105

Tough Decisions

Tough Decisions: Propaganda,Advertising and Stereotypes

Grade 8

–M. Sam Cronk

Teacher Background

As part of a larger conversation aboutAmerican history and society, it is importantfor students to discuss and address racism andracial stereotyping.

Gallery Connections

One of the main ideas of the Mihtohseenionkigallery is the notion of bringing the culturesinto the present day. Many people, young andold, have ideas of Native Americans as eitherfrozen in the past or completely living in amodern society with no ties to the past. Inreality, many Native Americans living as partof the modern world have maintained ties tothe past. Because of the period in which theywere made and the techniques used (manypainters used non-Natives as models), it isdifficult to find historical images that are fullyaccurate. As students explore the fine artimages as well as the fine art pieces throughoutthe museum, have them use the questioningtechniques they will develop in this lesson.

106

Tough Decisions:Propaganda, Advertising andStereotypesIndiana Academic Standards: Grade 8

Social Studies: Standard 5 – Individual, Society andCulture (8.5.9, 8.5.10)

Language Arts: Standard 7 – Listening and Speaking(8.7.7, 8.7.8, 8.7.13)

Objectives

Students will:1. think about, talk about, and write about

issues of racial stereotyping;2. understand issues of propaganda in

advertising; and3. research and discuss current topics and

events.

Time Needed

4 to 5 class periods

Materials Needed

• Copies of illustration provided• Illustrations—from magazines, sports cards,

the Internet• Writing materials• Research materials (ideally, access to the

Internet)

A. Propaganda & Advertising

Procedure

What do your students think about NativeAmericans? What do they know—REALLYknow—about American Indian cultures?Where do they learn about American Indiancultures—from the people themselves? Frombooks? From newspapers? From Hollywoodmovies? From museums? Understanding therole that these kinds of visual images play inexpressing and promoting popular ideas iscritical to developing “media savvy” students.

1. Ask students to bring in images of NativeAmerican people that they can find athome or in their daily environment, suchas newspaper clippings about sports teams

with Indian names, products that featureimages of Indians or Indian culture (LandO Lakes Butter, Calumet Baking Powder,Red Man Beef Jerky). Show and discussthese images in class. Ask students to comeup with a list of adjectives—positive andnegative—about American Indian culturesthat they can learn from these images.

Encourage students to ask the followingquestions: WHO, WHAT and WHY. Forexample:• WHO is the intended audience for these

stories, products and images?• WHAT stereotypes about Native American

culture are either reinforced or challengedby these visual images?

• WHY are these kinds of Indian imagesused—do they help sell products or news-papers? Do they appeal to the generalpublic? If so - WHY?

2. Develop a broader understanding of “prop-aganda” with your students by identifyingthe five basic techniques used in propagandaand advertising:• “bandwagon,” persuading people to do

something by telling them that others aredoing it;

• “emotion,” using words or images thatwill make you react very strongly aboutsomeone or something;

• “testimonial,” using the words of afamous person to persuade you;.

• “transfer,” using the names or pictures offamous people, but not including directquotations from them; and

• “repetition,” repeating a central idea orproduct name at least three or four times.

Are any of these techniques used in theadvertising and media images of NativeAmericans brought in by your students?

3. Look specifically at the illustration includedin this booklet from Harpers Magazine(1870s) entitled “An Indian Foray,” depictinga violent (and fictional) attack on whitesettlers. ASK students to think again aboutWHO, WHAT and WHY.• WHO is the intended audience?• WHAT is the story this illustration is trying

to convey?

ACTIVITY – TOUGH DECISIONS

107

ACTIVITY – TOUGH DECISIONS

• WHAT propaganda techniques are used inthis illustration?

• WHY do students think Harpers Magazineincluded this illustration?

• WHAT kind of illustration would NATIVEAMERICAN artists draw about theencounter between Native and nonnativesocieties in the late 1800s?

B. Let’s Talk About ItDivide students into teams (pro and con).

Present students with the following topic todebate: “The use of American Indian imagesby professional sports teams is disrespectful toNative American people.”

Research professional sports team websitesand Native American responses to these issues;all this research can be easily conducted on theInternet. (In Whose Honor, available from NewDay Films, www.newday.com, is an excellentsource.)

1. Write up thoughtful responses to theseissues and present in debate-style in class.Encourage students to remain “media savvy”—what elements of “propaganda” do theyfind in the materials they are researching?What techniques of propaganda are theyusing in their own arguments? What argumentscould they find that contradict their position?

2. Role-play: Imagine how different peoplewould respond to this issue. What would bethe position of a professional baseball teammanager? Of a 19th-century farmer innorthern Indiana? Of a contemporaryAmerican Indian student in their school?Remember to ask WHO, WHAT AND WHY!

Adapting the Lesson

Grades 3, 4 and 5: The concept of racialstereotyping is important for students at alllevels to discuss. One way to adapt this lessonfor younger students might be for the teacherto bring in a variety of ads or products thatdepict Native Americans, in both positive andnegative ways. The teacher can have the studentsdecide which objects are positive or accuratedepictions of Native Americans, and whichones are negative or inaccurate.

High School: Secondary students will bene-fit from and enjoy this lesson. The role play atthe end of this lesson would be an excellentway for high school students to employ theconcepts they learned in Activity A.

Assessment

Students should be assessed on their under-standing of stereotypes and their participationin the debate. Students will:• identify stereotyping by bringing something

to class;• identify media propaganda in class discussion;

and• debate and role play current social issues.

