Moadsf africa continuum curriculum guide by Demetri Broxton

African Continuum Continuo de Africano

Curriculum Resource Guide BY DEMETRIE BROXTON - EDUCATION PROGRAM MANAGER

Contents How To Use This Guide When Visiting MoAD About the Exhibition

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Fact Sheet: The Language of African Continuum ...…. 5 Questions To Use While At MoAD

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Reflection Questions – After Your Visit

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Images ......................................................................................... 8 Constructing a Diaspora: Grades 6-12 Lesson Plan…..... 16 Slave Trade Distribution Map....................………………... 20 The Yoruba People of Nigeria …………............................. 21 The Creation of Vodou ..………………........................… 23 Drapo Vodou: Grades 6-12 Lesson Plan ...............................25 Additional Resources ..……....…………........................… 28 California State Standards Addressed ……………...….. 29

Cover Art: A babalawo recites the mojuba. Havana, Cuba. 2003. Photograph by Bryan Wiley

How to Use This Guide When Visiting MoAD The Fact Sheet, Question Sheet, and Lesson Plans should be used to prepare students for a focused museum visit. MoAD group tours can be used to introduce students to the exhibition and related MoAD core exhibitions. The Fact Sheet can be used to give students a more knowledgeable approach to the subject matter of the exhibition that will in turn help students look more carefully at the photographs found in the exhibition. The Language of African Continuum introduces students to some of the terms and objects they will come into contact with throughout the exhibition and the curriculum. While visiting MoAD, give each of your students a copy of the Questions To Use While At MoAD to further engage them in the context of the exhibition. Younger students can draw pictures in lieu of words. Be sure to have your students answer the Reflection Questions as soon as possible after your visit to the Museum. These are designed to further students understanding and awareness of what they have seen. You may also opt to choose either of the grade level specific projects to complete before (recommended) or after your Museum visit. Again, these can be used as presented or modified to accommodate other age groups or your particular classroom objectives. We sincerely hope you find this resource helpful and welcome any comments or feedback you may have. Additionally, we would love to hear how you have chosen to implement this material in your classroom. If you have developed any handouts or found new resources you would like to share with other educators, please feel free to send us an email including that information. Enjoy! Demetrie Broxton MoAD Education Program Manager

About the Exhibition MoAD proudly presents African Continuum: Sacred Ceremonies and Rituals Bryan Wiley is a photo historian who has traveled the Atlantic Black diaspora documenting its sacred arts. In African Continuum, he has assembled his photographs from Brazil, Haiti, Cuba, South Carolina, and New Orleans. In doing so, he illuminates continuities in the beliefs and customs of those whose ancestors were slaves. Wiley uses the concept of the altar—a highly venerated place—as a vehicle to illuminate intersections between his personal aesthetics and historical spiritual beliefs. As they do in many cultures, these altars represent sites of ritual communication that open pathways for divine consciousness with the supernatural world. The objects assembled on an altar have specific meanings and should be read collectively, not individually. The meanings of the altars expose both the cultural disruptions and continuities of African peoples and their descendants. Deity worship and intervention are central to the secular lives of many practitioners, and Wiley’s work reveals the blurred lines between sacred and secular worlds. His photographs focus on the power of the natural elements--earth, wind, fire, and water—as they are manifested in the deities venerated in the altars. Large images of the locales and the surrounding landscapes of the communities that Wiley documents offer further context for the photographs and create a quiet atmosphere of reverence. After studying about the convergence of Christian, Yoruba and Kongo beliefs in college, Wiley traveled to these countries to investigate and document the African continuum in people’s personal and communal spiritual expressions and practices. ―Since I’ve been on this journey, I have listened to my spiritual voice more,‖ said Wiley, as he reflected on the impact of visiting these countries and gaining access to the rituals, ceremonies, and the people. This exhibition is Bryan Wiley’s personal view of what he saw and absorbed, expressed in the captions of the photographs. Lizzetta LeFalle-Collins, Ph.D. Guest Curator

The Language of African Continuum

Student Fact Sheet

Orisha A spirit or deity in the religion, or any of its religions. Each represents one aspect Yoruba supreme Olodumare.

