Materials required: whiteboard, projector
Have the class sit and form a circle. Emphasize that this could be the inside of a wigwam in wintertime — the time for storytelling.
- Read or tell the story.
- At the end, holding a talking-stick, ask the following questions:
- Do you know of any other stories with a “good” hero fighting against evil? Could you describe any of the characters in this story as bullies? Why? What do the bullies want?
- Is Klu’skap/Kelowuskap’s warning about taking more than you need for food and clothing, or killing for the pleasure of it, important today? Do you remember hearing about this before in the last lesson? When?
- Are laws about hunting in New Brunswick that help keep animal populations from extinction an extension of this Indigenous belief of protecting the animals? Can you name an animal population that is threatened?
- Would laws about hunting be important in setting up a treaty between the government and Indigenous people?
- Like Klu’skap/Kelowuskap’s journey, try telling your own story about an exploration you have completed. Describe the positive and negative aspects of your own action (think of what Klu’skap/Kelowuskap had to do).
- Is there a bully in your story? If so, what happened to the bully?
- Now watch the YouTube versions of two more creation stories about Klu’skap/Kelowuskap
- Abenaki Creation Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgnAR-rwsj0
- Mi’gmaq Creation Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQvup95nhvk
- How are they similar? What are these stories trying to teach us?
- Why is storytelling important? How do you think this story got passed down over many generations? How is storytelling different from writing your story? What have you learned from this storytelling experience?
