Page 190 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9 to 12 | First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies

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Appendix to the English Courses
CULTURAL TEXT FORMS
Cultural text forms serve an important purpose in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures, in that they are used to express and communicate a culture’s beliefs and values. Their function and purpose distinguish them from purely artistic creations, though they
often have aesthetic qualities as well. They may be elements of material culture, including tangible objects; stories; songs, music, or dances; or cultural practices, including those associated with food or medicines. Some examples of cultural text forms and their significance follow:
• traditional clothing, which often expresses the cultural, spiritual, social, and/or political identities of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities
• songs and music, including the practices of drum keepers and dancers (often delineated by gender), used to transmit Indigenous knowledge
• prayers, often expressing belief in the power of spirit to heal
• addresses, affirmations, and orations, illustrating the significance of spoken text
• fire lighting and the burning of sacred medicines to cleanse and purify and/or to communicate with spirit beings
• symbolism embodied in material life to reflect kinship ties, family histories, land agreements, business partnerships, spiritual life, and so on
• oral and written stories used to record and communicate stories of origin, family histories and histories of nations, and relationships to land, spirit, and creation
• languages themselves, which embody and reflect beliefs, values, and significant relationships between humankind and creation
Every culture has a distinct way of creating, passing on, using, and showing respect for its cultural text forms. Some cultural text forms are protected, according to Indigenous traditions. It is therefore critical for educators to understand that it may be necessary for them to engage with and seek direction from the specific Indigenous community from which a cultural text form originates before using it in a classroom setting.
Some cultural text forms, such as prayer, song, and music, are found across First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures, while others are unique to particular groups. The chart that follows provides examples of the cultural text forms used by particular cultural groups. It highlights some of the rich forms of communication among Indigenous societies of
the oral tradition in Canada.