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Reflect on the role of museums and cultural stewardship:

Why might this cultural belonging be housed in a museum?

What histories or circumstances may have shaped how it came to be displayed here?

Who has authority or responsibility to share this belonging’s story?

What responsibilities do museums and visitors have when engaging with cultural belongings?

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Reflect on how this experience connects to your future teaching practice:

How could you adapt this inquiry activity for students in your own classroom or subject area?

What strategies might help students think critically about museums and how knowledge and stories are represented?

How can educators support respectful engagement with Indigenous perspectives and diverse knowledge systems?

What approaches could help students consider ethical questions when learning from cultural belongings?

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Based on your observations:

What do you think this cultural belonging might represent or communicate?

What meanings or purposes might it hold?

What prior knowledge, experiences, or perspectives are shaping your interpretation?

What uncertainties or questions do you notice as you interpret this object?

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Upload a photo or sketch of your selected cultural belonging. Describe what you observe:

Shape or form

Materials

Colours, textures, or patterns

Design details or craftsmanship that stand out

Focus only on careful observation, without interpreting meaning or purpose yet.

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Consider what you still do not know about this cultural belonging:

What information or context would help you better understand it?

What questions emerge from your observations and interpretations?

Whose knowledge or perspectives would be important to learn from?

What would you want to learn next to deepen your understanding respectfully?

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After learning more about this cultural belonging through museum information, discussion, or further context:

What new understanding did you gain?

How did your interpretation change or evolve?

Which of your initial assumptions were challenged, confirmed, or complicated?

What questions or curiosities remain?

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Bone Boxes - art from Acheological practices, re-centering Indigenous communities.

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Wood, no colour, all carving, secured with steel (safety and stability), wolf or coyote, pronounced snout and mouth

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Graffiti Art by Shamsia Hassani. Used spray paint and canvas. First female graffiti from Afghanistan. She uses art to bring in moments of joy over sad memories of war.

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Very welcoming, welcome in

Threshold

Door way

Anchoring to someone’s place or a place

The size is tremendous… is it signifying to others far away that they are welcome. The openess of the gate could represent that there is room and space (until you make it place)

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Welcoming in from a distance

Threshold

The size (tremendous) and openess symbolizes there is room and space (until you make it place)

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The Bone boxes explore the problematic history of the interactions between Anthropology, archeology, and Indigenous people who did not consent to their belongings being placed in a museum. Reclaiming the tools of collection re-frames the action and agency of Indigenous people.

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Michelle | How is the reclaimation of agency represeneted by orhers? What are the long term ramifications of the reclaimation of agency? How do museums engage in this process? As students, what does this mean for the future of museums?

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Michelle | How is the reclaimation of agency represeneted by orhers? What are the long term ramifications of the reclaimation of agency? How do museums engage in this process? As students, what does this mean for the future of museums?

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Materials: 5 drums made from Elk-Skin/Hide wrapped around wooden bases

Colour: Beige with black ink splats

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Kurent costume— a costume from Kurentovanje (a Slovenian carnival)

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Michelle | this question lies at the root of this piece - what do museums get to "claim," and why? 

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Michelle | this question lies at the root of this piece - what do museums get to "claim," and why? 

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- we believe the artwork represents resilience in the face of difficult circumstances. As the artist aims to promote joy through colour.

-Our prior knowledge of the use of art as a form of self expression and resilience through any circumstance shaped our interpretation of this piece.

-We would like to know more about the artist story and her experience as a female graffiti artist in the midst of war.

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This gate reminds me of my trip to Japan and the 10,000 gates - I am curious about the connections as the structures are very similar.

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we would like more information on the artist, looking at other work within this collection

Why did she choose the colours she used?

How did the artwork get here? Why is it here?

The artist’s perspective!

What war? What do the colours represent?

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We see similarity between the animals. However we are curious about the ears, the complexity, the art work, the colours.

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Michelle | there is a clear message that the MOA is working to engage with these questions with the inclusion of this piece.

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Michelle | there is a clear message that the MOA is working to engage with these questions with the inclusion of this piece.

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Materials: less use of metals in the armor. Purplish-red dye. Lightweight material

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-We are also wondering who has the authority to share this personal story and artwork in this museum.

