CRITERION C IDU

Over the course of this project, I have employed my understanding of Canadian history through the lens of various different groups, in terms of the trials and tribulations said groups have faced due to the nature of societal norms. I also explored how Canadian society has developed to change this narrative and "rewrite" history for these marginalized groups. Exploring Canada's history and evolution of its society specifically through the lens of a group that is far less recognized, even when thinking of minority groups in North America (this group being Muslim Canadians), has allowed me to garner a more thorough and complete understanding of the complexities (in terms of difficulties faced in reaching the now inclusive, diverse identity the country has grown into) and multiple different perspectives (demonstrating a multi-faceted component to the Canadian identity) of Canada's history. The same story can be told in many different ways, and hence another way, aside from simply research/investigation, that I explored telling the stories of Zarqa Nawaz and Mike Drewoth (my historical figures) was through design choices. This allowed me to understand the more subtle, yet significant elements of Canadian society, as I found myself exploring colour schemes as a means of representing the vibrancy and diverse backgrounds Canadians come from, as opposed to simply just exploring the use of obvious symbols to showcase the Canadian identity (eg: Canadian maple leaves, Canadian Coat of Arms). 

In this project, taking action meant providing greater representation of these marginalized groups (that we explored in history class) in Canada. In my history class, I was able to research symbols that represent two historical figures that impacted Canadian identity. For my first historical figure, Zarqa Nawaz, I incorporated Masjid Al Salam, the mosque in Brampton that she grew up in, surrounded by a prairie to showcase her involvement in the series, Little Mosque on the Prairie. For the bill of Mike Drewoth, I used an illustration of Al-Rashid Mosque, the first Mosque built in Canada in 1938 to represent her accomplishments as the first Canadian Muslim to stand up for Muslim rights in the country. I was able to use design and technique to enhance the message. For example; My inspiration designer, Elyse Dodge, uses vibrant colours that go with her style of geometric abstraction. Therefore, I used bright colour palettes (orange and blue) along with a low poly textured design in my backgrounds. Through this process, I learned that Canadian identity is not simply just expressed through red and white, but is also expressed by the individuals who pave the way for the diversity that Canada now identifies; a true mosaic of different cultures. In this unit, I researched, historically, how each figure marked the journey of inclusion of all religious backgrounds in Canada. With this, I was able to use design elements to create visually appealing & captivating designs to spark awareness and represent the impact that my figures on Canadian identity.