How I explore authentically & without appropriation.
How do we authentically explore culturally connected crafts without appropriating or minimizing their importance? Respectful approaches to craft traditions are not easy, but deeper dives into traditions are far more beneficial and educational for World Cultures, History, Language, and may even help bridge cultural divides within the classroom.
Consider the “God’s Eye” or more correctly, the “Ojo de Dios.” An Ojo de Dios is a spiritual and votive object made by weaving a yarn design onto a wooden cross. They are commonly found in Mexican and Mexican-American communities. It often reflects a trust in all-seeing Providence. Some believers think that the spiritual eye of a Ojo de Dios has the power to see and understand things that the physical eye does not know. Artisans in North and South America weave intricate or varied versions of the traditional Ojos de Dios, selling them as decorations or religious objects. The Ojo de Dios is a ritual tool believed to protect those who pray, and an ancient cultural symbol evoking the weaving motif and its spiritual associations for the Huichol and Tepehuan Indians of western Mexico. The Huichol call their Ojo de Dios Sikuli, meaning "the power to see and understand the unknown things." When a child is born, the central eye is woven by the father, then one eye is added for each year of the child's life until the child reaches age 5. It is believed that it served to provide protection to a child and its mother before, during and after childbirth.
The “God’s Eye” is a popular children’s craft made in schools and summer camps throughout America. If we make them without context, not even calling them by their proper name, we minimize the origin of this cultural craft. We appropriate a culture to pass time and keep children busy without teaching or honoring the roots of this tradition.
Inviting master cultural crafters to visit our schools is the best way to teach authentically, but that is not always possible. What if we survey our students to see what cultural backgrounds are represented by our population and use that as the basis for our explorations of craft? What if a student with Mexican or South American roots researches the traditions of the Ojo de Dios, shares their discoveries with the class, and then THEY (with the help of the teacher) lead the class through an exploration of this craft tradition? Not only has the student learned more about themselves, but they have been empowered to share their knowledge with their peers, deepening cultural understandings within their community.
If you are a proponent of Choice-Based art education or the T.A.B. approach, students can explore their own cultures individually, or dive into an craft that is represented across cultures like kites, puppets, baskets, clay vessels, etc.
Over the years I have created scaffolds, worksheets, assessments & rubrics to help my students and I explore cultural crafts authentically and respectfully. They are available HERE.
Consider the “God’s Eye” or more correctly, the “Ojo de Dios.” An Ojo de Dios is a spiritual and votive object made by weaving a yarn design onto a wooden cross. They are commonly found in Mexican and Mexican-American communities. It often reflects a trust in all-seeing Providence. Some believers think that the spiritual eye of a Ojo de Dios has the power to see and understand things that the physical eye does not know. Artisans in North and South America weave intricate or varied versions of the traditional Ojos de Dios, selling them as decorations or religious objects. The Ojo de Dios is a ritual tool believed to protect those who pray, and an ancient cultural symbol evoking the weaving motif and its spiritual associations for the Huichol and Tepehuan Indians of western Mexico. The Huichol call their Ojo de Dios Sikuli, meaning "the power to see and understand the unknown things." When a child is born, the central eye is woven by the father, then one eye is added for each year of the child's life until the child reaches age 5. It is believed that it served to provide protection to a child and its mother before, during and after childbirth.
The “God’s Eye” is a popular children’s craft made in schools and summer camps throughout America. If we make them without context, not even calling them by their proper name, we minimize the origin of this cultural craft. We appropriate a culture to pass time and keep children busy without teaching or honoring the roots of this tradition.
Inviting master cultural crafters to visit our schools is the best way to teach authentically, but that is not always possible. What if we survey our students to see what cultural backgrounds are represented by our population and use that as the basis for our explorations of craft? What if a student with Mexican or South American roots researches the traditions of the Ojo de Dios, shares their discoveries with the class, and then THEY (with the help of the teacher) lead the class through an exploration of this craft tradition? Not only has the student learned more about themselves, but they have been empowered to share their knowledge with their peers, deepening cultural understandings within their community.
If you are a proponent of Choice-Based art education or the T.A.B. approach, students can explore their own cultures individually, or dive into an craft that is represented across cultures like kites, puppets, baskets, clay vessels, etc.
Over the years I have created scaffolds, worksheets, assessments & rubrics to help my students and I explore cultural crafts authentically and respectfully. They are available HERE.
We can learn a lot about other cultures and ourselves by studying their crafts. Crafts are an important part of a culture's history, traditions, and values. They reflect the unique skills, materials, and techniques that are passed down through generations. A few ways we can learn about other cultures from their crafts are:
1. Cultural Identity: Crafts often represent the cultural identity of a community or a nation. They can showcase traditional symbols, patterns, and motifs that hold deep meanings. By studying these crafts, we can gain insight into the cultural values, beliefs, and stories of that particular group of people.
2. Materials and Techniques: Crafts are often made using local materials and traditional techniques. By examining the materials used, such as clay, wood, or textiles, we can learn about the natural resources available in a region and how people utilize them. Understanding the techniques employed, such as weaving, pottery, or carving, can give us a glimpse into the craftsmanship and technical skills of a culture.
3. Historical Context: Crafts can provide valuable historical information. For example, traditional pottery designs may reveal information about ancient trade routes, migration patterns, or historical events. By studying the evolution of crafts over time, we can trace the cultural and societal changes that have occurred.
