Gavin's Purpose

Student film by Alice Graham

Teacher Remarks by Matthew Sheahan

Teacher Remarks

by Matthew Sheahan

For the past ten years, I have had the privilege of being the Arts and Indigenous Studies department head at Prince Edward Collegiate Institute (PECI) in Picton, Ontario. This year, my title and role switched to that of Instructional Lead Teacher of Indigenous Studies at PECI. Even though I’m still the only drama teacher in the building, and I will still be teaching drama, my responsibilities beyond the classroom will focus on the meaningful, respectful and important integration and teaching of Indigenous content in Indigenous Studies classes and beyond. I believe that education and the integration of Indigenous content and pedagogy are important tools for reconciliation across Canada, but, being located right beside Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, it is my responsibility to learn more and do better.   

As a white settler, it is important to me to understand how and what the integration of Indigenous content needs to look like in the classroom. I have spent many afternoons in conversation over the years with my Indigenous Education Lead, Troy Maracle, on this very question. Content, issues, and provocations need to be included, free from appropriation of voice and culture.  

This is where Alice Graham’s Gavin’s Purpose comes into play. Gavin’s Purpose was created during school closures for the COVID-19 pandemic, and was a project designed for a diverse grade 9 and 10 drama class with a variety of needs, reluctance and connectivity issues. The project began with an analysis of Métis artist Christi Belcourt’s Wisdom of the Universe. Students looked at what the painting meant and distilled three to five themes they believed came from the painting - first individually, then in breakout rooms with their peers. Students had to choose one of the themes distilled from the painting and create an audio children’s book using pictures of their own surroundings to tell the story.  

The entire project was rooted in place - students used their own space to tell the story as well as a mural at the back of St. Andrew’s Church in Picton that is a recreation (with the artist's permission) of Christi Belcourt's painting, Wisdom of the Universe. This is a place that the students are familiar with and that has meaning for them. The students were grounded in their place and building artifacts which bred community involvement and understanding. The assignment and provocation were connected to Indigenous pedagogy and ways of knowing, free from appropriation of voice or culture.  

The painting and discussion was a provocation to get into their own stories and tell their own tales - Indigenous art inspiring art so to speak. From this came several amazing stories, and, among them, was Alice Graham’s Gavin’s Purpose.