As a summative project for our Indigenous epistemology class, we were asked to create an analogical model of our understanding of Indigenous education. I chose to work in collaboration with a classmate to create woven wall hangings representing our understanding. I have included a photo of the finished projects and an accompanying explanation below!
Woven Landscapes
Melia and I developed the idea of creating wall hangings inspired by the same premise. We knew we wanted to create weavings that represented healthy school communities and the many layered contexts that factor into a culturally responsive learning environment securely anchored to the natural world. The woven nature of our designs also highlights how the history of Canada’s school systems, especially concerning the legacies of the residential school system, impacts both our present and our future. The past, the present, and the future are not isolated areas of time – they are all interwoven. We wanted to create artwork showcasing the interwoven nature of the natural world, learning contexts, and the subject areas within British Columbia’s curriculum. By creating separate pieces, we were able to produce unique wall hangings that complement one another.
My wall hanging is crocheted from 100% cotton yarn so it is made of natural fibres. I found the wooden stick that the crocheted piece is fastened to while walking my dog, Koda, down a forest service road this spring. The use of natural materials represents a connection to the local natural world. The different coloured squares and the different colours speckled throughout each square represent the seasonal shifts throughout the school year. The different speckles of colour within each square also showcase the individuality of each student within a learning community. The first square is primarily white and speckled with green, blue, and yellow. It represents springtime. These colours represent the budding leaves and flowers that are beginning to grow at this time of year. The second square which is yellow, orange, and white represents the brightness of summertime. The third square represents autumn. The reds and greens represent the changing leaves and the quietness that begins to blanket the world as autumn bleeds into winter. Finally, the blue and white square represents the snow and the cold chill of winter. The tassels at the bottom represent that our learning is an ongoing process that leaves room for new threads to be woven in.
Just as no thread could be pulled from this piece without disrupting the whole, no student or staff member could be removed from a school community without altering the whole.