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June 12,1974 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER 19 BETTER THAN A TEXTBO O K Indian Days a unique educational experience By NANCY MIDDAUGH A steady rhythm of pounding drums and the plaintive song of a young Indian girl echoed from behind the doors of the Perdue High School gymnasium last week. Within the doors, hflndreds of Perdue students and teachers sat silent and engrossed by a unique educa t i ona l experience that no classroom could match. Th e r e , a mi d the basketball hoops and b leachers stood 15 members from the Six Nations Indian Reserve near Brantford. They were all dressed in brilliant native costumes and they were there to tell their story to students who had expressed a keen interest in hearing it. For two days last week, Grade 10 students at P e r d u e s u b m e r g e d themselves in the culture and history of Canada's native peoples. What had begun as a lesson in the Canadian Studies class of Brian Thrippleton had spilled over into a total educational experience, eventually involving the geography, art and home economics departments as well. The students called it their Indian Days and since April they had worked to set up a total of 25 exhibits. Working together, they carved totem poles, spun wool, produced Indian silk screens and sampled some authentic Indian recipes. They t r a c e d the symbols of the Indian language, they displayed the native costumes, they set up their own teepee and they researched the beginning of the Red Power movement. It was a multi-media display that also offered a c o n t i n u o u s f i l m performance. Titles such as th e Ba l l a d of Crowfoot, People of the Buffalo and Pow-Wow at Duck Lake flashed across the screen for viewing at any time during the two days. The Indian study project was co-ordinated by Perdue teachers Brian Thrippleton and Gordon Higgins. "Rather than taking an inquiring approach in the classroom, we decided to let the students do a multi-media thing," says Thrippleton. The students were presented with a question -- "Red and White, What are the Differences" and from there it was up to them to take the classroom lesson and try to turn it into an exhibit. By June, they had enough exhibits to fill a large study room at the school, and the Indian Days came to life. Last Friday came the culmination of their efforts with a visit from 15 members of the Six Nations Reserve. The students listened and watched as an Indian spokesman, Jim Sky, explained the native songs and dances being performed. He told them of the origin of Indian names, and lamented that it was difficult to remember them all now because so many English names had taken their place. As he pointed out the different Indian head dresses, some Sioux, some Iroquois, he told the students of the high price Indians now have to pay for real eagle feathers. "It's getting so you can hardly afford to be an Indian these days," he quipped. RED DRAGON C H I N E S E F O O D Piek-op, Free Delivery 8 4 5 - 3 8 6 6 The students laughed and listened intently as Jim Sky told of the many misconceptions the white man has about his people. As the performance drew to an end, the students found their final opportunity to submerge themselves in Indian culture when Jim Sky invited them to join in a traditional native dance around the gym. With teachers in tow, the students flooded down from the bleachers and fell into line behind the thundering beat of the Indian drums. For both staff and students, it was a two-day experience no text book could offer. TOW YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO BUY • Lamps • Bookcases • Wall Units • Buffets all at reasonable prices! DINING ROOM TEAk SIX PIECES $399UP BED ROOM TEAK THREE PIECES '599UP F. H . S c h m id t In t e r io r s in v i te s y o u t o t h e INTAC-SCHMIDT LTD. 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