Teacher Zone

Students can become familiar with different Aboriginal cultures by examining artwork and traditional games. Aboriginal People across Canada have distinct cultural traits that are displayed through a variety of arts and games. Provide students with pictures or actual artifacts (perhaps borrowed from people in the community) that show how art is different in the four different sectors of Canada. Students will find it interesting to learn why West Coast Aboriginal People carve totem poles (to preserve history and tell stories of Aboriginal families and clans) and Blackfoot people enjoy doing beadwork. Initiate a discussion that allows students to share their opinions on the different kinds of art, what they like, what they find interesting etc.

The following lesson allows students to practice beadwork-a traditional pastime of Blackfoot women. The Blackfoot liked to produce colourful geometric designs using beads. Quill work influenced bead work, and embroidering after beads was introduced during the fur trade era. During the early days, Porcupine quills were chosen with preference given to the quills from the back and sides of the pocupine. They were coloured red, green or blue by using plant dyes. Quills were most commonly applied to men's shirts, leggings and buffalo robes in a series of narrow parallel bands. Beads were applied to garments using the same geometric patterns that were used with quill design. Initially, embroidery beads were much larger than those used today and were much more expensive so they were used sparingly. Traders supplied beads in six different colours-light blue, dark blue, dark red, deep yellow, white and black. Blackfoot people preferred the blue and white beads, the women commonly alternating bands of blue and white beads when they decorated their own dresses. Men also wore beaded cuffs as a part of their ceremonial clothing.

Allow students to recreate Aboriginal art based on their own interpretation and skills. Show students some examples of Blackfoot beadwork designs from the attached Quill and Bead Design- worksheet. You can also find examples of Blackfoot beadwork design form the Grade 5 picture gallery section. The Blackfoot were very talented at bead work-show students some examples of Blackfoot bead work on pipe bags, moccasins, clothing and other items so that they can have an idea of what some of the geometric designs looked like. Beads should be provided in the same six colours that were traditionally used by Blackfoot women. Have students use the beads to create a geometric design. Then have them work individually to create a product that follows the following guidelines (as to maintain Blackfoot tradition).