-We are also wondering how it got here and why. (Was it gifted? Donated? Stolen?)

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This costume is an important symbol of Slovenian identity that is known to chase away winter and welcome spring

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It’s so crowded in this building. While the gate is given space, the totem poles seem congested and underwhelmed, which poses the thought of, is one art more significant than another? The gate is just outside where it was meant for but will never feel the warmth of the sun or mist of the ocean.

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We gained a deeper questioning about museums in general, why certain pieces are shown and displayed, whose aren’t, why they are here

We noticed that this artwork was in a corner near the back of a display, which made us question why this was placed here, given that it is such a powerful and meaningful story

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Contemporary fishing basket by Satuts Stsuhwum-Angela Marston. Coast Salish First Nation

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I wonder who this armor came from and the process in which it was obtained. Having the armor was a sign of higher status in Japanese feudal society.

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Michelle | I would love to place this piece in conversation with other belongings within the museum, and then offer some instnaves where belongings have been rematriated back to their community. This offers huge potential in socials, ela and art for cross-curricular studies.

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Michelle | I would love to place this piece in conversation with other belongings within the museum, and then offer some instnaves where belongings have been rematriated back to their community. This offers huge potential in socials, ela and art for cross-curricular studies.

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Observations: I believe this set of elk-skin drums represents the local Indigenous nations’ oral storytelling through song/music.

Meanings/Purpose: given that these drums are made from animal hides, I believe it is out of respect to the slain animal that they not only use all of its parts, but that its life is carried on through another means (in this instance, as a harbinger of song).

Prior Knowledge: I came to this conclusion from the lesson we had at Moody Middle in December when we played the drums before our Pedagogical Stances.

Questions: I am wondering what the black ink represents.

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Materials: whale and yak bone (skulls, 2 half skulls)

Patterns, Textures, Form, Design: many intricate patterns, bone texture/colour, it assymmetrical, beaded to connect it all

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While this opportunity allows us to see another culture, there is a clear disconnect as these pieces are on unnatural display with out letting us see it’s true purpose in action.

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Based on the description outlining the contemporary nature of the basket we assume that it was in use during the last few generations which signifies a closeness in time and space. We also noticed that it was broken which we interpreted as meaning it was well used and well loved.

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- Metal structure

-bronze, red, gold colour

-heavy looking helmet with red chin strap

-full body suit

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We are wondering when MOA acquired it and why. What circumstances led it it’s installation in this place. We are also wondering if there are living descendants of the maker of the basket and how they would feel about its presence here.

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-The strategies that can help students think critically about museum is to have discussions beforehand about how to view work in the museum. (How to observe, question, find information).

-Having a discussion about the ethics of museums and allowing students to question the drawbacks of museums.

-Provide students with graphic organizers (KWL, compass points).

-Acknowledging funds of knowledge and individual experiences as well as discussing with students that they don’t need to learn everything about the museum they can take what they need to learn.

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I still wonder where this cultural belonging came from and the process in how it was obtained. I think conversations with the curators would help alleviate this wondering.

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Museums are inherently spaces that try to minimize the utility of certain pieces. For example, this is not a piece of artwork meant to be looked at, it is a tool that arose out of the need for sustenance and we wonder what kind of conversations surrounded the transfer of meaning around this particular object.

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-Highly detailed embroidered costumes -Elaborate headpieces and-Expressive carved faces 

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We would want to know where this armour is from specifically. We would also want to know how was this brought here. How did the transportation take place, and was it carefully done. We would also want to know if this armour was ever was used to know in combat, or is it a replica, or unused armour.

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We learnt that it was made in 2014. And gifted to MOA in 2022. Besides that about how the piece came to be in the museum is unknown. We wonder what kind of remuneration the artist or maker received. And was the intention to educate the public about culturally specific ways of life and existence.

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My (Andrew) cultural upbringing is helping me in understanding this full body suit.

We understand that it was a status symbol. These individuals were considered as part of the elite in society.

We believe that the cultural background of each individual will influence the way they perceive the artifact. If someone from the west who has no experience with Japanese culture interacted with this, they would probably have a western way of understanding samurais.

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After watching an accompanying video, I would love to know if the imprints of black ink on the drums translates to anything in any of the local Indigenous languages or if the shapes have different meanings. I would love to hear directly from the artist or a local Elder to hear more about the process of transferring memory through song.

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I’m curious as to whether this figure or carnival is associated with any religion or spirituality. Who generally wears the costumes? Men or women or both?

It’s made from sheep skin, is their a sacrifice that is made to create the costume or is it just the wool from the sheep that is used.

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Michelle | The Bone Boxes

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While translated to the “tree of life”, this work of art built by Javier Hernandez in the late ‘90s can be also understood as a timeless “yolo”. An expression of resilience through culture despite centuries of European oppression is celebrated with ceramics that emulate wood filled with bright, vibrant colours, flowers and people.

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we think that students could do this independently or in partners with more guidance and support. Could be easier to collect photos and then complete the reflection in the classroom. Splitting up the viewing and photo taking with the reflection time may be more digestible. Additionally, the museum was starting a free tour when we arrived so that could be a great opportunity for younger students! Overall believe this would fun and engaging field trip with proper supports and front loading.

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We wonder how this artifact was obtained.

We always looked at museum artifacts as interesting and cool to look at. However, we had a discussion about the gathering of these items and if there was permission in obtaining.

We understand how these items can be unethically taken. This may lead to cultural appropriation and may cause distress amongst the Japanese community.

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Ethical Considerations: the artist made a very poignant point in that museums very rarity include music/song in their exhibits so transcribing it in this way is his way of going against the colonial functions of a museum.

I found it beautiful that a local Coast Salish member decided to do this and give the museum permission to present his work as a way to reclaim the local Indigenous practice of persevering song through art.

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Kids are generally interested in seeing things that are old (like the 90s), and museums typically hold many old artifacts, so our goal is to try to show the students or even better, help them see the living life of the pieces.

Take photos, question what they are seeing, lots of prep such as what they are about to see!

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-Funerary dress in Tibetan and Tantric Buddhism culture

-People wear it at funerals, ritual objects made of bone are a distinctive feature of the culture, serves as a reminder of life's brevity and the inevitability of death, Tibetan Buddhists often donate their bones to monasteries in order to gain spiritual merit after death

-Art can be made from countless different mediums, we weren't shocked when it was made of bones

-how would using human bones be perceived nowadays? Also why is this necklace whale and yak bone not human remains?

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By Lilly

-Highly detailed embroidered costumes

-Elaborate headpieces

-Expressive carved faces

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This costume was donated to Vancouver in 2017 to honour the Mayor of Ptuj, Slovenia. The society is hoping to inspire the next generations of Slovenians in Canada to tap into their cultural heritage.

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-To see the full funerary outfit visually

-Why are there no human remains but they are talking about it?

-Tantric Tibetan Buddhists or the Tibetan community that holds this knowledge

-Is there significance in the remains chosen? Is it made from the person that passed away?

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I wonder whether the carnival in Slovenia still uses costumes like this one. Is it still embedded in tradition or has it evolved with modern times.

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The reason this is housed in a museum is because it is a piece of history. It represents a portion of Japanese history specifically about the Samurai.

BC has had a Japanese population that has been here for a long time. Specific people from the community may have helped organized the armour arriving here. However it also represents how western Museums bring in artifacts from around the world, even if it is not ethically done.

In my opinion the authority is within the Japanese community specifically those who have a understanding of Samurai culture, and Japanese history.

Those who engage need to be respectful, and also need to make sure they engage in learning more about the history of what they are engaging with. They should also pay tribute to those who have allowed this piece of their history to be shared, and respect the cultural, and historical traditions, and knowledge.

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I think students would benefit from a task similar to this one. I liked how we got to focus on one artefact, because sometimes at museums I feel overwhelmed by all

The different exhibits

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While using biblical, colonial elements, the bright intense colours combat that by incorporating traditional art from Izúcar de Matamoros and Acatlán de Osorio and Metepec from Mexico with elaborate trees of life and other forms of pottery. I wonder what other iterations of this art there are with other art medium.