Resources

• Berkhofer. The White Man’s Indian.• Caldwell-Wood and Mitten. Selective

Bibliography and Guide for “I” Is Not for Indian.<http://www.nativeculture.com/lisamitten/ailabib.html

• Dippie. Vanishing American.• Doxtator. Fluffs and Feathers.• Erasing Native American Stereotypes

<http://www.nmnh.si.edu/anthro/outreach/sterotyp.html>

• Library of Congress. Encyclopedia Smithsonian– Native Americans: Stereotypes Vs. Reality<http://www.si.edu/resource/faq/nmai/naster.htm>

• Mitten. Gateway to Issues About UsingAmerican Indian Nations as Mascots <http://www.nativeculture.com/lisamitten/mascots.html>

• Hilger. From Savage to Nobleman.• Hirschfelder, Molin, and Wakin. American

Indian Stereotypes in the World Of Children.• Native American Children’s Literature in the

Classroom: An Annotated Bibliography<http://library.humboldt.edu/~berman/naclit.htm>

• Pike. The United States and Latin America.• Rollins and O’Connor. Hollywood’s Indian.• Stedman. Shadows of the Indian.• Racial Stereotypes and Images in American

Media <http://www.usc.edu/isd/archives/ethnicstudies/media_stereotypes.html>

An Indian Foray.P

ho

tograp

hic rep

rod

uctio

n o

f illustratio

n fro

m H

arper’s Weekly,M

ay 10, 1873.Im

age cou

rtesy of D

enver P

ub

lic Library

109

WOODLANDS Beadwork

Woodlands Beadwork

Grade 3

–Sue Davidson

own making, Native Americans quickly adoptedthem for adorning clothing, shoes, bags andother items, both for their own use and fortrade. As their land base diminished and theywere removed to different parts of the country,natural resources became scarce and NativeAmericans were forced to rely solely on itemsfrom trade.

Contemporary artists like Joe Baker (Delaware)purchase beads from stores, through mailorder or over the Internet. They fashion bothtraditional designs and new ones.

In the Indiana Woodlands region, the Miami,Potawatomi, Delaware and their neighbors,such as the Ojibwa, used beads of differentmaterials in different ways. Some were wovenusing a loom technique. Some were appliquéd,or “spot-stitched,” to hides or fabric. Designsin this area were both geometric and abstractas well as representative of plant and animal-like figures. Contemporary regional artists likeKatrina Mittin (Miami) and Linda Yazel(Pokagon Band of Potawatomi) both createworks of art using beads and teach beadworkto others in the community.

Gallery Connections

In Mihtohseenionki and throughout theNative American galleries, visitors can seeexamples of loomed and stitched beadworkfrom several cultural groups. They will see arange of designs, from geometric and abstractto representational. In the Mihtohseenionkigallery, encourage students to browse theCurator’s Notebooks for items made usingbeads and to watch on video contemporaryartist Joe Baker (Delaware) creating a bandolierbag for the Eiteljorg Museum. A portion of thebag is on view in the gallery (explain to studentsthat beadwork is quite time-consuming andJoe will be sending portions of the bag to themuseum as he completes them). Before glassbeads were readily available, many NativeAmericans used large panels of dyed andnatural quillwork to decorate clothing. Havevisitors search for older pieces using quillworkand compare the dates of those pieces to onesusing beads.

Lesson Overview

In this lesson, students will reproduce a simplebead pattern of their own designs on a pieceof cloth.

Teacher Background

Perhaps one of the most popular questionsasked at the museum is “Where did NativeAmericans get their beads?” The answerdepends on the time period in question.

Before contact with Europeans, beads weremade of natural materials, such as bone, stone,shell, copper, ivory, clay and seeds. The holesin the beads were either made by forming thebead that way (using clay) or by drilling ahole in the bead. Some beads were strung onthongs for use as jewelry and other things,and some were appliquéd, or “spot-stitched,”to hides, usually to adorn clothing. Shellbeads were used not only to decorate clothingand for jewelry, but were also woven intowampum belts, which were used as ceremonialrecords of significant events of the tribes.(Contrary to the stereotype, and old Hollywoodmovies, wampum was not used as moneyamong the Northeast peoples, but was used torecord information and was given as gifts orin token of important events.) While not allof these natural materials were available in theIndiana region, many made their way to thisarea through Native trade routes.

Europeans brought glass beads of many colorsto North America and by the 18th centurythey were readily available through the FurTrade. (Glass beads were primarily manufacturedin what is now the Czech Republic and Italy.)As they were easier to use than beads of their

110

Woodlands BeadworkIndiana Academic Standards: Grade 3

Visual Arts:Standard 1 – Responding to Art: History (3.1.2)Standard 7 – Creating Art: Production (3.7.1, 3.7.2,3.7.3)Standard 9 – Creating Art: Production (3.9.2, 3.9.3)

Objectives

Students will:1. name at least one of the Indiana

Woodlands cultures that use(d) beadwork;2. locate the general area of Woodland

Peoples of the Indiana region around 1780;3. identify the materials and purposes for which

Native Americans used beads in the past;4. recognize the fact that beadwork is still

being done by artists today; and5. produce their own simple pieces of

beadwork design, using the appliqué or“spot-stitching” technique.

Time Needed

In an art class of approximately 30 to 40minutes, this activity will take several sessions—3 minimum.

Materials Needed

• Overhead transparencies of Curator’sNotebook pages

• Pencils and paper for drawing ideas• Small squares of burlap or other loose-

weave material (6 inches square)• Washable fine tip markers to put design

onto the burlap• Pony or crow beads (can be bought in bulk)• Large plastic tapestry needles • Heavy thread or very thin yarn• Scissors• Masking tape• Small paper cups (bathroom size will work

nicely)• Optional—small embroidery hoops

Procedure

1. Ask students to theorize about whereNative Americans got their beads. Explainhow the answer depends on the time period.Place the overhead transparency of the olderbandolier bags on the overhead projector(or obtain pictures from books listed underResources) and discuss the materials andsources used for beads in the past. Havestudents compare the older Delawarebandolier bag, made when the Delawarewere still living in the East, to the later ban-dolier bag made after the Delaware hadbeen forced to Oklahoma. Place the over-head transparency of Joe Baker’s bandolierbag on the projector and discuss the use ofbeads today.

2. Explain that some beadwork is done on aloom (wampum, necklaces, bracelets, etc.)or by finger-weaving, but that other bead-work is done by stitching individual beadsto a background cloth (the style thatcontemporary artist Joe Baker uses), andthat is what we will be doing. This methodis called appliqué or “spot-stitching.”

3. Give students paper and pencils and havethem create simple designs that will bedone in outline with beads on their cloth.Like artist Joe Baker (Delaware), encouragestudents to be inspired by designs they seein their lives. Suggestions might be a floweror leaf design, a small animal, a cross orspiral or other simple shape.

4. When students have decided on theirdesigns, have them carefully reproduce thedrawing onto the squares of burlap usingthe washable fine tip markers.

5. Have students choose beads to complementtheir designs. Small paper cups are great tohold the beads for each individual. If desksare slanted, the teacher might want tosecure the paper cup to the desk with a bitof masking tape.

