April 28 to October 31, 2007 An Educator’s Resource Guide 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63110 · www.mobot.org Animals, families, and creatures of legend spring to life in these monumental hand-carved sculptures from Zimbabwe. Carved from opal stone, cobalt, and springstone, the statues depict their African creators’ traditional close bond to nature and the environment. Children will love the new animals and creatures—and the stories they tell. 23 monumental sculptures of animals, legendary creatures, and humans—all new work One special statue on display the tropical rain forest inside the Climatron® conservatory Small original sculptures available for purchase at the Chapungu Gallery and Gift Shop Chapungu artists made their U.S. debut at the Missouri Botanical Garden in 2001, and we are pleased to welcome this new exhibit in 2007. Tips for the Best Experience • Pre-register your school group online at www.mobot.org/education or call (314) 577-5140. 2 educator’s guide · CHAPUNGU: Nature, Man, and Myth at the MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN Table of Contents Preparing for your Chapungu Experience............................................4 The Garden and Africa............................................................................8 Where is Zimbabwe? .............................................................................10 The Shona Culture ................................................................................11 What is Chapungu?.................................................................................12 Guide to the Stone and Rock...............................................................14 Chapungu: Nature, Man, and Myth Exhibition ...................................16 Artists Bios...............................................................................................22 Educational Activities..............................................................................29 Table of Contents · 3 Preparing for your Chapungu Experience Registration: All school groups, whether garden-led or self-guided by a teacher, must register their visit to the Garden either online at www.mobot.org or by calling (314) 577-5140. Chaperones are required. Please observe the following student/ chaperone ratio. Grades PK–3: 1 adult per 5 students Grades 4 and up: 1 adult per 8 students The Garden asks that chaperones remain with their assigned group throughout their visit to ensure that student behavior is appropriate for the Garden setting. Due to the amount and value of the artwork in this Garden Manners: exhibition, please ensure that all students are accompanied by a These rules help protect chaperone at all times. Please advise chaperones of these expectations. nature, the art, and you. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE! YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE! Any damage caused by your Any damage caused by your group will be charged to the school. group will be charged to your It is imperative that you advise chaperones of the importance of school. managing their assigned students at all times. Stay on the designated pathways. Divide your Students: Before coming to the Garden, divide students Stepping on or digging in the into groups based on the above student/chaperone ratio. mulched areas is not permitted. Prepare your Students: Your students may enjoy the CHAPUNGU: Do not pick live plants. You may collect plant parts that have fallen Nature, Man, and Myth exhibition in the outdoor display gardens. on the ground. A successful Garden visit to experience CHAPUNGU: Nature, Man, and Stay with your group. Be ready Myth starts well before your students arrive. Please acquaint your to look carefully and think about students with the “Garden Manners” and increase their interest by what you see. engaging them in pre-visit activities. Visitors may only touch the sculptures in the exhibit area By preparing your students in advance, they will be less distracted by RESPECTFULLY. Climbing, sitting, the novelty of a new environment. They will feel confident and assured and other similar behaviors are by knowing what to expect and what is expected of them during their not permitted. visit. Do not run through the exhibit areas. We do not want you or Photography: Visitors to the Garden are welcomed to take photos the art to get hurt. and shoot videos for personal use. PLEASE be aware of other Garden visitors. Ask your students to allow room on paths and to keep their voices down. 4 educator’s guide · CHAPUNGU: Nature, Man, and Myth at the MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN Arriving at the Garden: In order to ensure the best possible Outside food and drinks experience for your students, chaperones, and drivers, we ask that you are NOT permitted in the follow the drop-off and pick up procedures. Garden. Bus Parking: Please review directions