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-Discussing with students the ethics of museums and accepting questions/discussions based on the drawbacks of museums.

-Discussing with students how to interact with the work/art/objects they see in the museum (observing, question)

-Each student will have their own funds of knowledge and individual experiences before going into the museum.

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New Learning: I think it’s okay that questions still remain per the process because it is a way of honouring the local traditions while still being able to pay tribute to the art.

I love that the way in which music and history is preserved goes so against the colonial way we know and understand it now. The simple art of storing memories through music and drum-making is so creative and a beautiful way to incorporate place-based learning into the classroom.

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The exact year it was made

How long it took to make

The different ways it was interpreted when it was presented in Europe vs Mexico

How the biblical elements are challenged

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Applications to Teaching: I think this activity would be super fun to incorporate into the classroom as a step-by-step process that leads students through the art of making music and persevering memory through songs and oral storytelling.

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Because it’s fragile and can lose its colour over time.

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We would do a lesson on feudal Japanese and the edo period. Do an inquiry lesson on these eras, and go into their code of ethics and how they lived through life. After completing this unit we would do a field trip to the MOA to look at the artifacts during this period.

To help students think critically, we would ask them prompting questions that get them to interact with the content more in depth. We would also have students reflect on the ways of how samurais lived, and compare to themselves/today’s society(around the world).

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-Cultural and Traditional significance, also the entire exhibit was about a Tibetan woman's culture and identity and how it juxtaposed western culture, so it is an apt fit

-colonialism is an ever-present hegemonic power and context that we must always keep in mind, especially when considering exhibits in a place like the MOA

-Tibetan people and Tantric Buddhists in particular. At the same time anyone can share this as long as they are not being disrespectful or claiming it as their own. (The story is generic enough and focused on a cultural context, if it was applied to an individual context it might be more out of pocket)

-Come with an open mind, even if you view something as older or "Primitive" realize that there is an inherent bias in you when you are viewing these things, for example human remains are not treated the same in western culture, but just because Tibetan/Tantric Buddhist culture views them differently doesn't mean we should view them as blasphemous or less than our culture. (People might be offended by the use of bones in particular human remains)

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Growing up in Taiwan and watching Taiwanese glove puppetry during festivals, I see this cultural belonging as more than entertainment, it represents home, community, and shared identity. The performances remind me of temple celebrations, lively crowds, and stories of heroism and loyalty that shaped my understanding of values and tradition. My childhood experiences and familiarity with the language and atmosphere influence how I interpret it, giving it emotional depth and nostalgia.

As I reflect, I wonder whether younger generations feel the same connection today and how this tradition continues to shape Taiwanese cultural identity in a modern world.

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-The context of bones in Tibetan Culture/Buddhidt culture is very interesting

-I was not surprised that the human remains were not shown initially, after learning the context however I was more upset that they weren't included after and they went with the far more "safe" whale and yak bones (tbh to be fair idk if it is a legal issue/if the MOA or the exhibition curator feels comfortable/has the right to do so)

-they mention a bone trumpet in the writeup, I would like to have seen that in the exhibit

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In order to understand Taiwanese glove puppetry more deeply, it is important to learn from master puppeteers, community elders, and contemporary performers. Their perspectives reveal its artistic, cultural, and spiritual significance across generations. To deepen my understanding respectfully, I would like to explore its historical roots, religious connections, and how practitioners today interpret and sustain this tradition in modern society.

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Taiwanese hand puppets may be housed at the Museum of Anthropology to preserve and showcase their cultural, artistic, and historical significance within a global context. As artifacts of Taiwanese glove puppetry, they represent performance, craftsmanship, and cultural identity.

While the museum has a responsibility to present them respectfully and accurately, the story should also be shaped by Taiwanese communities and practitioners. Ideally, it is a shared responsibility, ensuring the tradition is represented with authenticity and cultural care.