Yoruba related Orisha of the deity,

Babalawo Babalawos are Priests in Yoruba and Yoruba-related religions who can read the future and how to deal with it by communicating with Orishas.

Altar An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices and votive offerings are made for religious purposes, or some other sacred place where ceremonies take place.

Divination The process a Babalawo uses to read the future. Divination is different than fortune-telling, because it is part of a religious process.

Diaspora Diasporas are movements of a group of people sharing common national and/or ethnic identity. Diasporas may include refugees as well, but the term refers to people who are permanently displaced from their original homeland.

Saints People who embody god-like qualities are known as saints in many religions. Catholicism has thousands of saints. When enslaved Africans arrived in the New World, they often found that Catholic saints had similar characteristics to the Orishas.

Batá Drums Double-headed drums shaped like an hourglass with one end larger than the other. Batás are used primarily for religious purposes in Yoruba and Yoruba Diaspora cultures. Batá music is usually polyrhythmic, with two or more rhythms playing simultaneously.

Vévé A Vévé is a religious symbol used in the Vodou religion of Haiti. They are derived from symbols of the Kongo people of Central Africa. Vévés act as a request for spirits to descend to earth during religious ceremonies. They are drawn on the ground using cornmeal, flour, or gunpowder.

Questions to Use While At MoAD 1. Where do the Yoruba people originally come from? What countries featured in this exhibition feature people whose ancestors came from Yoruba lands?

2. Find the photo of red fabric tied to tree branches in Haiti. What do strips of

hanging material indicate when they are tied to the branches of sacred trees? (Read the label text to find the answer)

3. In which of the five countries featured in this exhibition do religious practitioners create altars?

4. In the religions featured in this exhibition, what happens when a person or an animal dies? Explain.

5. Use the space below to sketch something you find interesting in the 2nd or 3rd Floor gallery.

Reflection Questions 1. What did you choose to sketch at the museum? Why did you choose this image or object?

2. Why are there images and statues of Catholic Saints featured in some of the Altars? What do these tell us about the Yoruba Diaspora?

3. Why do practitioners of the Yoruba religion, Vodou, Santeria, and CandomblĂŠ sacrifice animals? What are your thoughts about this practice?

4. After seeing the exhibition, has your perception of Vodou (voodoo) changed? If so, how?

5. What did you learn from the exhibition? Does this exhibition help you to

understand practitioners of these religions better? If you need more space, use the back of this sheet to write out your thoughts.

Images BRAZIL

Above: Flowers wash back on the shore after being offered to the goddess, Yemaya, asking for blessings for the New Year. Santos, Brazil

Left: Bottle trees are used to protect homes and areas from evil spirits by trapping spirits inside the bottle, where they can do no harm. Cachoeria, Brazil

Young Bahianas dress in traditional white dresses and head wraps, waiting for the start of Lavagem de Santo Amaro, which ends with the cleaning of the church. Santo Amaro, Brazil

Spinning skirts at a CandomblĂŠ ceremony. Cachoeria, Brazil

CUBA

A Santero (practitioner of Santeria) walks through the streets of Havana, Cuba dressed in the regalia of Shango, the Yoruba god of thunder and lightning, drum and dance. Havana, Cuba

A babalawo recites the extended chant known as mojuba, in recognition of the ancestors, before beginning a ceremony. Havana, Cuba

The staffs in this altar represent Eshu/Elegua and his insatiable appetite. An iron machete represents Ogun, god of iron. Next to it, a vessel adorned with seashells symbolizes Olokun, owner of the ocean’s mystery. Havana, Cuba

Ibeji twins. The Yoruba have the highest birth rate of twins in the world. It is believed both twins share one soul, so if one twin dies at a young age, the balance of the soul is thrown off or disturbed. The Yoruba priest (babalawo) chooses a carver to create a small figure that symbolizes the dead child. If both twins die, then two figures are made. The soul is transported into the figures by the Babalawo. The children’s parents must treat the statue as if it were real, so it is bathed, fed, and clothed just as it would be in life. Havana, Cuba

HAITI

―After the dance, the drum is heavy,‖ is an old Haitian proverb. Drums play a primary role in ceremonies and are often believed to carry a soul within them. The highest rank of salutation goes to the drums, with the Hougan or mambo sometimes kissing the ground or pouring libations before them. Port-au-Prince, Haiti

An old bottle is now a sacred Vodou bottle held in the hands of a Hougan (male priest). Sacred objects are often put into clear bottles to ward off evil spirits, or used as tools by priests. Gonaives, Haiti

A sacred tree is wrapped with bottles used as ceremonial offerings that can sometimes carry divine powers, acting as safeguards for the temple. Petit Goave, Haiti

An imitation concrete tomb with offerings for Gede outside a sanctuary. Gonaives, Haiti

SOUTH CAROLINA

The altar to Sango, Yoruba god of thunder and lightning. Sango is represented by the colors red and white as well as drums and the double-headed axe. Oyotunji African Village, South Carolina

Altar to Esu-Obatala represented by the clay heads with cowry shells as the eyes and mouth. These Esu figures open the path to the energy

of Obatala, enabling clarity, peacefulness and calmness. Oyotunji African Village, South Carolina

NEW ORLEANS

Mardi Gras Indians and their mourners pay respect for their late Chief. New Orleans, LA

A Vodou altar for the Haitian Petwo spirit Bawon Samdi, the most powerful magician of the Haitian pantheon of divinities. He rules over death and sexuality and is recognized by his black hat, sunglasses and cigar. New Orleans, LA

Constructing a Diaspora Diagram of the Slave Ship, Brookes

“Until the lion learns to write, tales of hunting will always glorify the hunter.” -African Proverb Time Allotted: Three – 45 minute class blocks Learner Population: Middle School, Grades 6-8 & High School, Grades 9-12 Curricular Context: This unit may be used as an extension to a unit on the slave trade and/or immigration. This unit serves as an introduction to the exhibitions at Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco. It may also be used as a peace building tool to increase understanding between different ethnic groups. Introduction: The Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco holds a mission to connect all people to the art, history, and culture of the African Diaspora. However, most visitors do not go to the museum with a solid understanding of what the African Diaspora means. A great number of visitors enter the museum only thinking of Africa, expecting to see masks, headdresses, carvings, and drums. Another group of visitors expects to find a comprehensive African American museum, complete with shackles and information focusing on the experiences of former slaves. Instead, what the visitor finds is an overview of the original African Diaspora, where all mankind originated. Additionally, there are exhibitions touching on various time periods when people of African descent left Africa and the cultural items and ideas they brought with them. This unit will introduce students to the concept of the African Diaspora in two different phases beginning with the 16th century Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. Students will consider the contemporary movements of people both out of and into Africa. Finally, students will read and interpret written material, examine maps, and interview or research a recent immigrant to determine whether the person is part of a Diaspora or a transnational group. Guiding Questions: What is the African Diaspora? How many Diasporas were there? What conditions produced the African Diaspora? What parts of Africa did enslaved Africans come from? How have people of African descent had an effect on the history and culture of the United States? How did the slave trade affect Africa? Is there a continuing legacy of the slave trade present today?

Learning Objectives: Students will understand:  What the word Diaspora means  How to identify a Diasporic community  The economic forces which led European nations to enslave Africans  How the system of chattel slavery changed both Africa and Europe  That people are still moving from Africa for various reasons  That the movement of people is both out of as well as into Africa Materials needed: 

Internet access

PROCEDURE:

DAY 1 Vocabulary (30 minutes): The following terms will be used throughout this unit. Break students into groups of 2. Have the groups read each definition and come up with their own definition. If your class has access to computers and/or dictionaries, allow students to look up definitions they do not understand. Have students write their own definition for each word or term. Allow 20 minutes for this first part. Now, have students share out definitions for each term. Write agreed upon definitions on the classroom board and have students write the final definitions in a notebook.

Vocabulary (from Merriam-Webster online dictionary): Migration – the movement of people from one place to another Immigrant – a person who leaves one country to settle in another. Usually by choice. Slavery – a system which forces a person to work for someone for little or no pay and against the person’s will. Chattel – someone who is the property of another person Diaspora – the scattering of a group of people (who share a common nationality and/or ethnicity) from their original homeland to new lands where they become a minority. People of a Diaspora keep stories and myths about their homeland to maintain a connection and identity and usually cannot return for some reason. Slave Trade – the buying and selling of people as slaves Citizen – a member of a city or nation who has the full rights guaranteed by all freemen Colonization – when a nation sends its citizens to dominate and live in a new land. Race – a category of people sharing distinctive characteristics

DAY 2 PART 1 (10 minutes) Have students read about what the African Diaspora is, by looking up “African Diaspora” on Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_diaspora As a class, review the definition of African Diaspora together, the African Slave Trade Map may be projected at the front of the class or printed and handed out to each student. Note for students that enslaved Africans were taken to wide ranging countries: “The African Diaspora was the movement of Africans and their descendants to places throughout the world - predominantly to the Americas, then later to Europe, the Middle East and other places around the globe. The term is applied in particular to the descendents of the Black Africans who were enslaved and shipped to the Americas by way of the Atlantic slave trade, with the largest population in Brazil (see Afro-Brazilian). People of Sub-Saharan descent number at least 800 million in Africa and over 140 million in the Western Hemisphere, representing around 14% of the world's population.”

PART 2 (35 minutes) Next, break students up into groups of 4-5 students. Assign each group one of the following sections of the Wikipedia article:  Dispersal through slavery  Dispersal through migration  Definitions  North America  Latin America and Europe  Canada The teacher may choose to have students look up the article online or print out each section in advance and hand out printed sections to each group. Have students read their section and hold a quick (10 minute) discussion in their small groups. Each group will then present their section to the larger class. Students may choose to add their own comments about the section. Is this history that they already had prior knowledge about? Is this history in their class textbooks? As a class, discuss the difference between a voluntary (economic) immigrant and an involuntary (forced) immigrant (10 minutes). What are some possible factors which would force someone to migrate to a new country? How might a voluntary immigrant have a different experience in America than an involuntary immigrant? What similarities would they share?

Day 3 At this point, the teacher may choose to take his/her students for a visit to Museum of the African Diaspora to gain a more solid understanding of the concepts covered above. Alternately, the teacher may choose to proceed with the next section before making a visit to the museum. Part 1 (45 minutes) Students will research African immigrant stories online to complete this assignment. Each student will research a contemporary African immigrant story and a story collected from a formerly enslaved African. Some excellent resources featuring interviews with immigrants can be found on the following sites:

 Museum of the African Diaspora (Slave narratives, including 21st C slave, Francis Bok) http://moadsf.org/salon/exhibits/slave_narratives/flash.php

 Library of Congress (20th and 21st Century immigrant stories) http://memory.loc.gov/learn//features/immig/interv/toc.php

 Library of Congress (Slave narratives) http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/voices/  New Deal Slave Narratives: http://newdeal.feri.org/asn/index.htm Part 2 (Homework) Students will write a reflection paper, as homework, comparing and contrasting the two stories. Questions to consider when writing the reflection paper are:  What are the main differences between the two stories?  What parts of the story tells you whether the person was a voluntary or involuntary immigrant?  Are there any details in the story which speak about the person bringing aspects of their home culture with them? What are those details?  Does the person enjoy the rights of a full citizen in their new nation?  Has colonialism affected the person’s life in any way? Extensions The project can be taken further by having students create a PowerPoint presentation about their two immigrant stories. Additionally, students may choose to interview a living African immigrant, if available. An extensive Curriculum Guide, “Africa Enslaved” a Curriculum Unit on Comparative Slave Systems for Grades 9-12 comparing slavery in nations outside the United States can be downloaded from: http://www.outreachworld.org/Files/u_texas/AfricaEnslaved.pdf

Source: http://coursedocs.slcc.edu/huma/1100/African%20slave%20trade.jpg

The Yoruba People of Nigeria Yoruba people (Yorùbá) are one of the largest ethno-linguistic or ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language. The Yoruba constitute around 30 million individuals throughout West Africa and are found predominantly in Nigeria making up approximately 21 percent of its total population. While the majority of the Yoruba live in western Nigeria, there are also substantial indigenous Yoruba communities in the Republic of Yoruba woman Benin, Brazil, Cuba, Haiti, USA, the United Kingdom, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Puerto Rico, Ghana and Togo.