and bus parking guidelines with The Garden offers three your driver(s). A copy of “Bus Parking at the Missouri Botanical suggestions for lunch: Garden” is included in your packet. Do not unload students in Lunch at Sassafras. View the front of the Ridgway Center. current menu online at www.mobot.org/shop/ Check-in and Admission: Bring your confirmation with you to the sassafras.asp. Garden! All groups, whether arriving by bus or car, must check in at the Linnean Plaza ticket booth. Check-in information and directions to the Call (314) 577–5196 two Linnean Plaza will be included with your confirmation pack upon making weeks prior to your visit. a reservation for your group. Sack lunches are also provided by Catering St. Safety: We ask that you and your chaperones take an active role in the Louis. For a current menu, safety of your students. Be especially attentive during arrival and pricing, and ordering, please departure when students are on the parking lots. Remind bus drivers to call (314) 577-9530. be watchful before moving buses. Picnic in Tower Grove Park. Restrooms and water fountains are located on both levels of Call (314) 771–2679 to Ridgway. reserve a pavilion. The park is adjacent to the Garden. Make sure to arrange a place to meet when your group is finished. You may wish to gather as a class and discuss your group’s experience. Departure: Meet your bus in the same area that your group was unloaded. Bus drivers will not be permitted to pick up students in the front of the Ridgway Center. Preparing for Your Chapungu Experience 5 BUS PARKING AT THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN (please give a copy to all bus drivers) Dear Tour Operators, DMOs, Group Organizers, and Educators, Thank you for bringing your group to visit the Missouri Botanical Garden. In order to ensure the best possible experience for your passengers, students, and drivers, we ask that you follow the drop-off and pick-up procedures detailed below. As before, thank you for choosing the Garden! School Bus and Motor Coach Drop-off Pick-up 1 Enter via the main Garden entrance on Shaw Boulevard. 4 Proceed straight on DeTonty Street to Thurman Turn left, toward the upper east parking lot. Avenue. Turn right onto Thurman Avenue and travel one block Make the first right and park parallel to the wide to Shaw Boulevard. sidewalk. Turn right onto Shaw Boulevard, cross Tower Grove 2 Drop off passengers here. Avenue Turn left into the main Garden entrance and follow the Exiting and Parking directions for passenger drop-off. Pull forward and make a left turn. Proceed straight to the upper east parking lot gate, which is designated exit only. 3 Turn left onto Tower Grove Avenue; continue north crossing Shaw Boulevard. 4344 Shaw Boulevard · Saint Louis, MO 63110 Turn right onto DeTonty Street and park your vehicle. (314) 577-9400 · www.mobot.org Tourism: (314) 577-0275 · Education: (314) 577-5140 Drivers are welcome to return to the Garden for a complimentary beverage. 6 educator’s guide · CHAPUNGU: Nature, Man, and Myth at the MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN DRIVING DIRECTIONS The Missouri Botanical Garden is easily accessible from the major highways in the area. From I-44, exit at Vandeventer south. Turn left onto Shaw From I-64/40, exit at Kingshighway south. Turn left onto Vandeventer. Turn Right onto Shaw and proceed to 4344 Shaw. 7 The Garden and Africa The Missouri Botanical Garden has strong ties with Africa. With nearly 800,000 specimens from Africa in the herbarium, the Garden is the recognized U.S. center for the study of African botany. Recently, the Garden has completed digitization of the entire type collection of African plant specimens located in the research center (one block west of the Garden) Garden researcher Corneille Ewango, of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was awarded the Goldman Prize in 2005, considered the “Nobel Prize for the environment.” In Ghana, Kenya, Zambia, Cameroon, Malawi, and South Africa, Garden researchers lead training, research, and field work projects, as well as botanical inventories to help guide conservation decisions. During one of his visits to Africa, Dr. Peter Raven, the President of the Missouri Botanical Garden, saw an exhibit of Chapungu sculpture and decided to bring it to St. Louis. With tremendous effort the exhibit sculptures were wrapped and shipped by sea to both New York and Chicago. From these cities, the work was moved by train to St. Louis and then by truck to the Garden. Thanks to Dr. Raven this wonderful sculpture has been touring North America since it arrived in early 2001. For more information about the Garden’s Research Projects in Africa, visit us online at http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/Research/africaprojects.shtml 8 educator’s guide · CHAPUNGU: Nature, Man, and Myth at the MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN