What I Understand So Far
Throughout high school, we delved into different mediums of anthropology-like ways of viewing different cultures and worldviews in our own country and others, with the study of museums, wars and colonialism. Specifically, I understand the historical structure of the first North American contact, and how colonialism played out in a multitude of societies now known today as Canada.
Beyond that, although I understand how to take notes on media with insignificant bias, the concept of a proper record of findings done from the perspective of an archaeologist is pretty foreign to me.
What I learned in a Brief First Contact Exercise
Although, we did as a prerequisite for our intention post cover a first contact mini simulation, in which we were to review a photo of an oddly presented object, and record what we thought it could be. This exercise is where I derived my statement of lack of knowledge regarding how to properly identify, describe and record something from an archaeological perspective, because I found it very hard. A first example of an object we took notes on was Mr. Hues coffee cup, which we made inferences as to what it was exactly, and its purpose.
My group studied a grainy, black and white photo of a smooth, shiny object with an odd shape. I found it interesting to be given parameters when recording details of the object, as well as find ways to infer without delving into my own perspective on it. I think it will be an interesting way to look at studying stories and artifacts of Indigenous societies from now on, and it helps connect to our previous learning on two-eyed seeing.
My Learning Intensions
My goal as an anthropological thinker is to immerse and expand myself into the perspectives of other cultures in order to make meaningful, open minded observations that will translate to statements of thinking that are insightful and useful. This statement for my learning means that through our documentation via Zettlekasten notes, seminar outlines and other ways of observing and learning in this project, I will provide my mind without its limiting context of understanding.
To keep an open mind is to understand the value in the knowledge I have been given, and continue to receive from my schooling, but also indigenous elders, family members and mentors around me. The importance of this recognition of passed knowledge in our BCFP education, but also in the world around us is shown through the 9th Indigenous Principle of Learning that: Learning involves recognizing that some knowledge is sacred, and only shared with permission and/or in certain situations.
In BCFP as whole I want to learn and live by the value of what I can receive from my education, but also what I can teach myself through Anthropological skills, and build a stronger sense of understanding and belonging within my indigenous perspective that I will always keep trying to grow through new experiences.
I can show this value of learning also through our Socratic seminars, and I will do my best to provide value to a conversation that can often dip into foreign and unknown perspectives and knowledge, and offer what I can learn to others by demonstration.
