Chapter 4 – Culture & Currents of Thought

Chapter 4 – Culture & Currents of Thought Section 1: The First Occupants

Spirituality, Communication & Trade, Relationship with Nature and Animism

What is Culture? • What does the word culture mean to you in your

own words? – Ideas/ a way of think – Different ways of expressing ideas – Connected to what is happening around you/globally

• Who can be ‘involved’ in culture? – People musicians, artists, politicians, etc.

• How have people expressed culture or ideas in the past? – Music, art, writing, TV, movies, etc.

• Which methods are people using to express culture/ideas in 2017??? – Social media, traditional media, etc.

What is a “Current of Thought”?

• We will see this term in our quizzes, tests and in the June exam

• According to the Quebec Ministry of Education… – Current of thought: An idea or set of ideas that one

person or a group of people share – Positive or negative – USUALLY ends in ‘ism’ but NOT always

• Can you think of any examples of ‘isms’? • Examples: Catholicism, racism, liberalism, etc. • Many different groups throughout Canadian history

have expressed their ideas through ‘currents of thought’

What is a “Current of Thought”?

• For each current of thought (COT) in the chapter you will need to know:

–Why each COT developed?

–What each COT means (definition)?

–Who were/are the players that expressed each COT?

–How was/is each COT expressed?

– The impact each COT had/has on society

First Occupants: Culture & the Environment

• What attitude did the FO have towards Nature/the environment?

• Attitude of respect for nature & the environment

• Why did/do they have this attitude?

• The FO depended on the environment around them for survival

• Food, clothing, shelter, transportation, medicine, etc…

Artistic Depiction of First Occupants preparing meat from hunted animals. (C.W. Jeffreys)

First Occupants: Culture & the Environment Document Analysis: How can you connect the document below connect to the First Occupants and their respect for nature/environment?

First Occupants: Culture & the Environment

• How did the FO demonstrate their respect for nature & the environment?

• Different forms of Ceremonies Examples:

– Change of season Winter to Spring

– Hunting or healing rituals

• Art totem poles, craft art

• Speaking (or praying) to the spirit of an animal after a hunt

First Occupants: Culture & the Environment

Artistic depiction of Ceremonies held by the First Occupants

An artistic depiction of First Occupant art art as a means of expression of respect for nature

First Occupants: Culture & the Environment

Animism & the Spirituality of the First Occupants

• The name given to the spirituality of the First Occupants: Animism

• Belief that everything in nature had a spirit – animate OR inanimate

• Wolves, bears, corn, rocks, water, etc.

• These spirits lived on after death

• The existence of a circle of life

Artistic depiction of First Occupants and a ceremony involving a waterfall

Animism & the Spirituality of the First Occupants

• Main players (PERSONS) involved in expressing spirituality & animism

• Shaman

• Intermediary between native people and the spirits

• Intermediary = person that communicates between two groups

• Thought to interpret dreams, heal the sick, encourage a good hunt, influence weather.

Artistic depiction of a shaman performing a ceremony to help someone who is sick

Communication and trade

• Different groups of people were assigned different roles within FO societies:

– Hunter, gatherer, ‘farmer’

– Chief: strength, most able hunter

– Spokesperson for trade: eloquent, well spoken

• Women also had important roles:

– Raising children

– Involvement in agriculture (sedentary societies)

Artistic depiction of First Occupant hunter

Communication and trade • Council of elders very

important

• With age comes WISDOM!

• Elders are important members of the FO societies

• Passing on traditions & knowledge

• How did they pass on knowledge? – Story telling, singing

– Word of mouth

• Word of mouth used to transmit knowledge hunting, daily lives, etc.

Artistic depiction of an elder passing on a story to a younger generation

Communication and trade

• Reciprocal relations between aboriginal societies:

– Chiefs demonstrated strength and power by encouraging generosity and sharing.

– Between groups: a gift had to be given in return for every gift received.

• Trust between groups

• Reciprocal = doing something for someone because they did something for you

Document Analysis

WHO wrote this document? What is the document saying? How can you connect this document to the culture of the First Occupants and their spiritual beliefs?

Connections to the Progressions of learning

Connections to the Progressions of learning