Arts Education Elementary

Introduction

Aboriginal learning appreciates that teachers are exploring Fine Arts through an Indigenous lens.  A question frequently asked is what is appropriate to do and what is disrespectful.  Aboriginal learning has crafted a draft document that will help you understand.  Please download and share this resource with teachers in your school.  Click here to download the Fine Arts and Indigenous Protocols.  This document will give you a sense of what is possible to explore in the area of Fine Arts. 

As a teacher, you have to help your students see the connection to the Indigenous activity you are doing and its connection to the culture it comes from.  To do an art activity related to First Nation culture and not explicitly make the connection to the culture is disrespectful.  For example, teachers love to make are button blankets with students.  This is  a great activity but unless you provide the cultural context, the activity is nothing more than a craft.   Making a button hanging (see the Fine Arts and Indigenous Protocols handout) means you have spent time helping your students know the cultural significance of button blanket.  They will have knowledge that button blankets are a sacred piece of regalia.  They will understand that the crests on them belong to specific families or communities.  When you hang up your button hangings (not button blankets), you will include a write up explaining that your students were learning about button blankets and you will name the communities in which they originate. 

A rule of thumb, if an elder or knowledge keeper were to come in and visit your classroom, would you be able to explain why you are doing that activity.   Do you know what nation the activity it links to?  Where did you get the teaching to teach it?   If you are sharing a piece of original FN art, do you know the name of the artist and the community in which the artist comes from.  If you can answer these questions confidently, then you have the background knowledge to teach it.

An important read is the article, The Family Totem Pole   Again, it is important to know there are many different kinds of poles.  Not all First Nation communities have poles.  

In the future, there is a plan to bring in a knowledge keeper to share the protocols around the drum.   Know that protocols vary from nation to nation.  In some communities, the women don't drum.  In other communities do.  We hope that we can come up with a list of songs that students can learn and perform using the drum.  It will still be very important to acknowledge the name of the song, where it came from and acknowledge that we have permission to use it.     

Aboriginal Learning is often asked if we have kits that relate to drumming, weaving or beading.  Unfortunately we do not.  Our district cultural facilitators use their own resources when they come in and do their presentations.  Aboriginal Learning would highly recommend your school consider creating some kits of your own.  For advice on what to purchase and where to get it, contact Allison Hotti, Nadine McSpadden or Paula James.  

Recommendations:
  • Always teach local perspectives first.  Know who are local First Nation communities are and seek out resources to support local artists.  Surrey School District's Education Centre has two welcome poles carved by Leonard Wells, Semiahmoo First Nation master carver.  He also carved two welcome poles for Earl Marriott Secondary.  Watch for a link that includes pictures, videos and history of Semiahmoo peoples that is due to be released soon.   
  • Roxanne Charles is another local artist.  You can see some of her weaving on our Aboriginal website.

More links on Protocols:

Form Line Art, Salish Art - From Workshop

There are numerous books available that teach principles and elements of Indigenous Art in our resource centre.   The Learning By Doing series and the Learning by Design series are two examples of books that teach about the shapes and designs of Northwest Coast art.  This is a different style than Salish Art.  The following documents and powerpoints will help you understand the differences between the two styles.  Remember, Indigenous art relates to the culture and history of individual communities.  It's diverse and has specific protocols linked to it.  We strongly suggest that when you do an activity related to Indigenous art, that you display something next to your bulletin board that explains the learning.  For example, students learned about Salish art.  We learned that Salish art features three key shapes which are the circle, trigon and crescent.  We learned that Salish art and Northwest Coast art are different.

​

About Poles

Please read the introduction and see the draft protocol sheet created by Aboriginal Learning.  

Music

Some songs to listen to and learn!   You must be logged onto the hub to see/hear these.   
  • Marlene Brajak's songs:    https://www.surreyschools.ca/artseducation/projects/Pages/marlenebrajak.aspx 
  • Robin Genthon's songs :   https://www.surreyschools.ca/artseducation/projects/Pages/robingenthon.aspx
  • Metis Songs from Metis Museum - Click here
  • TA'KAIYA BLANEY has her own website.  She wrote Earth Revolution.  You can download a copy of the sheet music from her webiste:  http://www.takaiyablaney.com/
 
Two new songs created by Surrey School District students!   

Drama

Readers Theatre Scripts

Métis resources

​Making a Métis Sash - adapted by Lauren Petersen

Weaving:  (See math page for more comprehensive work related to weaving and math)
  • ​Weaving: Connection, Strength and Cultural Continuity (UBC Learning Circle) - Interview with Carrie Anne Vanderhoop (Haida)  - click here
  •  Christi Belcourt - Metis artist explains the meaning behind "My Heart is Beautiful"

Miscellaneous links: