FNMI ART – PART 1
Presentation by Sharon Meyer NESD FNMI
TRADITIONAL ART
PRE-CONTACT MATERIALS
With a partner use 4 stick notes
 Label each sticky note with one item that First
Nation people used for everyday pre-contact
lifestyle

Traditional Art
Contemporary
Art
Woodland Art
Pop
Art
Ceremonial
and
Spiritual Art
Utilitarian Art
Refer to notes for examples of
Items in each category
FIRST NATION TRADITIONAL ART
Items made from pre-contact materials and used
for everyday purposes
Wood flute
Clay pot
Birch Bark
Moose Call
Firing clay pots and bowls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LvJKhK03u4
Making a primitive style clay pot 4:12
Plants were traditional
medicine
Stone hammer
Snowsnake
What could you make with your materials?
Talking stick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyqMVZxKi4Q
Bushcraft- Rock Axe & Knife 3:11 (This video demonstrates how to make a tool using items from Mother Earth)
BUFFALO
Animals were here before humans and animals taught us how to survive on Turtle Island –
The buffalo was our superstore – food, shelter, clothing, tools, etc.
The buffalo was also our teacher - for example Buffalo formed a circle when being attacked
and that process was used by the First Nation people in setting up the tipi village in a circle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4s-Ywd_VdE
Home made bone neck knife….cutting test 2:08
EARLY FIRST NATION ROBE PAINTINGS
Robe paintings were picture stories recording special events for
historical purposes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FOGtNj3sqE
Native American Hide Painting 1:53
FIRST NATION SYMBOLISM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqv3SR7cdtE
Artist Spotlight: “Shields” by James Little Wounded 1:11
Symbols had significant meanings and in contemporary art it continues to have symbolic meaning
CLASS STORY USING FN SYMBOLS
Porcupine Plain students created a legend using symbols
STUDENT PROJECTS
Another example of a student story using
symbols
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLvBzjoq8h8
Mike McLeod – How to Paint on a Buffalo Robe 8:14
ROCK CARVINGS - PETROGLYPHS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzI3TBIRxmc
Sloan Canyon Petroglyphs Nevada Native American
Rock Art Drawing [HD] 3:52 (can fast forward to 1:40)
Carvings in rock
LP Miller – Miss Lukoni students used clay
to create raised petroglyph style art
ROCK PAINTINGS - PICTOGRAPHS
Choiceland
students painted
Symbols on rocks
Paintings on rock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyxCzOSKOx8
Buckhorn Draw Pictograph Panel / Rock Art / Petroglyph / San Rafael Swell In South-Central Utah 3:40
INUKSHUK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3BfuYz-B1U
The Inukshuk 1:54
What other materials could you use to create your own Inukshuk?
TOTEM POLES
There is a NESD FNMI Totem
Pole and Haida Art Bundle
Available for further teaching
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whw6tfNStTM
Totem Poles – Talking Trees 2:58 (visual video of totem poles) Totem poles are a history of family clans.
Animals have symbolic significance.
WOOD CARVING
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zisBVYY6HhA
Wood Carving *Haida art* 0:38
BIRCH BARK BITING
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmy4riWQhAE
Birch-bark-harvesting-small 0:34
Birch Bark was also used as a medicinal plant
There is a NESD FNMI Birch Bark Biting Bundle available to further learn about birch bark
Created your own birch bark biting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfSB4uyhMUk
WIIGWAASSABAKOON / BIRCH BARK SCROLLS 24:06
(fast forward to 4:00)
Norval Morriseau used birch bark paper when he first
started drawing
PLEASE CONTINUE TO FNMI ART 2 –
CEREMONIAL AND RELIGIOUS ART
Thank you for being a part of this day!
Sharon Meyer NESD FNMI
meyer.sharon@nesd.ca
(306)401-7848