Fiddling with a Culturally Responsive Curriculum Virginia Gluska Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies In partial fulfillment of the requirements For the Masters of Arts in Education Faculty of Education University of Ottawa ©Virginia Gluska, Ottawa, Canada, 2011 Library and Archives Bibliothèque et Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de l'édition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-86968-0 Our file Notre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-86968-0 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library and permettant à la Bibliothèque et Archives Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par télécommunication ou par l'Internet, prêter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des thèses partout dans le loan, distrbute and sell theses monde, à des fins commerciales ou autres, sur worldwide, for commercial or non- support microforme, papier, électronique et/ou commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. 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While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires aient inclus dans in the document page count, their la pagination, il n'y aura aucun contenu removal does not represent any loss manquant. of content from the thesis. ii Table of Contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................... v List of Figures ....................................................................................................................... vii Abstract .............................................................................................................................. viii Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 Background ............................................................................................................................................... 3 Situating Historical Context of Aboriginal Education and the Fiddle ........................................................ 7 Education and Colonization of First Nation and Metis People in Canada ................................................ 7 Colonial Aftermath... ................................................................................................................................. 9 History of the Fiddle as a Communal Praxis ............................................................................................ 11 Identity .................................................................................................................................................... 19 Belonging ................................................................................................................................................ 20 Place and Community ............................................................................................................................. 22 Culture ..................................................................................................................................................... 24 Culturally Responsive Curriculum ............................................................................................................ 27 Bringing it all together… ......................................................................................................................... 29 CHAPTER TWO - METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................... 32 Situating the Researcher ......................................................................................................................... 32 Gravel road jig...out behind the van… ................................................................................................. 33 A Road Less Travelled .......................................................................................................................... 35 Our Home and Native Land-One Moccasin at a time…....................................................................... 36 When the Other is Me? ....................................................................................................................... 42 Living Culture ...................................................................................................................................... 44 the other .............................................................................................................................................. 47 Bowing the Strings .............................................................................................................................. 48 Constitution Breakdown.......................................................................................................................... 50 Metissage ................................................................................................................................................ 51 Narrative Inquiry ..................................................................................................................................... 55 A note on the north/the setting .............................................................................................................. 59 St. Anne’s Reel [The Participants] ........................................................................................................... 66 Narrative Jigs .......................................................................................................................................... 69 iii Liberty Two-Step ..................................................................................................................................... 72 Fiddling with Narratives .......................................................................................................................... 73 Will the Circle be unbroken ..................................................................................................................... 76 The Chicken Reel [Limitations] ................................................................................................................ 79 Changing Strings ..................................................................................................................................... 82 CHAPTER THREE .................................................................................................................. 84 A Waltz, A Jig and A Reel ........................................................................................................................ 84 Fiddle Fingers .......................................................................................................................................... 84 A Trail of Fiddles – Introducing Blaine..................................................................................................... 90 How Elvis Presley Killed the Accordion .................................................................................................... 92 Fiddling with a Culturally Responsive Curriculum ................................................................................. 104 A Metis Mecca ................................................................................................................................... 106 Metis Days – New Beginnings ........................................................................................................... 109 Fiddle revival/Cultural renewal? ....................................................................................................... 113 The Devil Went Down to Georgia ...................................................................................................... 113 Beyond the borders of Manitoba ...................................................................................................... 116 Anne’s Fiddle Story ............................................................................................................................ 117 Just when did the fiddle become cool? ................................................................................................. 118 Nanny’s Dream ...................................................................................................................................... 121 Fiddling Toward Community Opportunities ......................................................................................... 127 Jigging to Dedications ..........................................................................................................................