We looked at 6 Physical Regions of Canada. Discovering the stories of people through song and art, who have been inspired by their sense of place: 

OBJECTIVES
How are we each connected to the land?
How can we create reciprocity for what we learn from the land?

While studying different region of Canada musicians and artists, consider:  
  • How do you think this person and artwork has been inspired?
  • How does it connect to a physical region?
  • How does it connect to our culture today and in the past?

Teachers will:
  • Create a place for an authentic voice that will allow students to learn from, rather than about, foundational philosophies in ways that can repair and renew relationships.
  • Explore different cultures other than our own in an ethical ways and with authenticity.
  • Considering how are we, as professionals, building student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect?

Students will:
  • Students will understand how the various aspects (such as geography) inform an individual’s perspective and how that perspective is expressed.
  • Be able to explain how arts (sounds, songs..) are connected to and influenced by landscapes, and history
  • Be able to synthesize and communicate multiple perspectives
  • Understand that culture is influenced by landscape and history
This is an important discussion as we do not want the students to copy or replicate artwork.  
  • How is being inspired different than to copy or replicate.
  • Who inspires you in your life? 
  • How are you inspired by where you live?

This was an amazing discussion and helped inform me as an educator on what our next steps needed to be. Here are some examples of comments and questions:
Being inspired is using your own creativity and style.
We can not copy. Our point of view gets put into their work -there may be more meaning then we know in their work and in our own viewpoint. 
Inspired by is not claiming as your own. We could continue with their ideas. 
You can not take over and take work.
There is no such thing as copying -people will have a different meaning or vibe when they make it.
Who knows who makes it if only colour is changed?  You can not tell the difference - I think this is still copying. 
Inspired and new can’t be in the same sentence.
Can inspired-by mean being like them. Want to be just as good?

Through the process of consensus Grade 5 students generated definitions and examples for, "What is the difference between to: Copy, Replicate and Inspire?"

They will apply this understanding moving forward when creating their own inspired artwork.
​
Clarify what it means to copy, replicate and inspire. Using sticky notes have the students write out what they think each means (one sticky note per definition). 
A Study of Kenojuak Ashevak 
Studies of Alex Janvier
Studies of Leah Dorian
A Study of Christi Belcourt 
​A Study of Jason Carter
How do we keep cultural identity (including diverse languages) in an increasingly modern world?

Our Connection to the Land -A Classroom Sudy
RESOURCES: 


RESOURCES OF INDIGENOUS MUSIC:
(please preview to make sure age appropriate for your kids).

I’ve tried to include a variety of bands.  However, this is not an extensive list of bands. There are some amazing bands in the past, as well as, today that I have not included.

When possible I have included the bands website so you can buy the music directly and support these bands.

Buffy Saint Marie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1nNbR791go
http://buffysainte-marie.com/ 
Buffy Sainte-Marie & Tanya Tagaq "You Got To Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5zb0WTSLsY Buffy Saint Marie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1nNbR791go 

Jerry Cans:
https://www.thejerrycans.com/ 
Iskwé - Iskwéhttps://iskwe.bandcamp.com/
https://iskwe.bandcamp.com/ 

JB First Lady
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxwPEXyx6Fg

Eagle and Hawk:
http://www.eagleandhawk.com/

A Tribe Called Red:
http://atribecalledred.com/

Indian City:
http://www.indiancity.ca/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCSarHDr6hw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYDdsTdMGmo 
https://www.manitobamusic.com/indiancity

Black Bear singers:
http://www.blackbearsingers.com/ 

Tanya Tagaq Retribution https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7rn7VQ-tHg The sounds of throat singing explained https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNb2ZDjeiU4 

Kelly Fraser (Sanikiluaq, Nunavut):
https://www.kellyfrasermusic.com/ 

Northern Cree: 
http://www.northerncree.com/ 

Quantum Tangle: 
http://www.quantumtangle.com/index.html 

Digging Roots:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8kswLN0vs4

Bryden Gwiss Kiwenzie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF0VNvlrhZA
Round Dance & Beats (Powwow) fuses traditional Indigenous vocal chants with hip hop and rhythm and blues dance beats

Frazer Sundown:
https://tribalspiritmusic.com/artists/fraser-sundown/
https://www.westerngazette.ca/culture/frazer-sundown-brings-oneida-culture-to-western/article_ddfbb2a8-01f4-11e7-a4d2-bffe65b4ffc4.html

Michael R Denny Metis:  https://andreamenard.com/ Andrea Menard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJS6I9Mf08s 


DJ Shub and mix of the 
Indomitable ft. Northern Cree Singers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTJvpfkRRdA 


NORTHERN CREE Performs CREE CUTTIN' and CARLA MORRISON Performs UN BESO | 59th GRAMMYs  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTaGX1y0xj8



FURTHER INFORMATION AND RESOURCES:

http://digitaldrum.ca/10-indigenous-artists-you-need-to-know-right-now/

CBC list of music:
https://www.cbcmusic.ca/posts/11438/23-indigenous-musicians-who-are-finally-getting-so

Indigenous Music Awards 
http://digitaldrum.ca/and-the-2018-indigenous-music-awards-nominees-are/ 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5uZSYSooKE

National Geographic: Turning Sound into Music 

https://blog.ted.com/8-talks-on-the-importance-of-listening-and-how-to-do-a-much-better-job-of-it/ 
https://education.nctr.ca/ 

http://maps.canadiangeographic.ca/songmap/
 
OTHER RESOURCES ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF LANGUAGE AND SONGS:

Wade Davis Interview on IDEAS, CBC

The Massey Lectures 2003 -The truth about stories by Thomas King
The Truth About Stories by Thomas King (you can listen to them here: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/the-2003-cbc-massey-lectures-the-truth-about-stories-a-native-narrative-1.2946870

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
https://www.amazon.ca/Braiding-Sweetgrass-Indigenous-Scientific-Knowledge-ebook/dp/B00D0V44LC

Indigenous Peoples and Remembrance Day
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