The University of Manitoba campuses are located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Ojibwe-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the National Homeland of the Red River Métis. More
Over the past year, many lives have faced significant changes due to the ongoing pandemic, and one community that experiences these adversities is the children. This project is designed to provide resources through the Meraki Mentorship Program – a program that supports children with learning disabilities, children from minority groups, and those from immigrant families. Through this project, I want to reach out to children ranging from ages 7-11 years old and share a fun activity that allows them to create artwork in a stress-free environment while using at-home materials and avoiding the use of technological devices (when done individually).
For this project, there will be two activities: a warm-up activity and a paper weaving/collaging activity. For the warm-up activity, we will look through various textile images from the Textile Museum of Canada. I will share the meaning of textiles, the purposes, and the different nations the textiles originate from. Students will be asked to observe the images and share the various shapes and colors they see, including how they are feeling. For the second activity, students will use the colored paper to create a paper weave. Once this step is complete, students will then use the magazine/paper cut-outs, stamps, and stickers to create a collage on top of the paper weave.
As a facilitator, I hope this project will invite participants to take the time and engage in manual activity with basic household items such as colored paper, scissors, glue, stickers, stamps, and other recycled materials. Through various platforms such as zoom and/or google meets, students will come together to explore different textiles from the Textile Museum of Canada and learn how to appreciate and respect different cultures through materials. This activity will take place in an all-inclusive and stress-free zone.