Yoruba drummers

Yoruba Religion Yoruba religion and mythology is a major influence in West Africa, chiefly in Nigeria, and it has given origin to several New World religions such as Santería in Cuba and Puerto Rico, Voudoun in Haiti, and Candomblé in Brazil.

Participants honouring Obatala

Itan is the term for the sum total of all Yoruba myths, songs, histories, and other cultural components. These mostly originate from the ese (verses) of the Odu Ifa.

The Yoruba Diaspora Ethnic Yoruba people were among the largest in number of African peoples who were enslaved and taken by European traders to Cuba, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Haiti, Trinidad and the rest of the New World (chiefly in the 19th century). The enslaved Africans carried their Orisha religious beliefs with them. These concepts were combined with pre-existing African-based religions, Christianity, and Native American mythology into various New World lineages which are Lucumí (Cuba, Puerto Rico), Oyotunji (U.S.), Anago (Nigeria), Candomblé (Brazil), Umbanda (Brazil), Batuque (Brazil) and Kaaro oojire (Nigeria). The popularly known Vodou religion of Haiti combines the religious beliefs of the many different African ethnic nationalities taken to the island with the structure and liturgy from the Fon-Ewe of present-day Benin and the Congo-Angolan culture area, but Yoruba-derived religious ideology and deities also play an important role. Yoruba Deities Yoruba Orishas (deities) include one creator God (Olodumare) and approximately 400 supernatural spirits. Some of the most prominent spirits are: Olorun - God of Heaven Eshu - The Trickster Ogun - god of Iron

Obatala - Spirit of justice Yemonja - Spirit of fertility and waters (Mermaid) Ọya - Spirit of wind and storm Orunmila - Spirit of divination or fate Ibeji - Spirit of twins Ọsanyin - Spirit of medicines and healing Ọsun - Spirit of love, protector of children and mothers Shango - Spirit of thunder and lightning Ochosi - Spirit of the hunt Some of these deities actually lived amongst the people, often as warriors with fearsome reputations. These reputations often lead to them becoming deified (made into gods) in death, with people naturally trying to harness their abilities. For instance Shango (Spirit of thunder and lightning) was known to emit fire from his mouth when he spoke, and was able to initiate and control thunder and lightning. Human beings and other sentient creatures are also assumed to have their own individual deity of destiny, called "Ori", who is venerated (honored) through a sculpture symbolically decorated with cowry shells. Traditionally, dead parents and other ancestors are also believed to possess powers of protection over their descendants. This belief is expressed in veneration and sacrifice on the grave or symbol of the ancestor, or as a community in the observance of the Egungun festival where the ancestors are represented as a colorful masquerade of costumed and masked men who represent the ancestral spirits. Dead parents and ancestors are also commonly venerated by pouring libations to the earth and the breaking of kola nuts in their honor at special occasions. Ochun, by unknown artist

Today, many contemporary Yoruba are Muslims and Christians evenly population-wise. A small number of Yoruba, especially in the remote or rural areas, retain many of the cultural concepts of Yoruba pagan traditions.

Critical Reading Questions 1. Besides Nigeria, what are some of the other countries where you can find the Yoruba people? In what ways do you think Yoruba culture has influenced the cultures of these other countries?

2. Why did Yoruba people syncretise (blend) their traditional gods with the saints of Christianity?

3. When Shango spoke, do you think fire really came out of his mouth, or do you think this description is a metaphor? Why or why not? If not, why do you think people described him in this way?

