11.2 Indigenous approaches to art and environment

Indigenous art deeply connects to the environment, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all living beings. Artists use natural materials and traditional practices to express spiritual beliefs, honor ancestral lands, and strengthen community bonds.

Colonialism has devastated Indigenous cultures, disrupting art practices and connections to place. Despite challenges, many artists work to preserve and revitalize traditional forms, using art as a means of cultural resistance and environmental stewardship.

Indigenous Perspectives on Art and Environment

Perspectives of Indigenous artists

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• Emphasize interconnectedness of all living beings and the environment
  • View humans as part of the natural world, not separate from it
  • Hold central tenet of responsibility to care for and respect the environment
• Use art as a means of expressing and reinforcing these worldviews
  • Depict animals, plants, and natural features as sacred or spiritually significant (totems, sacred landscapes)
  • See creation of art as a way of honoring and connecting with the environment
• Often use natural materials in their work guided by cultural protocols and respect (wood, stone, plant fibers)
• Pass down artistic practices through generations as part of cultural traditions
  • Elders teach younger generations about spiritual and cultural significance of art-making practices (storytelling, mentorship)

Connection to land and spirituality

• Create site-specific art in response to particular landscapes or natural features
  • Tie art creation to ceremonies or rituals connected to specific places (sacred sites, ancestral lands)
  • Use art creation to honor and strengthen connections to ancestral lands
• Deeply integrate spiritual beliefs into Indigenous Environmental Art practices
  • Create art as part of religious or spiritual ceremonies (prayer, offerings)
  • View artistic practices as a way of communicating with or honoring spiritual beings or forces (nature spirits, ancestors)
• Place community as a central aspect of Indigenous Environmental Art practices
  • Create art collaboratively by members of a community (group projects, community murals)
  • Use creation and display of art to strengthen social bonds and cultural identity
  • Employ art to transmit cultural knowledge and values across generations (oral histories, traditional designs)

Impact of Colonialism on Indigenous Art

Impact of colonialism on art

• Colonialism and forced assimilation have devastated Indigenous cultures, including art practices
  • Displacement from ancestral lands disrupts connections to place central to many art practices
  • Forced assimilation through residential schools and policies disrupts transmission of cultural knowledge, including artistic traditions (language loss, suppression of practices)
• Indigenous artists often pressured to conform to Western artistic traditions and aesthetics
  • Devaluation or suppression of traditional art forms and practices
  • Limited access for Indigenous artists to traditional materials or resources needed for their work (restricted access to lands, loss of knowledge)
• Many Indigenous artists work to preserve and revitalize traditional art forms despite challenges
  • Incorporate traditional techniques or materials into contemporary art practices (weaving, carving)
  • Use art as a means of cultural resistance and assertion of Indigenous identity

Role in cultural preservation

• Indigenous Environmental Art plays a crucial role in preserving and asserting cultural identity
  • Art practices serve as a means of transmitting cultural knowledge and values across generations (apprenticeships, community workshops)
  • Creation and display of art affirms Indigenous presence and connections to ancestral lands (public installations, land art)
• Indigenous Environmental Art promotes environmental stewardship and awareness
  • Use art to draw attention to environmental issues or threats to Indigenous lands and resources (activism, public education)
  • Model sustainable living through artistic practices that prioritize respect for the environment
  • Educate both Indigenous and non-Indigenous audiences about the importance of environmental protection and conservation (school programs, interpretive signage)
• Indigenous artists may use their work to advocate for Indigenous rights and sovereignty
  • Raise awareness about issues such as land rights, cultural preservation, and political self-determination (protest art, documentary projects)
  • Use their platform to challenge dominant narratives and assert Indigenous perspectives on history and contemporary issues