Assignment: Photo Comparison

In this module you have learned about the different aboriginal groups that occupied North American long before the arrival of European explorers. Imagine that you have been commissioned by a local museum that is assembling a brief exhibit to explore the experience and culture of various First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people in North America throughout history. The local museum has asked to you, and other colleagues to each select different indigenous groups to showcase in a photo exhibit. They have given you the creative freedom to select which indigenous group you would like to showcase. They have prescribed some specific guidelines for the sorts of images, and topics they would like each photo-exhibit to adhere to.

In general, you will be using photos/imagery and accompanying write-ups for each image to create a comparison that outlines various aspects of a particular indigenous group’s life as it was in the past compared to how it now exists in the present.

First, conduct some preliminary research to help you narrow down a particular First Nations, Métis, or Inuit cultural/territorial group in Canada that you would like to showcase.  Then, review each of the topics in the numbered list that follows.

Find 2 (or more images) for each of the topics – at least one image for each topic that is representative of the past, and another that is representative of the present. In relation to each topic, accompany each set of photos with a brief caption that explains how the cultural/territorial groups has changed, or stayed the same throughout history. The captions can range from a few sentences to no more than 2 paragraphs per topic.  You may create the exhibit as powerpoint presentation, a word document, or another presentation format of your choosing. For the indigenous group you have selected, address the following topics in your exhibit:

1. Showcase their historic territories compared to their present geographical location or territories. How are they similar or different?
2. Showcase their traditional economic activities compared to their present economic activities. How are they similar or different?
3. Showcase information about their traditional political organization. How is it similar or different to present political organization?
4. Showcase any information relating to traditional gender roles. How have gender roles of the past changed or stayed the same?
5. Showcase some elements of traditional arts and culture. How are they similar or different to present arts and cultural representations? How has arts and culture changed or remained the same?
6. Reflect on any challenges you faced in conducting research in order to build your exhibit. Were there any gaps where you couldn’t find information to address certain topics? What proved most challenging?
7. Include in-text citations (footnotes)  to reference research information that supports your writing. Accompany your exhibit with a properly formatted bibliography.