The Creation of Vodou Haitian Vodou was created in the sixteenth century when enslaved Africans brought their religious traditions from West and Central Africa to the Americas. The term Vodou means "sacred, spirit, or divine creation" in the Fon language. Like members of the Yoruba Diaspora, the enslaved Africans brought to Haiti were forced to convert Fon/Ewe to Catholicism. The enslaved Africans had such a strong connection to their traditional practices and beliefs that Kongo they resisted losing their beliefs. Vodou is based upon a merging of the beliefs and practices of the Fon, Ewe, and Kongo peoples of West and Central Africa with Arawak Indian1 religious beliefs, and European Catholic practices. The enslaved Africans found the symbols and saints of Catholicism to be so similar to the symbols and deities in their own beliefs that it was easy to syncretise (merge together) the two religions. The Vodou concept of a supreme God, Bondye became conflated (mixed up) with the Christian concept of God and the Loa (Vodou deities) became conflated with the Catholic saints. In Vodou the deities, symbols, and art practices which have survived are one which come from multiple origins. Concepts such as the veneration of ancestors, protective magic, the crossroads, sacred cosmography (the science of mapping the universe), and the concept of balancing hot and cool energies are present in the spiritual practices and the arts. In Vodou belief, Bondye is unreachable. Consequently, Vodou practitioners direct their prayers to the loa. Some of the most important loa include: Ogou – the spirit of Iron, Fire, Politics, and War. The clearer of paths. Papa Legba - guardian of the crossroads Erzulie Freda (also Ezili) - the spirit of love Simbi - the spirit of rain and magicians Bawon Samdi – the loa of the dead, the ancestors The Marasa - divine twins, considered to be the first children of Bondye In 1987, Haiti passed its current constitution which guarantees religious equality, including the practice of Vodou. Although films produced by Hollywood have falsely presented Vodou as black magic which emphasizes turning people into zombies and voodoo dolls, the religion is actually more about celebrating life and teaching morals. Stories and songs in Haitian Vodou teach practitioners of the religion about the

The Arawak Indians were the original inhabitants of the Caribbean islands.

evils of greed and dishonor. Keeping a cool head is highly valued, although the religion teaches practitioners to protect oneself and oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family if necessary. Community and giving back to support the community are highly valued qualities for Vodou practitioners.

Critical Reading Questions 1. Vodou is the result of merging which cultures? What caused these cultures to merge?

2. How is the formation of Vodou in Haiti similar to the formation of Yoruba-derived religions in the New World?

3. What do the teachings of Vodou emphasize? Is the religion individualistic or community-oriented?

4. THINKING CRITICALLY: Why do you think Hollywood has portrayed Vodou as black magic and emphasized demon possession and zombies? Does this have some connection to the slavery system?

Drapo Vodou Grades 6 – 12 Lesson Plan Drapo to Ogou by Yves Telemak, Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Erzulie Dantor drapo by Georges Valris Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Objectives: Students will gain an in-depth understanding of the symbols and techniques employed to create Haitian ceremonial flags (drapo Vodou). Students will make their own version of Drapo Vodou using symbols either derived from the Haitian vévés or symbols important to their own lives and beliefs. Overview: In this lesson, students will:  Learn about and discuss various vévés (Haitian Vodou symbols)  Learn about Drapo Vodou and how they are employed in Haitian culture  Consider symbols that are important to their own lives and culture  Create their own drapo Vodou Background: Drapo Vodou are ritual flags which are paraded around at the beginning of a Vodou ceremony to summon the Loa (deities). Made of satin, velvet, or rayon, and adorned with sequins, beads, or appliqué fabric, these flags have become one of the most widely recognized forms of Vodou art. Although the flags are beautiful works of art, Drapo Vodou are most powerful in the religion because of the spiritual power they carry. The flags not only represent the deities which they are made to honor, they also represent the strength and identity of the community. Each drapo is typically dedicated to a single Loa, incorporating the Loa's sacred colors and symbols (vévé). Most Vodou societies own only two flags and usually one of the flags is dedicated to Ogou. In Vodou, balance is essential. Ogou represents hot energy, so the other flag paired with Ogou usually represents a cool loa such as Erzulie Freda.

