My Owen; My Okara (My Word; My Story), explores creating poetic pieces and rap lyrics inspired by Indigenous visual images, music and social issues.

Beginning: We will explore what is story and why are stories are important? What mediums do people use to tell stories today and why? Then I will share a traditional story using participatory song, the use of objects and instruments, then we will retell the story by creating a collective rap poem and compare and contrast the ways of telling.

Middle: Introduce Haudenosaunee Clan teachings around storytelling through the Turtle, Bear, and Wolf. As each Clan storytelling way is explored students will participate in a series of creative writing exercises such as:

1. Creating poems/rap lyrics to visual images and music by indigenous artists

2. Learn how to freestyle and participate in a cipher based on social issues which impact the First People’s of the world and impact all communities.

3. Students will develop a collective rap/poem using an indigenous guided imagery technique called “Dream Walking”.

End: The piece the collectives create will either be recorded and used as a sound track in a multi-media presentation using windows Movie Maker, Audacity and Photo Stage or presented live.

Previous workshop:
Withrow P.S.
Gledhill P.S.
Driftwood P.S.
JR Wilcox P.S.
Prince Charles P.S.
Art City