6. Teach students how to thread the needleand roll the bottom to form a knot. Ifknotting is too difficult for some, tape thethread or yarn to the back of the burlap.

ACTIVITY – WOODLANDS BEADWORK

111

ACTIVITY – WOODLANDS BEADWORK

7. Teach students how to come up through theback of the burlap with their needles, put abead onto the thread and go back downthrough the burlap to secure the bead.Students can then cover their design lineswith beads. Show students how to knottheir work at the end, or if they run out ofthread. Again, if knotting is too difficult,just tape the thread on the back.

8. If additional time remains, show studentshow to fringe the edges of the burlap togive the piece a finished look. Anotheroption would be to stitch the burlap ontoa contrasting piece of fabric.

Adapting the Lesson

Grade 4: Use the same basic idea, but havestudents fill in their designs with beads, sothat the entire shape is filled in. This mayentail additional time and materials.

Grade 5: Students can work on more complexdesigns that may even cover the background.Introduce the ideas of more complicated floralmotifs and abstract designs. Some studentsmay be able to work with smaller beads andfiner thread. If these are used, the burlap maybe too loosely woven, and a tighter weavematerial might be needed.

Grade 8: Students can be expected to workwith small seed beads, smaller needles, finerthread, and finer textured cloth. Designs canbe much more intricate and detailed, colorchoice might be expanded, and the attempt atgood craftsmanship can be emphasized.

Assessment

Since assessment of the visual arts is donedifferently in various school corporations, andeven within a given corporation, the individualteacher will need to establish the criteria forevaluation. Suggestions might include:• an informal class review of tribe names, the

Indiana Woodlands area as part of the largerWoodlands area, the kinds of materials usedfor beads, the purposes of beadwork, ageneral comprehension of the processinvolved, and an understanding that peopletoday are still producing works using a vari-ety of beads;

• an effort-based evaluation of individuals;• a simple test that might incorporate

vocabulary and a general map of the UnitedStates (see handout).

Resources

• Dubin. North American Indian Jewelry andAdornment.

• Penney. Art of the American Indian Frontier.• Prindle. http:/www.nativetech.org

(beads and beadwork examples)• Newmann. Ready-to-Use Activities and

Materials on Woodland Indians.• Stanley-Millner. Authentic American Indian

Beadwork and How to Do It.• Sita. Indians of the Northeast, Traditions,

History, Legends and Life.

The Indiana Woodlands Indians

1. Out of the following list, circle 2 names of tribes that were in theIndiana Woodland area (there are 5 correct answers in the group):

MIAMI POTAWATOMI PLAINS

HOPI PIANKASHAW CLANS

DELAWARE CORNHUSK WEA

2. Tell one material from which beads were made in the past:

3. True or false: Indians only lived out West a long time ago anddon’t live around here anymore.

4. On the map below, circle the area to show about where theWoodland Indians lived in the 18th century.

Beadwork Sample DesignsGrades 3 and 4

Beadwork Sample DesignsGrades 5 and 8

Bandolier bagsCompare these two Delaware bandolier bags, made 50 to 75 yearsapart. They’re different because the materials available to eachmaker were different. Glass beads and fabrics from the fur tradecaused an explosion of color and design.As the Delaware moved west to thePlains, their designs got larger andbolder – and easier to recognizeover open distances.

Pouch (Delaware), ca. 1800Brooklyn Museum of Art, Henry L.Batterman Fund and the FrankSherman Benson Fund, 50.67.15

Thin, plain shoulder strap

Made of deerskin dyed black

Three levels of reality:

Opens atthe top(the flapis onlydecoration)

Buddingplants

probablyrepresentthe threeDelawareclans: Wolf,Turtle and

Turkey

These symbols mayrepresent underground

rivers and springsBandolier

bag(Delaware),

middle 19th century

Richard Pohrt Jr.

Wide, boldly designedshoulder strapGlass beads

Tabs may represent thethree Delaware clans

Three levels of reality: Above World,World We Live In, Below World

Below World

World We Live In

Above World

Joe Baker (Delaware) at work

The idea for that bag presenteditself to me 5, 6, 7 years agowhen I visited NJ, which is apart of our original homelands.Wile I was there I spent sometime in the woods, alone, andI gathered leaves. And amongthose leaves was the sassafrasleaf. So I decided to utilize the3 lobe shape of the sassafrasleaf as the design motif, thestylistic symbol that reappearsthroughout the bag, in theform of the 2 straps as well asthe bag itself.

I’ve always found in the process ofmaking a bag which evolves and growsand expands and happens over a longperiod of time, that current events alsosomehow influence the direction ofthe bag.

117

WOODLANDS Ribbonwork

Woodlands Ribbonwork

Grade 4

–Sue Davidson

center seam. The designs are often symmetricaland reflected and there is often a play ofpositive and negative design space and colors.

Ribbonwork is still being done today, notonly for use on Native American ceremonialclothing, but also on items for sale, such aspillows, bags, vests, jackets, and quilt-like throws.Contemporary artist Scott Shoemaker (MiamiNation of Indiana) uses the shingle style tradi-tionally used by the Miami. Scott designs hisown pieces and is inspired by older works.He uses both traditional Miami colors as wellas other color combinations, but generallysticks to the fine, narrow, elongated diamond-type shapes seen in older Miami pieces. Manyof Scott’s ribbonwork pieces have more than20 strips of cloth. He sews by hand and uses apiece of interfacing underneath the ribbons.

Contemporary artist Penny Bishop (CitizenBand of Potawatomi) uses the postive-styletraditionally used by the Potawatomi, but sheuses a sewing machine and fabric-fusingmaterials. She is often inspired by older piecesas well as by nature. She likes to use colorsthat symbolize something, either to her or tothe person she is making the piece for.

Gallery Connections

In Mihtohseenionki, visitors can see examplesof old and newly made ribbonwork done inthe shingle and positive styles. Miami ribbon-work comparisons can be made when onelooks at the moccasins that once were worn byFrances Slocum (Miami) and the moccasinsmade in 2002 by Scott Shoemaker (MiamiNation of Indiana). Comparisons from oldand new can also be made when one viewsthe postive-style technique on clothing in thePotawatomi section to that of the woman’swearing blanket made in 2002 by PennyBishop (Citizen Band of Potawatomi). Visitorscan learn more about the tradition of Miamiribbonwork in an interactive station—”MeetScott Shoemaker”—where individuals can trythe basics of the layered, shingling technique.Visitiors can also see a short video of Scottand Penny in the Miami and Potawatomisections discussing their research, inspirationand methods. Examples of both types ofribbonwork are also in the EducationCollection for hands-on learning.

Lesson Overview

In this lesson, students will use paper stripsto form designs that have the appearance ofthe ribbonwork of the Woodlands Indians.

Teacher Background

Ribbonwork is a way to decorate clothingthat is unique to the Woodlands Indians. PlainsIndians are known for the large panels ofbeadwork on their clothing. The Woodlandstribes are known for their ribbonwork. Thedesigns used by various cultures are believed tohave evolved from earlier, pre-contact designs.The materials, however, have changed. The FurTrade era brought factory-made thread, ribbons,cloth and steel needles to Native Americans,who combined innovation and tradition tocreate the new convention of ribbonworkembellishment. Two cultures that excelled atribbonwork were the Miami and the Potawatomi.Historic pieces of ribbonwork are rarely seenbecause the ribbons are fragile and cannotsurvive much exposure to light. Artists todayare not only commissioned to create ribbon-work for regalia, but are also creating piecesthat are on display in museums.

Ribbonwork was done using layers of ribbonthat were cut into strips, each with a design cutout of the edge. Then the strips were layeredand stitched down to a background piece offabric. There are several different styles ofribbonwork. Two most common to the Indianaregion were the shingle style and the appliquéstyle. The shingle style, associated with the Miamias well as others, uses geometric figures such asdiamonds. One layer slightly overlaps another,like the shingles on a roof. The positive style,associated with the Potawatomi as well asothers, uses both geometric and representa-tional designs of appliquéd ribbons joined by a

118

Woodlands RibbonworkIndiana Academic Standards: Grade 4

Visual Arts:Standard 6 – Responding to Art: Aesthetics (4.6.2)Standard 8 – Creating Art: Production (4.8.1, 4.8.2)Standard 9 – Creating Art: Production (4.9.2)

Objectives

Students will:1. name one of the Indiana Woodlands tribes

who use(d) ribbonwork;2. show the general location of the Indiana

Woodlands as part of the larger Woodlandsregion on a map of North America;

3. recognize that ribbonwork was done in thepast, but is still being done today by con-temporary artists;

4. understand the layering process by whichmuch ribbonwork was done; and

5. produce a paper design using one of thebasic layering methods.

Time Needed

2 to 3 class periods in an art class ofapproximately 30 to 40 minutes.

Materials Needed

• Overhead transparencies of the Curator’sNotebook pages on Scott Shoemaker andPenny Bishop

• 12 x 18 inch construction paper, black beinga traditional choice for the background

• 9 x 12 inch or 12 x 18 inch assorted colorsof construction paper (Teacher can pre-cutstrips if desired, or use this as a measuringlesson and have students cut their own. 3 or4 inch x 12 inch strips work well with thisage student.)

• Pencils• Scissors• Rulers• Elmer’s or other classroom glue• Optional—decorative-edge scissors in different

patterns (especially useful for students withphysical or developmental limitations)

Procedure

1. On the overhead projector, place the Curator’sNotebook pages for Scott Shoemaker’sribbonwork moccasins and Penny Bishop’sribbonwork blanket. If these are not available,there are many pictures of ribbonworkclothing in books on Woodlands Indians(see resources).

Discuss and compare styles and cultures,region and time periods. Compare the useof color and design in the two examples.Discuss the materials and sources used forribbons, cloth, thread and needles in thepast and today and the purposes for theribbonwork. Explain that ribbonwork istraditionally done in cloth and ribbons, andis sewn to the background cloth, but thatthey are going to use paper strips to layerour own designs. Have students comparethese two types of ribbonwork style. Studentswill have an opportunity to try both styles.While discussing these two styles, havestudents note how these contemporaryartists chose colors for their pieces.

2. Explain to students that first they will bemaking ribbonwork designs shingle-style,like the style Scott Shoemaker used to createhis moccasins. Have students choose sevenstrips of colored construction paper (ifyou’ve pre-cut it). Otherwise, have studentsmeasure and cut strips 3 or 4 inches wide.When choosing colors, students may wishto choose “traditional” colors from theirbackground (school colors, favorite colors)or colors that symbolize something to them.

3. Have students put the black backgroundpaper down first, then arrange the strips ina combination of colors that seems pleasingto them.

4. Demonstrate how to cut a few notches inthe edges of the strips of paper, and how tolayer them up from the bottom, overlappingslightly, allowing each edge to show.

5. Emphasize that students should notglue their strips down yet! Most studentswill be eager to glue-as-they-go, but encouragethem to try different arrangements of thestrips to find the most pleasing pattern ofcuts and colors.

ACTIVITY – WOODLANDS RIBBONWORK

119

ACTIVITY – WOODLANDS RIBBONWORK

6. Once a student has decided upon the finalarrangement of paper strips, they can beglued down to make the arrangement stable.

7. Next, have them create a positive-styledesign like artist Penny Bishop uses. Again,encourage students to play with the designsbefore gluing them down.

8. With the positive-style design, encouragestudents to look at both the positive andnegative space this design creates.

9. Remind students that this is only to givethem an idea of how ribbonwork is done—that working with cloth and ribbons andsewing it all down is much more difficultand time-consuming.

10. Display the different designs on a bulletinboard or in the hallway and point out thevariety of ideas and arrangements thatmakes each piece unique.

Teaching to Other Grade Levels

Grade 3: Use the same basic preparationand background information, but pre-cut thestrips of paper for the students. Decorativescissors might be useful, giving students withlimited cutting skills the chance to achieve amore decorative pattern. Limit the number ofstrips in the design to 4 or 5, and allow moreof the strips to show so that each piece is“shingled.” Teachers can also create enlargedstrips out of felt and demonstrate the idea ona felt board.

Grade 5: Designs can be more complex.The number of strips can be increased.

Grade 8: Students can be expected to createmore intricate designs, and the teacher canexpect them to cut their own strips of paper.If time, materials and a small class size allow,ribbon, cloth, needles and thread might givea far more realistic view of the real craft ofneedlework. Those students familiar withsilkscreen methods may wish to adapt theribbonwork designs to a printed design.

Assessment

Since the assessment of the visual arts is donedifferently in various school corporations, andeven within a given corporation, the individualteacher will need to establish the criteria forevaluation. Suggestions might include:• an informal class review of the Indiana

Woodlands area and some of the tribenames from that area.

• checking for understanding of the basicprocess and materials used in ribbonwork:layering, overlapping, symmetry, positive,negative, etc.

• effort-based evaluation of individual workon the project.

• a simple test that might incorporate vocabularyand a general map of North America.

Resources

• Horse Capture. Fourth Annual Plains IndianSeminar.

• Clifton. The Potawatomi.• Dubin. North American Indian Jewelry and

Adornment.• Penney. Art of the American Indian Frontier.• Sita. Indians of the Northeast, Traditions,

History, Legends and Life.• Pannabecker. “Ribbonwork of the Great

Lakes Indians.”

Moccasins, 2002 Eiteljorg Museumby Scott Shoemaker (Miami Nation of Indiana)

Ribbons were available to Native Americans during the fur trade(mid-1700s). At first, they were mainly used as edging and borders.We don’t know exactly when ribbon appliqué was developed, but itappears to have combined fur trade materials (from Europe) andNative historic traditions.

The Shingle Technique

Ribbonwork is made by cuttinga pattern into the ribbons andoverlaying them one on top

of the other, much like theshingles on a roof.

PLAIN BACKGROUND RIBBON

SHINGLEEFFECT

Scott Shoemaker

Moccasins,Eiteljorg Museum, 2002(not accessioned yet)

Artist Penny Bishop lives in Colorado, but her family originates fromthe Indiana/Michigan area.

White represents the purifying snow of Colorado and Michigan.

Wearing blanket,2002 by Penny Bishop (CitizenBand of Potawatomi)

Wearing blanketEiteljorg Museum, 2002(not accessioned yet)

Purple signifies the beautifulColorado Rockies.

Pink is the thin color at thehorizon where the waters ofLake Michigan meet the skyin the dawn or dusk hours.

Green is for the beautifulwooded areas in Colorado,Michigan and Oklahoma(where her family wasrelocated to).

Ribbonwork – Woodland Indians

STITCH(OR GLUE IF PAPER)

POSITIVE STYLE:• Pairs of ribbons,

joined by a centerseam

• Can be geometricor curvilinear

NEGATIVE STYLE:• Worked from the

outside, in• Pairs of ribbons will

be symmetrical butseparated

SHINGLED STYLE: 7 layers of ribbon

Information from Native American Ribbonwork: A Rainbow Tradition. Edited by George P. Horse Capture, Buffalo Bill Historical Center

123

WOODLANDS Metalwork

Woodlands Metalwork

Grade 5

–Sue Davidson

The new materials and tools simply replacedtheir pre-historic counterparts, while the endproduct, the spiritual and visual intent,remained essentially the same. And periodically,new materials are introduced to NativeAmerican artisans, who, once again, adapt newmaterial into traditional products. Germansilver, which is comprised of nickel, copper,zinc, and has no silver content, was intro-duced in the mid-19th century and hasbecome a favored metal because it holds apolish better than silver.

The excellent silverwork of Don Secondine(Delaware) is a fine example of the creativeprocess that has been ongoing among NativeAmericans since prehistoric times. Utilizingcontemporary materials and power tools,Secondine combines traditional incisedelements and cut-out forms in graceful flowingpatterns that his ancestors would readilyrecognize, and accept. He makes pieces forboth Native and non-Native customers.

Gallery Connections

In Mihtohsenionki, visitors can see examplesof metal used for creating adornment andobjects used and/or made by Native Americansfrom the 17th century to the present day.Contemporary artist Don Secondine (Delaware)is featured in a short video and silverwork hehas created is on exhibition. Examples ofreplica trade pieces and a brooch by DonSecondine are also in the EducationCollection for hands-on learning. We alsohave “metalwork” hands-on station that canbe placed out for small groups of students tomake paper brooches and gorgets. Visitors canalso explore the early stone and bone objectson the historical timeline. As they go throughthe “Miami, Potawatomi and Delaware andOthers” sections, have them look for examplesof metalwork (tin cones, silver crosses,brooches, gorgets and other objects). Manywere made by non-Natives and obtainedthrough trade with Europeans and others.

Lesson Overview

In this lesson, students will do a piece ofmetalwork in the style of the WoodlandsIndians.

Teacher Background

Prior to contact with Europeans, some Nativepeoples mined copper, gold and silver to createaxe heads, knives, spear points, and objects forceremonial use. In the Great Lakes area, someWoodlands people used malleable raw nuggetsof copper, which they hammered flat and cutand molded into their desired shape. Whilejewelry today is thought of as only decorative,historically Woodlands tribes have oftenused jewelry to indicate their tribe and clanmembership, personal symbols and certainrites of passage.

The Fur Trade introduced ready-made sheetsof metal—including processed metals likesteel, iron, brass—as well as new tools to workthe metal. Non-native silversmiths made silveritems used for trade with Native Americans.Then Woodlands artisans, using a combinationof time-proven copper-working technology,European silversmith techniques and newsteel tools, made all manner of decorationsuch as armbands, pendants, earrings, rings,and brooches, often highly decorated withincised clan animals, geometric designs andcutouts. There were also round and crescent-shaped pendants called “gorgets” that couldbe attached to clothing or worn as necklaces.Some pieces were cast and others cut fromsheet metal. Woodlands tribes that wereknown for metalwork included the Delaware,Miami, Iroquois, Seneca, and Wampanoag.

124

Woodlands MetalworkIndiana Academic Standards: Grade 5

Visual Arts:Standard 1 – Responding to Art: History (5.1.1)Standard 2 – Responding to Art: History (5.2.3)Standard 3 – Responding to Art: Criticism (5.3.3)Standard 8 – Creating Art: Production (5.8.1, 5.8.2)Standard 9 – Creating Art: Production (5.9.2, 5.9.3)Standard 10 – Creating Art: Production (5.10.1, 5.10.3)

Objectives

Students will:1. name at least one of the Woodlands tribes

who used or created metalwork; 2. show the general location of the Indiana

Woodlands as part of the larger Woodlandsculture region on a North American map;

3. recognize that metalwork has existed incultures since prehistoric times, but thatmany contemporary artists and craftspeopledo metalwork today;

4. use vocabulary, media and tools in anappropriate manner;

5. understand the basic process of cutting ashape from metal and tooling a designupon it; and

6. produce their own pieces of metalwork.

Time Needed

3 to 5 class periods in an art class ofapproximately 30 to 40 minutes.

Materials Needed

• Overhead transparency of image page • 36-gauge rolls of copper, brass or aluminum

tooling metal (copper is the most expensive).One roll of 12 inch x 3 feet will provideenough for a class of 25 to 30, dependingon the size of the proposed projects.

• Work gloves for those who cut the metal(can be cut ahead of time by the teacher, butit’s a good experience for this age studentsto try to cut their own)

• A fine metal file to blunt the sharp edges ofthe pieces after they are cut (or you can edgethe piece with masking tape to protecthands).

• Tin-snips or other utility cutters that willhandle the metal

• Pads of old newspapers to cushion the metaland protect the art tables

• Pencils• Paper• Masking tape• Worn-out ball-point pens or blunt pointed

sticks or pencils with which to do the toolingof designs into the metal.

• Hammers or mallets and nails if piecesare to be pierced for pendants, gorgets orbreastplates

• Yarn or strips of rawhide lacing to attachfor jewelry

Procedure

1. Place the transparency on the overheadprojector and talk about the history ofmetalwork, as well as early use of stone andbone for decorative elements. Also explorethe photo of artist Don Secondine (Delaware)at work. Even modern jewelry can be a basisfor a start to discussion, but if additionalpictures are needed, good examples ofWoodlands Indian decorative metalworkcan be found in North American IndianJewelry and Adornment (see Resources).

2. Locate the Indiana Woodlands region on amap of North American. Discuss how theart, history and cultures of the WoodlandsNative peoples changed over the centuriesas new materials and uses became availablethrough trade. Ask the students why theythink this tradition of metal jewelry is stillpresent and why Native artists might continueto create metal jewelry based on traditionalpatterns. As you go through the followingsteps, talk about how the tools your class isusing might be the same or different thanthose used by a contemporary metalworker.

3. Have students take paper and pencil anddecide upon a basic shape for their pendantsor gorgets. Encourage them to keep theshapes simple (ovals, modified crescent, etc.)and probably about 2 x 4 or 5 inches,depending upon your investment inmaterials and time.

ACTIVITY – WOODLANDS METALWORK

125

ACTIVITY – WOODLANDS METALWORK

4. Once a shape has been refined, have studentscut out the paper shape with scissors, andhold this pattern down (or secure it with apiece of tape) onto the sheet metal.

5. Trace the outside shape with a blunt pencilor used-up ballpoint pen, remove the paperpattern and carefully cut the shape out ofthe metal with the tin-snips. Insist thatthe students cutting the metal wearprotective gloves! I find that having 2 or 3“cutting stations” set up is the easiest wayto accomplish the task with limited cuttersand gloves.

6. While they are still wearing the gloves, havestudents lightly file the edges of the raw metalto dull the sharp edges, or wrap maskingtape all around the shape to protect hands.

7. If the piece will be sewn to fabric or hungfrom cording, pierce holes in the appropriatespots using the hammer and nail, with athick pad of old newspaper underneath toprotect the tables. Caution students thatthis area may be sharp as well, so they mayneed to file it down or hammer the hole onthe back to force the sharp edge down.

8. If students like the look of hammered metal,they can texturize their pieces with thehammers or mallets, going over the entiresurface.

9. Back at their seats, students can now decidehow to decorate their pieces. Encouragestudents to try out ideas on paper before theymark into the metal, as mistakes are some-times difficult to “erase.” If a section of oldnewspaper is under the metal, designs canbe tooled quite easily. Students can workfrom both sides to give the piece even moredimension.

10. When completed, have the students hangthe pendant or gorget from natural coloredyarn or strips of rawhide.

11. Display the finished works in a supervisedor locked case or bulletin board, and discussthe unique variations of shape and design.Artist Don Secondine (Delaware) admitsthan even after thoughtful preparation fordesign, any piece might come out the way“it wants to” rather than as he originallyintended. Ask your students to share iftheir original design changed because “it

wanted to go a different way.” Are theyhappy with the result?

Teaching to Other Grade Levels

Grade 3: Simplify the project by cutting themetal foil yourself and rimming it with maskingtape or by cutting the foil sheets sold ingrocery stores that are used to line the bottomof ovens—they are heavier than regular foil.Students can then texturize the metal withhammers, and draw a simple design or animalonto the metal with a dull pencil or worn-outballpoint pen. Another option to simplify theprocess is to use metallic paper, decorativehole punches and even metallic pens.

Grade 4: Students also will need help withthe cutting process, but by this age, the studentsshould be able to do more intricate decoration,especially after seeing some examples ofWoodlands Indian designs.

Grade 8: Students should be able to cut andfile their own pieces, and decoration shouldbe well thought out and executed with goodcraftsmanship.

Assessment

Since the assessment of the visual arts is donedifferently in various school corporations, andeven within a corporation, the individualteacher will need to establish the criteria forevaluation. Suggestions might include:• an informal class review of the area of the

Indiana Woodlands region and some of thepeoples from that area.

• checking for understanding of the basicprocesses of metalworking, and uses for themetalwork.

• an effort-based evaluation of the individualprojects.

• a written test that might incorporateprinciples, geography and vocabulary.

Resources

• Dubin. North American Indian Jewelry andAdornment.

• Sita. Indians of the Northeast, Traditions,History, Legends and Life.

• Prindle. http://www.nativetech.org/nativeAmerican beadwork

• Newmann. Ready-to-Use Activities andMaterials on Woodland.

Metalwork – Woodland Indians

GORGET

BROOCHE

CAN BEHUNG INMULTIPLES

PENDANT

Don Secondine at Work

Brooche, by Don Secondine(Delaware), 2001

Don Secondine (Delaware)at work on the brooche.

Don’s tool table.

128

129

WOODLANDS Basketry

Woodlands Basketry

Grade 3

–Sue Davidson

University of Notre Dame, where the Potawatomihelped build the first chapel and attended theschool that eventually became the university,the Indians would bring baskets to the univer-sity in exchange for food and other gifts.

Working with wood splints is anothertraditional Woodlands method of makingbaskets. Logs of cedar, oak, hickory, ash andother trees were pounded with mallets orhammers to separate the wood along thegrowth rings. Then the splints were shaveddown with a knife, and the splints were thenwoven into strong and beautiful baskets.

Contemporary artist John Pigeon (PokagonBand of Potawatomi) uses this traditionalmethod that he learned from his elders and,in turn, is teaching to his children. He selectsblack ash trees, pounds the fallen trunks toseparate the rings, then thins the splints tomake the materials from which he weaves hisbaskets. While he knows how to use naturaldyes and often uses them on baskets madefor elders, John prefers to use commercialdyes because of their vibrancy. For fancyembellishment, John also adds “fancy twists,”dyed or undyed weavers (the material that iswoven through the warp or ribs of the basket)on top of the basket rows that are tucked orcurled between warps.

Gallery Connections

In Mihtohseenionki, visitors can see examplesof baskets in the “Potawatomi” and “Delawareand Others” section, including baskets fromthe Pigeon family. They can also explore the“Meet John Pigeon” hands-on basketry stationthat covers the basic steps of this type of basketweaving, from tree to finished basket. In thePotawatomi bay, there is a short video onJohn Pigeon as he creates the basket displayedin the exhibit. In the “Delaware and OtherPeoples” section, there is a short video onartist Lois Beardslee creating a sweetgrassbasket using a coiling method. Examples ofJohn Pigeon’s work are also in the EducationCollection for hands-on learning.

Lesson Overview

In this lesson, students will make their ownwoven reed baskets that simulate the splintbaskets of the Woodlands Indians.

Teacher Background

Baskets have been used by nearly every culturein every part of the world, long before pottery.Today, “basketry” is very loosely defined bycontemporary artists, but most agree thatbaskets are containers created from naturalor synthetic materials that are woven (wicker-work and/or twined methods) or stitched(coiling methods) together. Native Americansof the Woodlands area made baskets thousandsof years ago, and some continue traditionaland innovative basketry today. In the IndianaWoodlands region, the Miami, Potawatomi,the Delaware and their neighbors, such as theOjibwa, made baskets for their own use andfor trade. Wood from trees, and pieces ofbushes, vines, and grasses common to the areawere coiled, twined, woven or plaited intocontainers suitable for the intended use—flatbaskets were used as trays, baskets with deepsides and handles were used for gatheringfood, baskets that were waterproofed withbeeswax or resin were used to carry water.Baskets were also used as shipping containersand traded with other tribes.

After their land base diminished and manytribes were removed from their original lands,Woodlands Indians relied on trading and sellingbaskets to support their families. One exampleof that of the Potawatomi bands still living inthe northern Indiana and Michigan area. In along-established relationship with the

130

Woodlands BasketryIndiana Academic Standards: Grade 8

Visual Arts:Standard 3 – Responding to Art: Criticism (8.3.2, 8.3.3)Standard 7 – Creating Art: Production (8.7.3)Standard 8 – Creating Art: Production (8.8.1, 8.8.2)Standard 9 – Creating Art: Production (8.9.2, 8.9.3)Standard 10 – Creating Art: Production (8.10.1, 8.10.3)

Objectives

Students will:1. name at least one of the Woodlands tribes

who used basketry;2. show the general location of the Indiana

Woodlands tribes on a United States map;3. recognize that baskets were produced to

serve particular purposes, and that eachshape was chosen specifically for itsintended use;

4. understand the basic construction of awoven basket;

5. realize that Native American artists are atwork today, and are producing work thatkeeps alive the traditions and cultures oftheir heritage;

6. use vocabulary, tools and materials in anappropriate manner; and

7. produce a small woven basket.

Time Needed

This is a labor-intensive project that willneed 5 or more class periods, in an art class of30 to 45 minutes, or a day-long workshop ifthis is a voluntary, enrichment opportunity forstudents. This is also a project best suited tosmall groups (10 to 15) of highly motivatedstudents.

Materials Needed

• Overhead transparency from Curator’sNotebook page on John Pigeon

• Flat basket reed – 1 inch wide for the basket,3/16 inch for lashing the rim. (This materialis available through basketry suppliers. “Reed”is the supply house term for flat, oval, half-round and all materials made from rattan.When ordering, tell the supply house thesize of the finished basket (7x 7 x 3 inches)and multiply by the number of students.)

• Sweet grass braid for finishing the top rim(optional)

• Spring-style clothespins (about 2 dozen perstudent)

• Pruning shears or utility shears• Needle-nosed pliers• Large container to soak the reed (large

garbage container)• Trash bag in which to store softened reed• Rulers and pencils• Old washcloth (for keeping materials moist

if needed while assembling)• Optional: awl, tape measure, a rectangular

cardboard template the size of a napkin

Procedure

Napkin basket – finished size: approximately7 x 7 x 3 inches

1. Pre-Preparation: depending upon the timeavailable for this project and the level andnumber of students, the teacher may wantto do a substantial amount of preparationahead of time, including:a) measuring and cutting the reed; each

basket will use 10 pieces of the 1inchreed that are cut into 17 inch lengths forthe ribs, 5 pieces cut 30 inches long forthe weavers and the rim;

b) marking the right side (some reeds don’tshow a lot of difference between theright and the wrong sides, but when thereed is soaked and bent over your finger,the wrong side will splinter and look“hairy,” while the right side will remainsmooth);

c) soaking the reed (15 to 20 minutes incool water), then placing it in the trashbags to keep it moist;

d) choosing a place to work—outside iswonderful, as the water gets all over, butany room with formica or other water-impervious tables will work.

2. Give each student 10 of the 17 inch reeds,and have each person lay them out with theright side down. This will be extremely

ACTIVITY – WOODLANDS BASKETRY

131

ACTIVITY – WOODLANDS BASKETRY

13.When three rows are completed, the ribscan be cut off flush with the top of thesides, and the outsiderims can be foldeddown and tucked intothe inside of the wovensides of the basket.Sometimes it’s easier tofold these ribs down ifthey are trimmed into a slight point.

14.For the rim, place the remaining two reedsaround the top of the basket, inside and out,securing with the clothespins. Each pieceshould overlap, so stagger the beginningand ending so that there is no unsightlylump. If a seagrass insert is desired, place itbetween the 2 rims, on top of the sides ofthe basket. This just covers up the top of thebasket sides, and adds a decorative element.

15.Begin lashing the rims to the basket withthe thin 3/16 inch reed, pushing itbetween the spacesunder the top row ofweaving, bringing itaround and aroundthe rims. Try to keepthe same angle for eachstitch, and pull eachstitch tight.

16.Finish by tucking the lashing behind aninside rib.

Teaching to Other Grade Levels

This project is a demanding one for bothstudents and teacher. Other grade levels couldcertainly do the same project, but great careshould be taken to choose a small enoughgroup to be able to ensure lots of personalattention from the teacher. Students musthave well-developed fine-motor skills andquite a bit of determination to have successwith this project.

Or, you may wish to provide students with abackground about Woodlands style basketryand schedule time at the basketry hands-onstation in the Mihtohseenionki gallery.

John Pigeon has talked about learning toweave with his aunt. She would start him witha flat mat. Younger children could be given arectangular piece of paper with several parallel

important when upstaking the weft of thebasket (the ribs).

3. Lay 5 of the ribs out vertically, leaving aspace of about 1/2 inch between each.

4. Weave one of the other 17inch pieces in and out of thecenter of the 5 reeds(no need to measure—just “eyeball” it).

5. Weave the rest of the ribs inthe base, alternating over andunder, 2 ribs above the firstpiece and 2 below it.

6. Adjust the weave so that the spaces seemabout the same and the ends of the ribsline up with each other. If you can makesure that the ribs are at right angles to oneanother, the basket will be of better quality.

7. Clamp the outside junctions of the wovenreeds with clothespins to keep the basefrom shifting.

8. One by one, upstake the ribs by folding eachone back across itself to make a permanentcrease. This will form thebase of the basket andnow the ribs will bestanding, ready to bewoven into sides of thebasket. The base shouldmeasure about 7 x 7 inches.

9. With the right side of the reed out (teachstudents how to determine right and wrongsides) begin with one of the weavers nearthe middle of one of the sides. Beginningon the outside of a rib, weave it in and outof the ribs all the way around the basket.The weaver will overlap thebeginning point.

10. Cut the weaver so that itwill be hidden behindanother rib.

11. Each row should be done separately, and ifyou begin each on a different side, you willeliminate an unsightly lump that results fromstarting and stopping at the same point.

12.Use the clothespins as needed to hold therows in place.

132

ACTIVITY – WOODLANDS BASKETRY

slits (forming the warp). Allow them to weavewith strips of contrasting paper.

Assessment

Since the assessment of the visual arts is donedifferently in different corporations, and evenwithin a given corporation, the individualteacher will need to establish the criteria forevaluation. Some suggestions might include:• an informal class review of the area in

which the Woodlands Indians belonged,some of the tribes native to the area and thegeneral shapes and uses of the baskets;

• an effort-based evaluation of individualprojects, checking for understanding of con-struction and craftsmanship;

• a written test that might incorporate princi-ples of the project, vocabulary, and a generalknowledge of the geography of theWoodlands Indians.

Ties to the Eiteljorg Museum

Many baskets are in the collection of theEiteljorg Museum, and will be on display.If a field trip is possible, the teacher couldspend a considerable amount of time pointingout the differences in the baskets of differentregions, in materials, shapes and uses. In theMihtohseenionki gallery, students may watchvideos of John Pigeon and Lois Beardsleemaking baskets, and at times there will belive demonstrations of basketmaking.

Resources

• Murdoch. Eyewitness Books: North AmericanIndian.

• Clifton. Indians of North America - ThePotawatomi.

• Daugherty. Splintwoven Basketry.• Mofield. Pine Needle Basketry.• Newmann. Ready to Use Activities and

Materials on the Woodland Indians.• Siler. The Basket.• Prindle. www.nativetech.org/weave/

nipmucbask/index.html• Basketry Supply Houses: Look in the Yellow

Pages for local basketry guilds and gallerieswhere someone can put you in touch withlocal suppliers. For example, in preparingthis lesson, we consulted with In A HandBasket in Bloomington, Indiana,www.inahandbasket.com.

133

awl: a small tool resembling an icepick, but not as sharp. Good foropening spaces and making holes inthe weaving materials.

base: bottom of the basket, woven as amat, or sometimes a solid woodenpiece. Also known as the “start.”

butt: to put two ends of a reed togetherend-to-end, with no overlap.

cane: the outer peel of rattan, used inweaving chair seats, etc.

coil: reed wound into a circle and tiedtogether.

coiling: method of weaving in which acord is wrapped, piled in circles andtied together row by row.

hairs: the splinters from reed thatshow up when the reed is stressed,usually clipped or singed off whenthe basket is completed.

lashing: the thin reed that wrapsaround the rim, holding it tightly tothe basket and giving it a finishedlook. Also, the act of wrapping thelashing around the rim.

plaited: woven or braided.

rattan: a palm tree with long stemsthat are sold as “reed” by basketrysupply-houses.

reed: the inner core of the rattan thathas been cut into flat or roundedpieces that can be woven.

ribs: the pieces that extend out fromthe base that form the skeleton of thebasket. (Also known as “warp.”)

rim: the piece that fits around the top,inside and out to finish off andstrengthen the basket. (Note: Somebaskets are self-rimmed.)

rim filler: a thin piece of seagrass,twine or other material that goesbetween the two rim pieces to coverthe top of the weaving. Rim filler isoptional, but gives a much morefinished look.

splice: the place where two reeds over-lap; the end of one and the start ofanother.

stake: the ribs or warp of the wovenmat that come up to form the sides ofthe basket.

tucking in: when the basket is nearlyfinished, the outside ribs or stakes arebent over and tucked into the weavingon the inside. Also called “down-staking.”

upsett or upstake: to bend the stakesup and over the base or the mat sothat a crease forms at the corner, sothat it’s easier to begin weaving thesides of the basket.

warp: the fixed part of the basket(the ribs or stakes).

weaver: the fiber that is used as theweft, which goes over and under theribs or stakes.

weft: the flexible material that is wovenover and under the warps. “Weft” and“weaver” are often used as synonyms.

ACTIVITY – WOODLANDS BASKETRY

Basketry Vocabulary

Market basketby John Pigeon (Pokagon Band of Potawatomi)Eiteljorg Museum

Bailhandle

Diamonddesign

Made ofsplints ofblack ashwood

Splint basketry is an ancient traditionof the Woodlands. Splint baskets werepreferred when the basketmaker wantedstrength and durability – and black ashtrees provided the best wood for splints.

When confined to reservations, Native Americans found the makingand selling of baskets a way to supplement the family income.

For more information on the process, visit the hands-on station in the gallery.

fancy twists

notchto holdhandle