alternate carving materials (e.g., bar of soap);
· Provide examples, guidance, monitoring, and feedback;
· Provide individualized carving challenges to students who may have advanced skill levels in carving. They can also serve as peer helpers if they are willing.
· Collaborative skills could be marked using peer- or self-assessment scales/checklists.
· Discuss and develop product evaluation criteria with students prior to collaborative sculpting task. The design principle of unity, used as a means of evaluation in Activity 2, should be an important part of the evaluation criteria (see Appendix G, page 101).
Bopp, J., M. Bopp, L. Brown, and P. Lane. The Sacred Tree. Lethbridge AB: Four Worlds Development Press, 1985.
Kwa’nu’te’: MicMac and Maliseet Artists, First Nations: The Circle Unbroken Series. Ottawa ON: National Film Board of Canada, 1993, 18 minutes.
Time: 240 minutes
Students will research canoe design for an Aboriginal culture group and will then develop an adventure story based on a journey taken by a group of young people and a watercraft from that time period. The adventures and trials faced by the group will be depicted on the sides of the canoe which will be rendered in mural-size format by the group working in collaboration.
Strand(s): Identity, Sovereignty, Challenges
Overall Expectations:
· describe the elements of culture reflected in various art forms;
· demonstrate understanding of how Aboriginal art forms reflect cultural identity;
· explain how art forms can be an expression of sovereignty ;
· identify how new and evolving art forms reclaim, revive, and sustain Aboriginal cultures.
Specific Expectations:
· describe the specific characteristics that define cultural identity (e.g., types of housing, language);
· identify characteristics of art forms (e.g., totem poles, storytelling, songs) from various Aboriginal groups in Canada;
· describe gender roles in the creation and maintenance of traditions, values and beliefs in traditional and contemporary Aboriginal art forms;
· explain the creation of Aboriginal art forms as a way of maintaining the values, traditions and beliefs of particular communities;
· produce sketches of symbols and images used in traditional art forms;
· describe qualities in Aboriginal art forms that exemplify self-reliance;
· explain how art forms are expressions of the celebration of Aboriginal peoples.
· Each group of three to five students needs a piece of mural-sized paper, approx 3' x 8'. It is important that appropriate working space be provided for these working groups.
· Obtain the video The Last Mooseskin Boat and prepare a question sheet based on the video. See suggested questions in Teaching/Learning Strategies.
· Awareness of the “Tales of Adventure” story form, from the earlier Unit 1 would be of value in this activity. (See Glossary, p. 106, for definitions of story types.)
4. Watch the video, The Last Mooseskin Boat with the students. Students should answer questions using a worksheet or other means following the viewing of the video. Questions should include: a) What role did different individuals have in the construction of the boat (e.g., children, women, elders)? b) Why did the Dene elder, portrayed in the video, think it important to build the boat? c) What natural materials were used to build the boat and how were they used? d) How does the construction of this boat illustrate ingenuity and self-reliance? e) Do traditional skills and technologies that have been largely eclipsed by mass-produced products still have cultural value? This final question might be discussed orally. Have an Aboriginal person who is skilled in a particular craft come into the classroom to share his/her thoughts on this question.
An important message of this video is the manner in which each person in this Dene extended family contributed to the building of the boat. Given the collaborative nature of the following activities it would be important for the teacher to emphasize this aspect of the video.
The teacher should establish cooperative work groups of three to five students. Each group is told to research various aspects about the canoe/watercraft of a particular traditional Aboriginal culture. Suggested watercraft/cultures: Northwest coast red cedar canoe, Birch bark canoes of various woodland peoples (e.g., Malecites, Algonquins, Ojibwe, Iroquoian, Beothuks), Inuit skin kayaks and umiaks, circular skin bull-boats of various plains peoples. Each group should investigate the following: materials used to build the watercraft, construction processes, individuals involved in building, form and shape, decorative symbols and designs found on the watercraft and the significance of these motifs. Sketchings and drawings should form part of this research. The results of this research will be used in the next steps of the activity.
Review the “Tales of Adventure” story from Unit 1. Continuing to work in a collaborative manner, each group develops a story based on the use of the watercraft they just have researched. The basic template for the story is that of a small group of young people on a journey of adventure. To assist with the skeletal map of the story, see the graphic story map of the hero/ine’s journey adapted from Campbell’s work in the book, Holistic Learning, p.18.
The canoe should be drawn life-size, if possible, on the mural paper provided. The adventures, trials, and ordeals of the journey should be depicted in drawings/pictographs on the side of the watercraft.
· Students who have difficulty with reading and writing can focus on producing a picture record of their research efforts.
· Provide a written copy and review questions prior to viewing the video. Allow the students to re-view the video to answer the questions.
· Pair students appropriately for reading activities; have them take turns reading or if necessary, have a better reader read to them or make a tape of reading material.
· Divide tasks within a group of students according to strengths and abilities.
· Individual, short answer response to video questions.
· Research can be handed in for evaluation.
· The final product can be evaluated according to the following criteria; 20% overall aesthetic appeal of canoe, 20% collaborative work skills, 30% incorporation of culturally appropriate stylistic elements into the canoe drawing, 30% completion of the adventure story and its visual reproduction on the sides of the canoe.
Arima, E.Y. Inuit Kayaks in Canada. Canadian Ethnology Service Paper No. 110, Mercury Series. Hull, PQ: Canadian Museum of Civilization, 1995.
Gidmark, D. The Indian Crafts of William and Mary Commanda. Scarborough, ON: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 1980.
Miller, J.P., J.R. Cassie, and S.M. Drake. Holistic Learning: A Teacher’s Guide to Integrated Studies. Toronto, ON: OISE Press, 1990.
The Last Mooseskin Boat, First Nations: The Circle Unbroken Video Series, NFB, 1993, 16 min. (Also see Teachers Guide that accompanies Video Series.) Note : The New First Nations, The Circle Unbroken videos 5-7, includes a segment on the revival of canoe building among Aboriginal peoples.
The Canadian Canoe Museum, P.O. Box 1664,
Peterborough, ON K9J 7S4,
e-mail: canoemuseum@ptbo.igs.net
Time: 240 minutes
The focus of this lesson is on the skill and artistic accomplishments of Aboriginal women in Canada. Through research of teacher-provided selections, students will recognize that women’s contributions, rendered with superior craftsmanship and attention to aesthetic detail, were above all an essential component for group survival and cultural status.
Strand(s): Identity, Relationships, Sovereignty
Overall Expectations:
· describe the elements of culture reflected in various art forms;
· demonstrate understanding of how Aboriginal art forms reflect cultural identity;
· produce Aboriginal art forms that portray Aboriginal culture;
· identify how specific Aboriginal art forms reflect aspects of the society that produced them;
· produce art forms that demonstrate Aboriginal relationships;
· demonstrate how Aboriginal art affirms Aboriginal cultures.
Specific Expectations:
· describe gender roles in the creation and maintenance of traditions, values and beliefs in traditional and contemporary Aboriginal art forms;
· produce art forms that demonstrate understanding of the art form characteristics of a specific Aboriginal culture;
· identify various reasons for the creation of Aboriginal art (e.g., functional, moral/spiritual, social/political, decorative/aesthetic);
· describe how their art forms demonstrate the relationships of Aboriginal peoples to themselves, their families, their communities (including gender roles), their nations, Canada, and the natural environment;
· identify materials (e.g., tobacco, sage, deer hide) that demonstrate specific relationships among Aboriginal peoples and their environments, including people;
· describe how the relationships between various Aboriginal art forms reflect particular regions and different cultural groups;
· identify, in Aboriginal art forms, the changing roles of women, from child to youth to adult or elder;
· describe qualities in Aboriginal art forms that exemplify self-reliance;
· demonstrate understanding of the importance of women in Aboriginal cultures.
