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Introduction
It is always engaging to discover some new ideas and inspirations from the feasts and holidays of Indigenous peoples. Here the notion of witnessing , which constitutes a great role in the potlatch feast, will be discussed in the frame of ideas for new learning and teaching practices.
Discussion
Potlatch is a customary ceremony of gift-giving feast among American Indians of the Northwest Pacific Coast ( Potlatch , 2022). Witnessing is a great responsibility during potlatch because it is given to non-indigenous guests to supervise all gift transactions ( Potlatch , 2022). The reason is that gifts reflect complex inheritance ties existing in the community. In this respect, the first idea for the classroom is that a teacher may invite students from other classes to observe the difference. Different classes play some form of a different nation, so outsiders and insiders may learn new experiences from each other.
However, considering the more fundamental meaning of witnessing, it may serve as a framework for analyzing distinct cultures. During the potlatch, guests are heavily engaged in the process: community members translate the main information from Carrier to English, explain Carrier laws and customs, and give them a chance to participate (Mann, 2016). In the classroom, when the subject of discussion is an unknown culture, such an engaged outsider approach may be a great tool to understand more. In contrast, a fully engaged immersion in the culture is highly improbable in classroom settings, while the up-down perspective does not form the right perception.
Conclusion
Lastly, the idea of witnessing may be implemented as a practice of keeping all plans and tasks in systematic written form. Texts clarify that witnesses may also keep recordings of marriages, announcements of births, and all other events in the community (Mann, 2016). The habit of being a witness of personal plans is useful for further personal development. For example, a teacher may encourage such discipline by encouraging the listing of grades, homework assignments, and schedules in one place.
References
Mann, M. (2016). Culture blog: Carrier 101 basic potlatch protocols. Carrier Sekani Family Services. Web.
Potlatch. (2022). Living Tradition. Web.
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