Nov. 12th -16th
Native American Unit
        This is week one of our Native American Unit.  The main focus of this week's lesson is for the students to be able to identify the difference between the functional art, narrative art, and ceremonial art of  various Native American tribes.
       Examples of each type of art are as follows:  Functional art would include items such as clay pots or baskets.  We have on display some actual pottery and baskets made by Native Americans on loan from the Ky. Museum from W.K.U.  We discussed the various purposes those items and how they could be used in daily life and the fact that all the tribes would have some of these items in common due to the availability of the natural resources it takes to make them.  All tribes would have a functional purpose for making basket and pottery as well.
        Narrative art would include things like the totem poles carved from cedar by the Tlingt and Timishian tribes of the Pacific Northwest.  I make sure to point out these geographical locations on the map as well.  The students understand that the totem poles tell the story of each families ancestors.  The sculptor of the totem pole picks animals or totems that have some of the same characteristics as that family member. Native Americans never made any thing, human or animal in an exact representation, because they thought it would steal part of the person or animal's soul.  Therefore, all their drawings and carvings are abstract.  Another example of narrative art would be the buffalo hides of the plains Indians.  They often painted scenes that would tell the story of a great hunt.
      Some of items might have a duel purpose such as a piece of pottery that is both functional and narrative at the same time.  For instance the pottery may have pictographs engraved on it that tell a story as well.  You can see some examples of this type of "art" that the students created to hang in our Great Hall.
      Last, but not least is ceremonial art.  The example we studied that applies to this area includes the Kachinas of the Hopi tribe located in the Southwest. The parents would hide tiny Kachinas for the children to find.  When they found them they would tell the meaning of the Kachina and therefore pass along their culture, beliefs and traditions.  Special ceremonies would be held where the men of the tribe would dress up like the Kachinas and wear masks to depict them.  During this ceremony they believed that the spirit of that particular Kachina came into the person giving them special powers to grant a successful crop or healing.  There are over 200 different Kachinas.

Below is an example of the Native American "Friendship Pot" that is both FUNCTIONAL and NARRATIVE.

 The pictograph on the outside of the pot tells the following story.

       Once upon a time 2 men went through the rain over the mountains to hunt.  At night they would sleep in the their teepee by the river where they could listen to the waves.  It was summer and the great spirit brought them peace.  They went back over the mountains to go home.  It took 7 days.