· A significant amount of pre-reading and text selection needs to be done by the teacher prior to this activity (see resources noted in Teaching/Learning Strategies). To facilitate student use of this material, it is suggested that the appropriate sections/paragraphs be selected from the identified texts and organized into teacher-prepared resource sheets. This information must be provided to students at the appropriate point in the lesson;
· Invite a local Aboriginal woman who does traditional tasks or crafts to speak about this activity with the students. The teacher may also wish to ask her to discuss the role of the Aboriginal woman in traditional society, as well as hearing her views on the role of women today.
· Students should be familiar with the format required for illustrated children’s books, such as balance of words and art.
5. i) Develop an assessment rubric for illustrated children’s stories with students (see assessment and evaluation);
ii) most traditional Aboriginal cultures cast men and women in well-defined masculine and feminine identities. The gender role expectations meant that the production of many products essential to everyday life were the preserve of women. To emphasize the importance of women’s work in the traditional context it is suggested that the teacher have students read selected portions from some of the works identified below:
a) Morning Star Quilts: A Presentation of the Work and Lives of Northern Plains Indian Women, by Florence Pulford.
b) Life Lived Like a Story: Life Stories of Three Yukon Elders, by Julie Cruikshank.
c) Ellen Smallboy: Glimpses of a Cree Woman’s Life, by Regina Flannery.
d) Stoney Creek Woman: The Story of Mary John, by Bridget Moran.
e) Many Tender Ties: Women in Fur Trade Society, 1670-1870, by Sylvia Van Kirk.
f) Robes of Power: Totem Poles in Cloth, by Doreen Jensen.
g) Sanatujut, Pride in Women’s Work: Copper and Caribou Inuit Clothing Traditions, by Judy Hall, Jill Oakes, and Sally Quimmiu’naaq Webster.
h) Woodland Indian Cultural Centre. Godi’nigoha: The Women’s Mind. Brantford, ON: Woodland Indian Cultural Centre, 1997.
The teacher pre-selects from the above and other suitable texts excerpts from texts that highlight the role of women in both culture and survival. In order to give a focus to the students’ reading, the teacher makes students aware of step 2 prior to providing the reading.
As an introductory facet of the lesson, have students develop a rubric that outlines the important criteria in an illustrated children’s story. The teacher may wish to bring samples into the class as there are many that use Aboriginal characters and themes (e.g., Paul Goble’s work). This activity could be further supplemented by contacting a publisher of illustrated children’s stories and having them describe criteria they observe/require of authors.
Students, in pairs, develop an illustrated children’s book entitled, “A Day in the Life of a (insert culture group) Woman.” The book should reflect the information gleaned by the students in part 1 of this activity and should be colourfully illustrated with designs, motifs, and symbols appropriate to the culture group they have chosen. The implicit theme of the story is the celebration of the Aboriginal woman’s contribution to both the culture and survival of the family group and community.
· Pair or group students to assist each other in of the Teaching/Learning Strategies 2 and 3.
· Highlight and explain difficult vocabulary from selected text in Activity 1.
· The assessment of the product (e.g., children’s book) should be focussed on the quality of the information gleaned by the students in part 1 of this activity on the traditional role of Aboriginal woman in different cultures. Further assessment should measure the extent to which the product is colourfully illustrated with designs, motifs, and symbols appropriate to the culture group they have chosen.
Cruikshank, J. Life Lived Like a Story: Life Stories of Three Yukon Elders. Vancouver, BC: UBC Press, 1991.
Flannery, R. Ellen Smallboy: Glimpses of a Cree Woman’s Life. Rupert’s Land Record Society Series, (4). Montreal, PQ: McGill University Press, 1995.
Moran, B. Stoney Creek Woman: The Story of Mary John. Vancouver, BC: Arsenal Pulp Press Ltd, 1988.
Pulford, F. Morning Star Quilts: A Presentation of the Work and Lives of Northern Plains Indian Women. New York, NY: Dover Publications, 1996.
Slatkin, W. Women Artists In History: From Antiquity to the Present. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1997.
Thompson, J. From the Land: Two Hundred Years of Dene Clothing. Native Clothing Series. Hull, PQ: Canadian Museum of Civilization, 1995.
Woodland Indian Cultural Centre. Godi’nigoha: The Women’s Mind. Brantford, ON: Woodland Indian Cultural Centre, 1997.
Time: 240 minutes
Students examine the work of contemporary Aboriginal clothing designers, noting the manner in which these artists incorporate traditional symbols and stories into their work.
Strand(s): Identity, Relationships, Sovereignty Challenges
Overall Expectations:
· produce Aboriginal art forms that portray Aboriginal culture;
· demonstrate understanding of traditional Aboriginal forms of expression and their influence on the portrayal of Aboriginal identity in contemporary art forms;
· produce Aboriginal art forms that portray Aboriginal culture;
· demonstrate how Aboriginal art affirms Aboriginal cultures;
· identify how new and evolving art forms reclaim, revive, and sustain Aboriginal cultures.
Specific Expectations:
· explain the creation of Aboriginal art forms as a way of maintaining the values, traditions, and beliefs of particular communities;
· produce sketches of symbols and images used in traditional art forms;
· describe how contemporary Aboriginal art forms relate to traditional Aboriginal art forms;
· explain how traditional forms of expression influence modern designs in Aboriginal art forms;
· describe how art forms represent customs, world views, traditions, beliefs, and sovereignty;
· explain how Aboriginal art forms communicate the philosophy and political and cultural values of Aboriginal peoples;
· describe how Aboriginal art forms promote communication within, and the growth of selected Aboriginal communities;
· identify ways that contemporary Aboriginal art forms contribute to the renewal and healing of Aboriginal societies.
· Teachers should familiarize themselves with natural plants in the local area that can be used to dye cotton cloth. A trial run of the material is recommended to judge the effects. Bits of dyed cloth can be brought to class to assist students in the planning stages of their work.
· If outdoor collecting or local expertise with regard to collecting is not possible, it should be noted that readily accessible materials (e.g., tea, frozen blueberries, or strawberries) can also be used to dye cloth.
· This activity and the supporting content and resources provide an excellent opportunity for career education applications and even possibilities for work experience. The teacher should facilitate student interest and inquiry with respect to clothing design and apparel manufacturing when the opportunity presents itself.
· Material from the previous lesson on traditional clothing styles and content from earlier units on Aboriginal symbols and motifs.
6. Have students examine reproductions that illustrate clothing designs of contemporary Aboriginal designers. While viewing the reproductions, students make notes on the traditional symbols and designs that the designers use. Also note any unique or traditional materials employed by the clothing designers.
Some Aboriginal clothing designers: Angela DeMontigny, Iroquois, Owner of A Spirit Ware, Six Nations of the Grand River; Dorothy Grant, Haida, Vancouver; Darcy Moses, Dene, Fort Simpson; Betty Ann Penier, Saskatchewan; Gerry Many Fingers, Alberta; Patricia Piche, Saskatchewan.
(a) Inform students that they are to use their knowledge of Aboriginal culture to make their own design on a white T-Shirt. Students practise and create a prototype design on a piece of paper. The paper design should be life-size and show the front and back of the shirt. There are a variety of markers that permit indelible markings on cloth. Once the initial markings are complete, the final colouration is done with natural plant dyes.
(b) Discuss with students how Aboriginal peoples frequently used plants in their environment for this purpose. Show strips of cloth that have been dyed. Discuss plants that local Aboriginal peoples would have used for this purpose. The teacher can either take the students out collecting plants to make the dye preparation from scratch or, to save time, they may wish to have the materials already in class.
(c) If the teacher has access to an Aboriginal person familiar with the use of local plants for dyeing or medicines, this person could be invited to the class to illustrate how traditional preparations were made.
(d) As part of this work, students should write a short paragraph/artist’s statement responding to the following: Identify and describe the various cultural elements/symbols/images you have used. What is the message you want to communicate to viewers? Does your shirt communicate your intentions clearly and effectively?
