Last updated April 10, 2022

Status:: { Books MOC

{ Potlach as Pedagogy- Learning Through Ceremony

Link

• Title: Potlach as a means of teaching

Terms

• pedagogy: the method and practice of teaching, especially as an academic subject or theoretical concept
• potlatch involves giving away or destroying wealth or valuable items in order to demonstrate a leader’s wealth and power
  • Demonstrating power by being charitable to lower
  • Happens during life changes
    • Transition from stages

Structure

1. Process of book creation
2. sk’ad’a principles??

Introductions

• Just going through her cultural origins
• Potlach was used as a gathering to commemorate and acknowledge 300 haida people who died of smallpox
• Potlach became illegal ??? bruh
• Potlaches were their way of teaching
• His father relearned things that were repressed through potlaches
• Ending, just being able to reflect on everything that’s mentioned, thinking of our own ways of implementing the information

1

• Eurocentric learning is based on text and literacy
• Her father is a carver who uses shapes as his alphabet

Years ago, I attended an event hosted by another nation. Our traditional Haida dance group, the Rainbow Creek Dancers, had been invited to perform. Unfortunately, many members of our group were unable to attend the event, and only a few of us were present that day. When the time came for us to sing our songs, it dawned on me that I did not truly know the words to the songs. Though I had been singing them since I was a child, in that moment, I suddenly realized that I only knew how to follow our songs and not how to lead them. This moment of awareness led me to wonder what would happen to these songs when our leaders were no longer with us. What would happen when the time came for me to lead these songs?
– page 8

• A pivotal moment in her life to truly recognize the importance of those who continue traditions and teach the younger generation
• Also shows how his father was promoting the growth mindset form of learning, as mistakes were not emphasized

My father believes that we are “all connected to the past by a thin thread. And when we come together as a group, then those threads form quite a thick rope” (Davidson in Steltzer & Davidson 1994, 99). I learned those songs because I did not want to be the one to weaken the rope that connects us to our ancestors. This story is one of the threads that I hold. –page 9

• Cool how she’s just continuing tradition by mixing in her interpretations from her father’s learnings, but still making sure and checking over with her father that his key ideas are still included (page 9)
• Origins and meaning behind the cover of the book
• The overall teamwork and connection between the two is heartwarming and purposeful at the same time

2

• Author is a k-12 teacher exposed to indigenous educational issues under the eurocentric setting
  • Used this resolve to re-enroll in graduate, to no prevail

They said to help the old people, so I was continually being reminded of that… – page 12

• Was able to form a close relationship with the elders, allowing for him to continue things
  • His generosity with knowledge
    • Sharing our knowledge allows us to gain insights, withholding information stunts our ability to grow
      • Related to the seminar

“in the oral tradition the listener/learner is challenged to make meaning and gain understanding from the storyteller/teacher’s words and stories, which is an empowering process” –12

• Relates to how she would mix in her own interpretations, but go back to her father to ensure proper intentions

Learning emerges from strong relationships

Steering boat, straight vs curved line, uncle vs dad information

• Gives us support to ask our questions and find answers to the world we explore
• The different roles people have in our lives can lead to different views of advice
• Relations with the young with the elders who had wisdom

Learning emerges from authentic experiences

Had to carve half of totem poles, fish in a boat (weather), dig clams on beach (the feeling and technique)

• Hands on learning
• Being aware of the extra details of procedures
• Important for being proficient in survival skills

Learning emerges from curiosity

Taking good, working things apart to see how they work together - Using it as inspiration to also work on your own “good” things

• Understanding how things work so you can make improvements?

Learning occurs through observation

Learning how to make a bow from other older people; father was a slow learner

• Father learned from everyone essentially; observe then copy
• An observational learner isn’t as inclined to put their hand up to flex knowledge
• privateThoughts/= The questions I answer should be to learn more, not to flex my already existing knowledge

Learning occurs through contribution

So that was another part of my learning is that you have to give 100%. When you make a commitment, you have to be fully committed. –17

• Author is charitable through potlaches and feasts to contribute to her communities

Learning occurs through recognizing and encouraging strengths

Was imposed to be a carver

• Other people can help you realize your strengths

Learning honours the power of the mind

the power of visualization to achieve goals emerged as a theme – and the examples that he drew upon came from his life and our history. In our conversations, my father shared with me countless examples of how he had used the power of his mind to achieve his goals … One day I was looking through the catalogue, and I saw the bike I wanted, so I had a visual on it. That’s the bike I want, and within three weeks I had enough money saved to buy it. So once I had the visual then I was able to accomplish it. –page 18

• Power of visualization, law of attraction?

Learning honours history and story

• Mind resides in our chest?
  • Haida word for mind is ame as throat

Learning honours aspects of spirituality and protocol

• We’re able to be grateful and considerate of our environment (nature), the lives we consume (fish), as more than just objects for our own gain

Differing pedagogies

• If knowledge is not used, it gets lost
  • World-centered

3

• Author and father were both previously ashamed of being Haida
• The potlatch ban did not stop people from secretly doing it
  • Abandoned villages, during allowed holidays like christmas
    • Share Haida stories
• Established, public figures can redeem themselves for bad acts by partaking in potlatches

my father’s inability to speak Haida is a source of tremendous sadness for him. Throughout his life, it has been an ongoing obstacle that has hindered his ability to access his history and develop meaningful connections with his family

• Threads connecting children to ancestors were broken by laws to assimilate and obliterate Haida identity
• Author stays resilient against colonization, fuelling her drive

4

• Father greatly admired the quality of art in Vancouver totem poles
  • Sparked his desire to start carving
• It was a family effort to carve a tree, everyone was inexperienced but still it went well
• Initially it was a neglected idea, but pole-raising became a community effort
  • Father didn’t know why he felt so obligated, but he still did it

5

• When he finished his art he let go of it, but the experiences and learnings stay with him
• Pole raising as the community’s attempt to bring back old culture and take back what was stolen

There was sure a lot of happy people that day. It did that and more. It actually triggered [an opening] up to our spirituality. It opened up to ceremony. It gave strength to relearning our songs and dances. It gave reason to sing our songs again.

• Skada principles were implemented as the elders pieced together fragments of history and stories to collectively remember the protocols

6

• Each potlach filled a specificvoid in culture
  • Despite trying to revive, he still got hate from incorrect practices
• Burned frog mask to end mourning
  • Set up a specific time for mourning to not interfere with daily life

the feasts and potlatches that my father hosted and co-hosted were not for the purpose of making his name better or increasing his personal status. They were for the purpose of sharing his understanding with the community and to encourage more learning about our community’s collective knowledge. As he said so many times throughout our conversations, hosting and co-hosting these doings was a significant learning process for him. My father is very committed to sharing his knowledge, and he has often spoken to me about the importance of being generous with what we know.

7

• Reiterates on learning points
• Showcases the courage of those willing to faciliate learning experiences
  • Paper bag, carving

Backlinks

1

list from { Potlach as Pedagogy- Learning Through Ceremony AND !outgoing({ Potlach as Pedagogy- Learning Through Ceremony)

References:

Created:: 2021-09-13