I've done a terrible job of updating these past few weeks and I really have no excuse for it. I guess I just haven't felt like writing anything. But things have been happening and I have photos to post so better now then never I suppose.
Last Friday the grade tens performed the the story of how the crow became black. They worked for two weeks with three performers from a program called the Trickster Effect. Trickster Effect is a partnership with Breakfast Canada and performers from Cirque du Soleil. The program goes from community to community visiting First Nations and Inuit schools, working with the students to tell traditional stories through acrobatics, juggling, dance and costume.
For two weeks the students learned how to tumble, juggle and perform in front of their community and peers. They also explored ideas of identity making, creativity, collaboration and belonging.
The final show was really great. The kids were focused and professional, the music was well chosen and they were really proud of their accomplishments. They performed the show twice, once for the elementary and once for the high school.
They got the story from Charlotte Monias who is one of the community elders. It was a story her kookum told her when she was little. The crow used to be the most beautiful bird in existence, but he wasn't satisfied with his beauty. So he asked Nannabush (the Creator) to change him. First he asks to be blue like a blue jay, then red breasted like a robin and finally yellow like an canary. At this point Nannabush is getting annoyed and warns the crow that if he asks to be changed again that's it, he'll stay that way forever. The crow agrees and while flying around the Earth he sees a peacock and asks to be transformed a final time. Nannabush agrees but instead of becoming like a peacock, all of the colours blend together and the crow becomes black. it turns out Nannabush is also a trickster and felt like teaching the crow a lesson. The theme of the show was to be satisfied with who you are and your own talents rather than being jealous of others.
I volunteered to help make the costumes after school with the kids and the guys form Quebec. We had simple felt masks for the birds and larger masks for the crow and Nannabush (Who can appear as anything and any gender which made things tricky. Eventually so we went with bear.). I am keeping the crow and bear masks as examples for an Art/English project my class will be doing in March.
While working on the masks one evening, three girls from the elementary school came to visit and brought a kitten with them! They were taking her to the 't.v. station' to sell her because their mother no longer wanted a playful kitten running all through their house. It took all of my will power not to buy her from them. As nice as it would be to have a kitten here, it would make coming home and traveling in general very difficult. Besides, we're dog people.
Those eyes!