Extensions: Have the students imagine that they are starting a clothing design company. Design a brochure that highlights their vision for contemporary garments. Include the paragraph from (d) above as part of the brochure. Design a company logo to go on the brochure. In Spirit Ware brochure, Angela writes: “Native Americans have traditionally lived in harmony with nature” The stories of several Native Americans begin with the phrase: “When all creatures spoke the same language.” In those legends various animals take on distinctive personalities. For instance, Coyote as the trickster, Bear as medicine, Hawk as messenger, and Eagle who represents being closer to the spirits. These powerful and mystical symbols bring out the positive influence on popular culture while reflecting the simple and timeless philosophies of Native Americans. Spirit Ware’s own artistic interpretations of Native stories such as “Turtle Island and Old Man Coyote and Buffalo Power” create the foundation for The Legend Stories – a grouping of casual garments which feature colourful embroidery depicting each story. ...We are following the tradition of generations of artisans creating those specific designs and techniques handed down to them in a contemporary way. Our designs are styled with comfort and practicality in mind while keeping style and a touch of our Native heritage the main focus.”
· Students should write a short paragraph/designer’s statement responding to the following: Identify and describe the various cultural elements/symbols/images you have used. What is the message you want to communicate to viewers? Does your shirt communicate your intentions clearly and effectively?
· The shirt should be evaluated with respect to aesthetic criteria as well as the degree to which it shows symbols and images representative of specific Aboriginal cultures.
· Provide written lists and reminders of content discussed.
· Make adjustments in expectations regarding quality and quantity of output.
Hallett, Judith. Natural Plant Dyes. New York, NY: Unicorn Books and Crafts, 1996.
Angela DeMontigny, Iroquois. Owner: Spirit Ware
Six Nations of the Grand River
RR # 6 Hagersville, Ontario N0A 1M0
phone: 905-768-2824
fax: 905-768-2825
toll free: 1-888-220-WARE
Designers Ontario
75 Elizabeth St.
Toronto, Ontario M5G 1P4
Phone: 416-977-6184
e-mail designers_ontario@sympatico.ca
Apparel Manufacturers of Ontario
Bob Kirke, Executive Director
130 Slater St. Suite 1050
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6E2
Phone: 613-231-3220
Toll free: 1-800-661-1187
Time: 180 minutes
Students examine, as a case study, the work of Douglas Cardinal, one of the premier architects in Canada today. The designs within his work reflect Aboriginal values and express a sense of cultural sovereignty. Students are expected to identify and discuss how Aboriginal values are reflected in the architectural work of Cardinal and others (e.g., Brian Porter, Six Nations).
Strand(s): Identity, Relationships, Sovereignty
Overall Expectations:
· demonstrate understanding of traditional Aboriginal forms of expression and their influence on the portrayal of Aboriginal identity in contemporary art forms;
· produce art forms that demonstrate Aboriginal relationships;
· explain how art forms can be an expression of sovereignty;
· identify different interpretations of sovereignty exemplified in various art forms;
· demonstrate how Aboriginal art affirms Aboriginal cultures.
Specific Expectations:
· explain the creation of Aboriginal art forms as a way of maintaining the values, traditions and beliefs of particular communities;
· describe the contributions of Aboriginal artisans to Canadian society (e.g., Tomson Highway - theatre Graham Greene - acting; Pauline Johnson - poetry; Robbie Robertson - music; various Inuit sculptors);
· describe how their art forms demonstrate the relationships of Aboriginal peoples to themselves, their families, their communities (including gender roles), their nations, Canada, and the natural environment;
· explain how traditional forms of expression influence modern designs in Aboriginal art forms;
· explain how Aboriginal art forms communicate the philosophy and political and cultural values of Aboriginal peoples;
· identify the characteristics of sovereignty;
· produce art forms that have sovereignty as their theme, using a combination of traditional and new technologies;
· describe how Aboriginal artists represent sovereignty in their work.
· Teachers should obtain pictures of Nunavut’s legislature buildings and those of Aboriginal architecture which reflect a distinct cultural image.
· A basic understanding of how culture impacts artistic design.
