|
Lesson
5:
Teacher Background: Core Elements of Wabanaki
Culture
Throughout this unit, students are asked
to think about how physical, economic,
political and social changes in society
have impacted and been impacted by Wabanaki
cultures through time. The three areas
students will focus on are: Lifeways,
Homelands, and Independence. These three
areas represent some of the core elements
of Wabanaki cultures.
| Definition
of Core Elements: Core elements
are not the same as parts of culture.
Core elements are important “big
ideas” or values that crisscross
many different parts of a culture. |
Lifeways
For this activity, “Lifeways”
means Wabanaki cultural and social traditions,
behaviors and products through time. “Lifeways”
includes everything from art, language,
technology, jobs, crafts, celebrations
and oral tradition, among other things.
Looking at your classroom culture circle,
what parts of culture would be considered
“Lifeways?”
Homelands
For this activity, “Homelands”
means regions and territories that are
closely identified with and by Wabanaki
peoples. “Homelands” includes
not just the land, but also the rivers,
air, lakes, ponds, mountains, trees and
coasts. In other words, “Homelands”
is the land and resources the Wabanaki
and their ancestors have identified and
interacted with for the past 500 generations.
Sovereignty
For this activity, “Sovereignty”
means the right of Wabanaki peoples to
govern, or control their own destiny,
or future. This means the ability to control
decisions that affect the tribes, their
lands and the well-being of their families
and future generations.
|
