"In seven generations, it will be the artist who will be the spokesman for the Indian people".  Those words were passed down through oral tradition in 1885. That is how visual arts teacher, Duane Rajsigl, introduces the video "First Nations: Exploring Culture through Art".  To the degree that indigenous art has perhaps remained the most intact part of Native culture, this prophecy has held true.  In his art classes, Mr Rajsigl weds the elements of design with First Nation Canadian students' culture.  He points out that indigenous prehistory and culture have been recorded via artistic media: petroglyphs, rock paintings, pottery, and toys.

He leads the viewer through three artistic activities with his students.  He interprets a print of contemporary, First Nation artist, Alex Janvier's "Morning Star" with students. The piece depicts a medicine wheel, with the source of all creation at its center and, in sunburst fashion, stages of indigenous history radiating outward.  Rajsigl explains that the section with turbulent color represents the period of residential school, and that the portion with calmer, brighter colors represents a renaissance of sorts, namely toward Native pride.

Rajsigl says that one of the most important aspects of his art classes is getting community members involved.  He views community members as supplemental resources, but I firmly disagree!  I find that Native peoples are the true teachers of art for their communities.  They carry cultural knowledge and traditional techniques, which form the base or springboard for indigenous art, which the non-native community supplements. To his credit, however, Rajsigl acknowledges the wealth of oral tradition found in the community, as well as an innate ability to explain their craft.  He also points out that teachers actually direct and guide students' creative processes.  We simply provide them with materials and resources that enable them to create a work that instills pride. 

This semester, I am guiding a Native arts class.  A community member joins me for an hour.  One student in particular has responded to his work in ways that I have not seen anywhere else in his studies.  He does well in school, and despite being given many creative outlets in his subjects, he devotes little effort to those endeavors.  In his Native arts class, however, he is putting forth exceptional effort, and I would even say, pouring his soul into his work.  His work has garnered the attention and admiration of many village elders.  I may direct and guide the class, but I am clearly not the teacher.

  I enjoyed how he invited community members into the classroom to showcase their skills and demonstrate heritage art skills. I like the way the teacher infused the culture of passing down information through family story telling (through generations).  The teacher has great knowlege of art, and appears to enjoy presenting it to his students.

What I liked most of this video is the fact that the instructor seems to have learned the "art" of letting go of classroom control so to speak. He allowed his students to be creative within the assigned activity choices that was relevant to them. It is also clear that this instructor is passionate about what he does!

this video was great to learn how art and culture is important to know.the did excellent presentation with the background knowledge through the art.