7. As background to the case-study format, the teacher may discuss with students the basic characteristics of sovereignty and how art forms can project political or collective sovereignty. Sovereignty can in part be defined as the ability to assert a sense of collective purpose that is compatible with a people’s priorities and values, which in turn derive from a culture’s world view. Suggest to students that specific characteristics of architecture make it a favoured means of expressing sovereignty. Ask students: What characteristics of this art form make it well suited to this purpose?
Architecture is often perceived to be a manifestation of power insofar as one must command significant resources and the participation of many to produce it (e.g., pyramids of Egypt and Meso-America, cathedrals of medieval Europe). The permanence of the materials used in architecture (e.g., stone, brick) also contributes to its preeminent role in the projection of political/collective sovereignty.
Point out to the students that one of Canada’s leading architects is of Aboriginal descent. Show them some of his works. The curriculum document, Canadians: A History of Artists and Their Work, by the Waterloo County Board of Education, contains two pictures with accompanying commentary on two of Cardinal’s more significant works: Grand Prairie College (1972) and the National Museum of Civilization (1989).
Viewing and discussion of his work should focus on the question: How does Cardinal’s style achieve a harmony with his culture?
Examine the layout of the Ouje`-Bougoumou Crees’ model community designed after community sessions with Douglas Cardinal (see p. 42, Canadian Geographic, July/August 1994). How does the layout reflect Aboriginal values? Compare the layout of this community with non-native communities and with reconstructed layouts of traditional Aboriginal communities (see Ancient Canada, Museum of Civilization, and National Geographic, October, 1991.) Students should read the article from Canadian Geographic and answer teacher-developed questions on the impact of this new community and its design with respect to: political sovereignty of the community, spiritual and emotional health of the community members, and charting new directions in community planning.
Students could be asked to make a detailed layout of a community that was planned to reflect Aboriginal values (e.g., those espoused in The Sacred Tree. Lethbridge, AB: Four Worlds Development Press, 1985). The values can be used to develop a rubric that will be used to evaluate the layout produced.
Have students examine pictures of the legislative buildings in Nunavut, capital of Iqualit. Questions to the students: Does the design of the building, inside and out, differ from other provincial or federal legislative buildings? How does the design and architecture of the building project a distinct world view and reflect Aboriginal sovereignty?
· Incorporate the use of several senses in presentations (e.g., use videos, CD-ROMs, drama, movement, music, and hands-on experiences). Supplement language input with pictures, diagrams, etc. and vice versa.
· Talk through visual materials, encouraging the students to verbalize what they see, drawing their attention to critical details.
· Pair students appropriately for reading activities; have them take turns reading or if necessary, have a better reader read to them or make a tape of reading material, while the weaker reader follows along (or provide teacher-made or commercial tapes).
· Provide individual explanations of what is expected, with examples, and get feedback from the student.
· Prior to beginning the reading assignment, provide, or develop with the student, a list of key questions to answer from the reading material.
· Allow taped or oral presentations.
· Participation in group discussions.
· A rubric should be developed to evaluate the student layout of a community based on Aboriginal values, including concepts of sovereignty.
· Collaboratively design criteria for the evaluation of students’ community case-study assignment.
Elsen, D. Fun with Architecture. Mansfield Centre, CT: Creative Learning Press, 1992.
Goddard, J. “In From the Cold: The Ouje`-Bougoumou Crees Build a Model Community After 60 Years of Mistreatment and Dislocation,” Canadian Geographic, July/August, 1994.
MacDonald, G.F. and S. Alsford. The Canadian Museum of Civilization. Hull, PQ: The Canadian Museum of Civilization Press, 1995.
Nabokov, P. and R. Easton. Native American Architecture. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1989.
Thorne-Thomsen, K. Frank Lloyd Wright for Kids. Mansfield Centre, CT: Creative Learning Press, 1994.
Trevor, B., (ed.). The Architecture of Douglas Cardinal. Toronto, ON: NeWest Press, 1988.
Oujebougamou, Focus North series, CBC Educational Sales, 1994.
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