We are currently participating in a school-wide inquiry at my school to increase First Nations cultural awareness through First Nations art, music and performing arts. I am providing you with some website links that have helped us along the enriching process.
The following website was a group project created in ETEC 511. Our goal was to create a cross curricular resource for teachers that linked Canadian First Nations art and artefacts to the curriculum via a visual literacy framework. Our goal is to continuously add to this resource, with the intention to add oral stories and personal accounts from elders. Please share, make comments or ask questions about this resource.
This website was created by the Aboriginal Tourism BC (AtBC) foundation who have established the Authentic Indigenous Arts Resurgence Campaign (The “ARC”).
Its initiative is: “aimed at promoting and supporting authentic Indigenous artworks in the retail and wholesale marketplace.”
Its goal is: to “undertake various activities designed to protect Indigenous control over Indigenous artwork and to ensure that its sale benefits Indigenous artists and communities economically.”
This website provides a comprehensive list of First Nations Artists in Canada where they are listed by first name in alphabetical order. Each artist has their own page where viewers can read a short bio, view examples of their work, and search any links that may take them to projects or personal websites. It also posts events, campaigns, and articles, and members can connect with each other through the blog, and social media.
This informational website provides a database of Canadian artists, including First Nations, located across Canada. Anyone can search for artists by name, location, subject/category, and advanced search options which include curriculum. It is a place where Artists have the showcase their work, mention projects they are working on, and list events that are happening across Canada to promote their Art.
The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre was founded to showcase the art, history and culture of the Sk̲wx̲wú7mesh (people of the Squamish villages) and the L̓il̓wat7úl (the people of the land) nations. Visitors on the website can learn about the Nations’ past and present history, shop online for authentic artisan merchandise, as well as book tours. During the visits, visitors are taken through a guided tour of the centre, and they also have the opportunity to sign up for interactive workshops which could involve an interpretive forest walk, holistic tour and indigenous tea ceremony, or participation in various indigenous crafting workshops.
The page dedicated to Arts and Culture, on the Aboriginal Tourism BC website, takes the visitor on an exploration of the many art galleries, studios, museums, cultural sites and cultural centres that are located throughout BC. Visitors to the website are also able to book special visits and tours.
