Unit 2 Aboriginal Spiritualities

On the homepage, you saw the Wyandotte turtle as our school is situated on ancient Wyandotte land. How do you feel about your learning institution sitting on land that was taken from another group of people? What things do you think Canada can do to reconcile injustices associated with their colonial past?

RBV.03 · analyse and describe the connection between the human experience and sacred writings and oral teachings;

RBV.04 · demonstrate how practice, ritual, and symbolism are external representations of the beliefs and principles of religion.

RB1.01 – identify the origins of various religious beliefs regarding creation, birth, death, god, destiny, and afterlife;

RB2.03 – demonstrate an understanding of the concept of the supernatural in various belief systems (e.g., those of Native peoples);

RB3.01 – categorize the practices and rituals of various religions (e.g., dietary laws, vision quest);

RB3.02 – identify the origin and significance of various practices, rituals, symbols, and festivals;

RB3.03 – demonstrate an understanding of the role of sign and symbol in various religions.

HEV.01 · identify the function of religion in human experience;

SS1.08 – identify the diverse religions represented in Canada, and analyse how the high degree of religious pluralism in the population is reflected in Canadian society and culture.

Be sure to go through the Aboriginal Spiritualities Powerpoint on your own while you work on this unit. You will need to attach a completed seminar exit card (below).

Return to the top of the page

Animism is the belief that all things, i.e. animals, plants, and rocks, have a soul. It comes from the belief that we are all a part of nature, that we are all connected at some level, and therefore must treat all things with reverence. After watching the video on Animism, and reading Pope John Paul's statement on Animism, record your answers to the following questions to show your teacher.

You are required to answer all questions found throughout this unit using the Answer Recording Sheet found below. Download and save it to your Google Docs and work on your answers as you go through this page. You will need to print the questions and your answers as part of your unit submission.

Questions:

1. Why might a Christian disagree with the idea of Animism? Support your answers by comparing animism to Catholicism.

2. In your own opinion, is Animism a spiritual belief or a religious belief?

3. Describe the six cultural groups inCanada and their connection to their environment. Refer to Exploring World Religions, pp. 32-33 for further reference.

Below are three different creation myths: Inuit, Ojibwe, and Iroqois. Watch the videos and note the similarities (our connection to nature) and differences (how geography is a factor in myth creation)

Return to the top of the page

Potlatch, ceremonial distribution of property and gifts to affirm or reaffirm social status, as uniquely institutionalized by the American Indians of the Northwest Pacific coast. Although each group had its characteristic version, the potlatch had certain general features. Ceremonial formalities were observed in inviting guests, in speechmaking, and in the distribution of goods by the donor according to the social rank of the recipients. The size of the gatherings reflected the rank of the donor.

Why was the The Potlatch Ceremony banned? (1 minute read)

Questions:

4. Explain the importance of totems in Aboriginal Spiritualities.

5. Explain why you agree or disagree with the ban on the Potlach ceremony?

Return to the top of the page

When I was 18, I went on a Vision Quest that Changed My Life Vision Quest (2 minute read)

Questions:

6. What is the role of purification in preparing for a vision quest?

7. After reading "when I was 18 I went on a Vision Quest that Changed My Life", how is a Vision Quest, or coming of age test, an important step moving into adulthood?

8. How are Elders and Shamans important to Aboriginal Spiritualities?

9. How are elders important in your own social group?

Return to the top of the page

Oral Teachings - In Aboriginal cultures, prayers, ceremonies, and histories are passed down generationally by elders or shamans who memorize the stories and become keepers who pass on the words.

The Code of Handsome Lake and The Good Word (1-2 minute read)

Question:

10. Choose two laws from the Code of Handsome Lake and discuss why you think they are important in creating a better world?

Return to the top of the page

Return to the top of the page

Question:

11. Apart from formally apologizing to the Aboriginal community, what can the Canadian government do to genuinely reconcile and heal relations with the Aboriginal communities?

Glossary of terms

Aboriginal - Of Native ancestry, inhabiting or existing in a land from the earliest times and before colonists.

Animism - The attribution of a living soul to plants, animals, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena.

First Nations - An Aboriginal band, or a community functioning as a band, but not having band status. The term First Nations does not include the Inuit or Metis.

Indigenous - Originating naturally in a region, belonging naturally to an environment born in a region.

Return to the top of the page

Be sure to complete the UNIT COMPLETION ASSESSMENT and consult with your teacher BEFORE you continue on to the Unit Task.

Return to the top of the page

Choose one of the following task ideas below to demonstrate your learning and complete this unit. It is always advisable to consult with your teacher while you work on this task to ensure you are meeting the expectations and getting the best possible mark. Be sure that all of your work is properly cited with appropriate analysis. As Mary Ward is a Self-Directed Learning system, you may also create and develop your own task in consultation with your teacher.

