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Level
Purpose
Materials
Procedure
1. Jon Whyte believed that the sound of poetry
was as important as the words. Some of his pieces are actual “sound
collages.” This is one of them.
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Ask the students to pay special attention to
the sounds
they are hearing, rather than what the words mean. Students
should be open to any visual images, physical sensations, or impressions
the sounds inspire. Share responses at the conclusion of the poem.
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What do you think the word “Minisniwapta”
means?
2. Next, play all three audio clips in
sequence, starting with Clip One
. [Links to all three clips are listed
above under Materials]. Do Jon's introductory words change or reinforce your understanding
of the poem? When you heard the poem a second time, did you get a sense of
the “river flowing through you” as Jon suggested?
3. Minisniwapta is the name for the
Bow River in the Stoney language. The Stoney are a First Nations people
who considered the Rocky Mountains their sacred places. They have a
reserve at Morley, 60 km east of Banff. (See Rivers Information Sheet for more
information on the Bow.)
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Minisniwapta is a Stoney word meaning “cold
water moving fast” The name describes the qualities of the river, and at
the same time, the sound of the word seems to flow like a
river.
- In the Stoney tradition, place names describe
what can be found at certain locations. Since water was crucial for
survival, it was important that the river have a name everyone could
understand. The right to name a place was open to anyone.
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Why do you think Jon Whyte chose to use the
Stoney name for the river in his poem instead of the English name? What
do you think it says about the way he relates to the
river?
4. Read excerpt from the Banff Crag and
Canyon article
.
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According to Jon Whyte, what characteristics
does the Bow River have? If you have seen the Bow River at Banff, do you
agree?
- Look at the photographs: Jon in Canoe, ca 1946; Jon and “Brandy” beside Bow River, ca 1975 What other rivers are named in the article? Are
you familiar with their names? Where are they located? (See
Rivers Information Sheet for more information)
- How does Jon judge rivers? Do you agree with his
criteria? Is it based on objectivity or personal preference? What do you
think is important for rivers to have?
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Why do you think Jon feels so strongly about
the Bow? Do you feel the same way about a different river?
5. Is there a river near where you live? What
is it called? What is the origin of this name?
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List the qualities of this river: What colour
is it? How wide is it? How deep? How cold? How old? What happens in it
and around it? What fish live in it? What animals drink from it? What do
people use it for in summer, winter, fall, spring?
- Consider your river’s qualities. Do you think
the river’s name reflects the qualities you describe? What kind of word
would better describe it?
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Think of a new name for the river that suggests
its qualities. Think about the sound, rhythm, and feel this new word
should have. It does not have to be a word that exists in the
dictionary, it can be entirely made up, or originate in any
language.
6. Share your river’s name with the class and
explain the thinking behind it.
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Think back to the sound poem
Minisniwapta heard
at the beginning of this lesson. Create a sound collage using all the
new river names created by the class.
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Present it to another class, without telling
them what it is supposed to be about. See if their impressions match
your intent.
Evaluation
Curriculum Connections
- Language Learning; Geography; Social
Studies
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