Music Alive Program: Celebrating Indigenous Peoples Through Song and Dance
by Sherryl Sewepagaham & Olivia Tailfeathers
Description:
Publisher's description (National Arts Centre, n.d.):
Celebrating Canada's Indigenous Peoples through Song and Dance: There are 617 First Nation communities in Canada with diverse cultural practices. One commonality between cultures is an understanding of and relationship with the earth. The stories of this relationship can be expressed in many ways through music and song. The National Arts Centre is pleased to have worked with some very talented teachers and artists to create and share this resource.
Author biography (National Art Centre):
Sherryl Sewepagaham is of Cree-Dene ancestry from the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta. She holds a Bachelor of Music Therapy (Capilano University) and a Bachelor of Education (University of Alberta). Having taught elementary music for 14 years, Sherryl is an experienced elementary Music Educator focusing on Indigenous Music Education and First Nations songs for the classroom. Now as a Music Therapist, she works with Indigenous patients in the areas of Geriatric and Palliative Care at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, AB, but still continues to provide education workshops in schools on Fridays.
Author biography (Discogs):
Traditional/contemporary aboriginal (Kainaiwa, Blackfoot Confederacy) singer, musician, composer, dancer and teacher. Plays the hand drum, rattle and Native flute. Founder and producer of the Kainaiwa Grassland Singers traditional youth singing group.
Resource format: PDF, sheet music, MP3 recordings, ASL videos
Age recommendation: grades K-6
Keywords: music, songs, First Nations, sheet music, drum, learning resource, Métis, Cree, traditional sign language, identity, languages, nature, conservation, traditions, oral tradition, story telling, Red River Jig, educators guide, rhythm, vocal
Year of publication: n.d.
Publisher information: National Arts Centre
Teaching and Learning Ideas
Our team collaborated with new teachers, alumni of the Werklund School of Education’s Bachelor of Education program, to create teaching and learning plans for texts in this website. With audiences ranging from Pre-Kindergarten to Post-Secondary, lesson plans across this resource address a wide range of school subject areas, inclusive approaches, and Indigenous education topics, such as the revitalization of Indigenous languages. As this website was designed with Undergraduate Programs in Education instructors, as well as teachers in mind, connections to UPE courses have been flagged on each lesson plan. These lessons are intended as a starting place for educators, to help you envision ways in which you might bring Indigenous literatures, as well as ways of knowing, being, and doing, into your teaching contexts. Please adapt, use, and share these lessons in ways that are generative for your teaching practice. We offer our sincere thanks to the dozens of new teachers who gifted us with these creative ideas!
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