1. SELF DIRECT! Always recommended! Choose one topic in this unit that you were particularly interested in (i.e. Symbols, Rituals, History, Beliefs, etc . . . or a topic related to this unit that was not covered but worthy of exploring), then choose one style of presentation that you are confident with or would like to develop (i.e. written paragraph, website, documentary, video, slide presentation, art installation, podcast, etc . . . ) and consult/discuss with your teacher what the product will look like. You also have the option to make the task interdisciplinary with another course(s), and/or do a group project.

OR

2. Write a paragraph on the injustices of the residential school system and state whether or not it meets the criteria of a genocide.

OR

3. Do a Google Slide presentation on various Indigenous Festivals or Ceremonies and demonstrate how the events are reflections of their values and beliefs.

OR

4. Create a documentary about the current state of Indigenous relations in Canada, what the general public knowledge/opinion of the issues are, and what can be done to further reconcile with First Nations people.

OR

5. Do a deep-dive research project on Indigenous mythology and share how it explains mystery as well as demonstrate values and belief systems.

NOTE: All of your work must be properly cited. Work that is not cited properly will be returned to you to be redone with a stronger sense of academic integrity.

Please see evaluation rubrics below for your task. Consult with your teacher for any clarification regarding your evaluation.

Be sure you have answered the following questions and completed the following tasks before submitting your unit to your teacher. This checklist needs to be signed by the religion counter for your unit submission to be accepted.

The Indian Act

Truth and reconciliation

CBC 8th Fire

A History of Residential Schools in Canada

The Potlatch Ban: Abolishment of First Nations Ceremonies

Return to the top of the page

unit 2 task options:

Choose one of the following task ideas below to demonstrate your learning and complete this unit. It is always advisable to consult with your teacher while you work on this task to ensure you are meeting the expectations and getting the best possible mark. As Mary Ward is a Self-Directed Learning system, you may also create and develop your own task in consultation with your teacher.

1. In a 1 page write up with proper citations, describe the development of the Code of Handsome Lake and state the significance of your findings. With reference to the Code of Handsome Lake, what are the four words from the messengers and how are these important? What parallels can you draw between the Code of Handsome Lake and some other system of faith? Refer to pp. 46-47 in Exploring World Religions to help you draw a conclusion.

OR

2. Create a Totem that represents you and members of your family. This lends itself to the idea of animism and that you are connected to nature. Draw the image of the totems that best represent you and your family. You may borrow from existing artistic images. You may add extra symbols that describe different aspects of your personality. In a 1 minute presentation to your teacher, discuss how the spirit of the totem you have chosen best represents you.

OR

3. A vision quest is a very important coming of age ritual for many Aboriginal groups that marks a very important milestone in the life of an adolescent. In your own way of description (a 1 page write up, power point presentation, mini-documentary), discuss what milestones exist within your own culture as a coming of age ritual or ceremony, and how it may be similar or different to a Vision Quest.

OR

4. (with NBE 3U unit 3) Examine an Aboriginal myth and present your findings to your teacher in a multi-media form for about 3 minutes. You will need to discuss what questions the myth seeks to answer, what characteristics do the main characters have, what are their strengths and flaws, and what values can be seen from the story. Sovereignty, Deconstructing, Reconstructing

OR

5. (with NBE 3U unit 3) Based on your own experience, or that of someone you know, write a short story involving discrimination based on stereotypes.

NOTE: All of your work must be properly cited. Work that is not cited properly will be returned to you to be redone with a stronger sense of academic integrity.

2021 Unit Option

As a class, we will research and teach one another about the 94 calls to action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission using the government link below.

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our-governments/indigenous-people/aboriginal-peoples-documents/calls_to_action_english2.pdf

In groups of 2-3 people, you will research one of the following topics:

a) Child welfare (1 - 5)

b) education (6 - 12)

c) Language, Culture and Health (13 - 24)

d) Justice (25 - 42)

e) Reconciliation (43 - 47)

f) Settlement (48 - 49) and Equity in the Legal System (50 - 52)

g) National Council (53 - 56)

h) Church Apologies (58 - 61)

i) Education for Reconciliation (62 - 66)

j) Museums/Archives (67 - 70)

k) Missing Children/Burial Information (71 - 76)

l) Commemoration (79 - 83)

m) Media and Reconciliation (84 to 86)

n) Sports and Reconciliation (87 to 91)

o) Business and Reconciliation (92) and New Comers to Canada (93-94)

After researching, you will need to answer the following questions:

1. What is this statement saying?

2. What has been done on this topic?

3. What needs to be done to bring this topic to completion?

4. What can I do?

After choosing your topic and answering the inquiry questions, choose your preference of presentation. You may wish to do one of the following

1. Write a letter to your local MP outlining the issues you have researched and what the government should realistically do in the short term and long term?

2. Create a video using existing footage on the internet, and input your own commentary in a mini-documentary. You may also interview other friends and relatives on the topic if it feels appropriate.

3. Create a website that outlines each issue, why it's important, what has been done, and what needs to be done.

4. Your own idea that works best for you and your group.

You will be given 2 days of classtime to work on this project with your group and will present on the third day. Any presentation to the class should be no more than 7 minutes.