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-Lead an inquiry about the ethics of using/studying human remains, can inquire how to do it respectfully, can inquire with the purpose of pushing back against western bias, can inquire within the context of indigenous cultures

-can get them to critically think about their own bias if they view showcasing bones/human remains as "gross" etc. or anything else that might be problematic

-encourage open mindedness, showcase the value in approaching things in a new way, validate FPPL and other Indigenous ways of knowing

-Frontload to make sure they are not disrespectful and realize that this is often a touchy subject, students are not always equipped to deal with touchy subjects like these, in addition Museums don't always aquire/curate their exhibits in the right way, examples pointing out bad examples of this (ie the curators steal the objects, don't have permission to share the story, do so solely for monetary gain, push a negative perspective of indigenous people being Primitive/savage or less than western people, or contradict the resources from the people's history are all possible examples of museums conducting unethical behavior that must be examined when consuming exhibits and museums through a critical lens, all valuable skills to teach your students!

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After learning more about Taiwanese glove puppetry, I now see it as more than childhood festival entertainment. It is a complex art form shaped by history, religion, and community identity.

While my initial view of it as nostalgic and traditional was confirmed, it was also complicated. I now understand its evolving role in modern media and its broader cultural significance beyond my personal memories.

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A large cloak made with green and red felt. The green is the base and the red make a design on the back of a creature. The front is shorter than the back. White buttons follow the red felt’s path

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I think it represents a family’s story and culture. Their history and a symbol of them. They are work for public celebrations, political protests and to show chiefly authority at legal challenges. My prior experience with this is that I made a button blanket when I was in elementary school and I remember it was really fun and rewarding and calming because it took time and patience but I slowly saw my result come out beautifully. I wonder what made them choose the colour green and the one I made was red and black

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The sign under it helped me understand it much better. It would be helpful if an elder or someone knowledgeable about it explained it to me verbally. To do this respectfully, I would try to find an event where they are hosting button blanket making and learning so I am not just going up randomly to a knowledge holder and asking them to do the explaining work. The event makes it so that it is voluntary and I know that the people are inviting us to learn and are okay with explaining.

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This is housed in a museum because it seems to be very special and took a lot of time to be made. So in a museum its beauty and symbolism can be shared with the public. The circumstances and history that shaped how it got here would be colonialism. The person who made the cloak has the authority to share its story, as well as anyone that person gives permission to. The responsibility is a choice that falls on the person who made the cloak and those authorized by the person. Museums and visitors have the responsibility of respectfully viewing the coat and finding respectful was of educating themselves about it.

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I learned about the different occasions that it is worn to ex. Political protests or to show chiefly status. I learned that that button links the past, present and future together that creates living records of a family and community. My interpretation changed as I now see how versatile this cloak is. I originally thought it was just a cloak to represent family culture, but it can also be used as a voice to speak up and symbolize power.

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I could adapt this by asking students what family traditional clothing they have and when they wear it. Then I’ll ask them to observe and write down what they see and think the cloak is for. How is this similar and different to your traditional clothing? Then we can learn about what the sign under the cloak talks about. Strategies to help students think critically about how museums represent knowledge is to think about who gets to tell the story. From whose perspective are we hearing the information from? What might they be leaving out? Educators can support respectful engagement with Indigenous knowledge by getting permission from the Indigenous knowledge holders first before sharing. An approach to help students consider ethical questions is asking them how they would like their belongings to be treated by others. Do they want their words or objects be misconstrued?

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I would have my class do a hands-on activity, students could explore Taiwanese hand/glove puppetry by examining images of the puppets. They would record observations about the puppets’ appearance and possible meanings, then compare these with perspectives from puppeteers or community members.

Students would discuss critical questions, such as who decides how culture is presented and how to share stories respectfully, and reflect through a short writing task or visual “story map.” Finally, they would share their reflections with the class, connecting the artifact to its cultural context while practicing ethical and critical thinking.

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Growing up in Taiwan and watching Taiwanese hand/glove puppetry during festivals, I see this cultural belonging as more than entertainment. It represents home, community, and shared identity. The performances remind me of temple celebrations, lively crowds, and stories of heroism and loyalty that shaped my understanding of values and tradition. My childhood experiences and familiarity with the language and atmosphere influence how I interpret it, giving it emotional depth and nostalgia.

As I reflect, I wonder whether younger generations feel the same connection today and how this tradition continues to shape Taiwanese cultural identity in a modern world.