4. Cultural Values and Practices: Crafts often reflect the values, traditions, and rituals of a culture. For instance, ceremonial masks or traditional clothing may signify specific social events, religious ceremonies, or social statuses. By analyzing these crafts, we can learn about the customs, rituals, and social structures of a particular culture.
5. Artistic Expression: Crafts are a form of artistic expression. They can showcase the creativity and aesthetic sensibilities of a culture. By appreciating the beauty and intricacy of crafts, we can understand the artistic traditions and preferences of a community.
Respecting and understanding cultural crafts are important because they carry deep meanings from the past and help connect us to our history. These crafts show who we are as a community and support local jobs and businesses in a sustainable way. By valuing these crafts, we keep our unique identities strong and make our cultures proud.
Understanding and appreciating different crafts can help us learn about other cultures and be more accepting of people who are different from us. As we learn about cultural crafts, we are celebrating creativity and diversity while keeping our traditions alive. It promotes cultural appreciation, empathy, and cross-cultural learning.
1. Cultural Identity: Crafts often represent the cultural identity of a community or a nation. They can showcase traditional symbols, patterns, and motifs that hold deep meanings. By studying these crafts, we can gain insight into the cultural values, beliefs, and stories of that particular group of people.
2. Materials and Techniques: Crafts are often made using local materials and traditional techniques. By examining the materials used, such as clay, wood, or textiles, we can learn about the natural resources available in a region and how people utilize them. Understanding the techniques employed, such as weaving, pottery, or carving, can give us a glimpse into the craftsmanship and technical skills of a culture.
3. Historical Context: Crafts can provide valuable historical information. For example, traditional pottery designs may reveal information about ancient trade routes, migration patterns, or historical events. By studying the evolution of crafts over time, we can trace the cultural and societal changes that have occurred.
4. Cultural Values and Practices: Crafts often reflect the values, traditions, and rituals of a culture. For instance, ceremonial masks or traditional clothing may signify specific social events, religious ceremonies, or social statuses. By analyzing these crafts, we can learn about the customs, rituals, and social structures of a particular culture.
5. Artistic Expression: Crafts are a form of artistic expression. They can showcase the creativity and aesthetic sensibilities of a culture. By appreciating the beauty and intricacy of crafts, we can understand the artistic traditions and preferences of a community.
Respecting and understanding cultural crafts are important because they carry deep meanings from the past and help connect us to our history. These crafts show who we are as a community and support local jobs and businesses in a sustainable way. By valuing these crafts, we keep our unique identities strong and make our cultures proud.
Understanding and appreciating different crafts can help us learn about other cultures and be more accepting of people who are different from us. As we learn about cultural crafts, we are celebrating creativity and diversity while keeping our traditions alive. It promotes cultural appreciation, empathy, and cross-cultural learning.
Student explorations based on their own cultural backgrounds.
Some art educators see crafts as “less than” fine art. Why is that? Traditionally, fine art is often divergent, meaning each artist will have a different answer to a visual problem yet all the “answers” may be considered “correct.” While in some cultural craft traditions there is a “correct” or convergent desired result. For many years there has been a Eurocentric opinion that this means fine art, often done by men, is therefore more important, better, and more valuable than crafts.
“Art lies in conceiving and designing, not in the actual execution—this was left for lesser minds.” ~Leonardo da Vinci
This attitude is harmful in understanding and value of cultural crafts. A craft class can be taught so that each student creates a unique work but it is important to understand that cultural crafts have valuable lessons and traditions to teach.
Cultural Crafts Seek to Preserve Traditions:
Be cautious to not inadvertently downplay the importance of craft. The distinction between crafts and fine art has often been fluid, with significant overlap. Crafts can be considered fine art when they transcend functional or traditional boundaries and engage with abstract, aesthetics, and personal expression typically associated with fine art. Keep in mind that “fine art” is a vocabulary term and should not imply that “fine” means “better.”
“Art lies in conceiving and designing, not in the actual execution—this was left for lesser minds.” ~Leonardo da Vinci
This attitude is harmful in understanding and value of cultural crafts. A craft class can be taught so that each student creates a unique work but it is important to understand that cultural crafts have valuable lessons and traditions to teach.
Cultural Crafts Seek to Preserve Traditions:
- Cultural Preservation: To maintain and pass down traditional techniques, designs, and cultural significance. Originality is often secondary to preserving heritage.
- Continuity: Emphasis is on the continuity of cultural practices, ensuring that the knowledge and skills are not lost over time.
- Community and Identity: Traditional crafts often serve as a means of strengthening community bonds and preserving cultural identity.
- Local and Cultural Audience: The primary audience may be within the culture or community that values these traditions, though there can also be a global appreciation for traditional crafts.
- Educational Value: Traditional crafts can serve an educational purpose, teaching new generations about their heritage and the importance of cultural preservation.
- Functionality: Traditional crafts are often functional objects, such as textiles, pottery, or tools, where the focus is on usability as well as cultural expression.
- Established Techniques: Use of time-honored techniques and methods that have been passed down through generations. Innovation is often within the boundaries of these traditions.
- Replication: Replicating traditional designs and patterns is a way to honor and preserve the craft’s history and cultural significance.
- Materials: Use of traditional materials that are culturally and historically significant.
Be cautious to not inadvertently downplay the importance of craft. The distinction between crafts and fine art has often been fluid, with significant overlap. Crafts can be considered fine art when they transcend functional or traditional boundaries and engage with abstract, aesthetics, and personal expression typically associated with fine art. Keep in mind that “fine art” is a vocabulary term and should not imply that “fine” means “better.”
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| Craft Project Rubric |
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