Vévés of Haiti Agwe

Damballah-Wedo

Ogou

Gran Bwa

Damballah-Wedo

Papa Legba

Ayizen

Gede/Bawon Samdi Marassa

Erzulie-Freda

Damballah-Wedo

Maman Brijit

Erzulie-Freda

Simbi

Time: Two 45-minute class periods Materials:  Art paper (8 ½‖ X 11‖)  Vévé sheet  Crayons, markers, or colored pencils  Sequins and beads  White glue and/or hot glue guns DAY I Discussion (10 minutes) Discuss the power of a symbol with your students by considering some of the most familiar and powerful symbols throughout history. Also have students consider some of the symbols they encounter in everyday life. Be sure to discuss religious symbols such as the Cross or the Star of David as well as not so positive symbols, i.e. swastikas. Draw Designs (30 minutes) 1. Pass out the vévé sheet. 2. Give each student a piece of art paper 3. Instruct students to either draw out one of the vévés on their paper or create their own symbols. If students opt to create their own symbols, these can be created by combining letters and symbols or imagery important to them. For more information on how popular symbols have evolved see the following link: http://www.designboom.com/contemporary/peace.html Outlining the development of the Peace symbol from the letters ―N‖ and ―D‖ from the Nuclear Disarmament movement.

4. Remember to have students use their entire sheet of paper for their designs. Symmetry is important in vévé designs, because with symmetry comes balance. Vévés are representations of the balance between forces of life and death, good and evil, heaven and earth. They provide a point of focus and unsymmetrical designs could be chaotic and out of balance. DAY 2 Embellishment 1. Have students work out a color scheme for their drapo. These can be added directly to their designs for reference. 

The Loa are represented by specific color schemes. Hot loa are represented by hot colors such as red and cool loa are represented by cooler colors like blue. For example, Ogou is represented by red, Erzulie is represented by blue with touches of red.

Pass out glue and sequins and have students fill in their designs. Let them know that each area does not need to be completely filled in. Variation also creates balance.

EXTENSION: If you want to take this lesson plan further and offer your students a more authentic version of a Drapo Vodou, you can do this project on fabric and have students sew sequins and beads to the fabric. Fabric designs will likely double the amount of class periods needed.

Additional Resources The MoAD Education Department creates curriculum resource guides for all of our special exhibitions. Below is a list of lesson plans created for other exhibitions that tie into the content of African Continuum. Other curriculum resource guides may be downloaded as pdf’s from the MoAD website at: http://www.moadsf.org/education/curriculum.html. We have also listed some useful links to resources on the web.  Double Exposure Curriculum Resource Guide: ―The Revolution Will Not Be Televised‖ (Grades 5-12) located on page 15.  Decoding Identity Curriculum Resource Guide: ―Who Am I, Really?‖ (Grades 6-12) located on page 11.  The Art of Richard Mayhew: ―Place, Power, and Race‖ (Grades 8-12) located on page 26. ONLINE RESOURCES Amazing examples of Drapo Vodou may be found on the Indigo Arts website: http://www.indigoarts.com/gallery_haiti_main.html The Center for Black Studies Research at UC Santa Barbara has an extensive list of resources and scholarly articles relating to Haiti and Haitian art forms: http://research.ucsb.edu/cbs/projects/haiti/kosanba/index.html Afro Cuba Web is a thorough resource about the African Diasporas present in Cuba. The site particularly focuses on the Yoruba and Kongo influences and connections to music, food, and the visual arts of Cuba: http://afrocubaweb.com/ The University of Michigan has developed an extensive online timeline of the African presence in the Americas (including the five places covered in African Continuum): http://www.si.umich.edu/CHICO/Schomburg/text/timeline-start.html The Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture, part of the New York Public Library system has resources and additional curriculum, many of which tie directly into the content of African Continuum: http://www.nypl.org/locations/tid/64/node/62877

California State Standards Addressed In This Guide NOTE: The following is meant to serve as a map to guide educators toward specific standards addressed in this curriculum guide. In most cases, specific sub-strands are omitted in the interest of saving space. To get more in-depth content standards information, please visit the California State Content Standards online at http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/.

Constructing a Diaspora (Grades 6-12) Grade 6-8 History / Social Studies Content Standards Chronological and Spatial Thinking 1. Students explain how major events are related to one another in time. 2. Students construct various time lines of key events, people, and periods of the historical era they are studying. 3. Students use a variety of maps and documents to identify physical and cultural features of neighborhoods, cities, states, and countries and to explain the historical migration of people, expansion and disintegration of empires, and the growth of economic systems. Research, Evidence, and Point of View 1. Students frame questions that can be answered by historical study and research. 2. Students distinguish fact from opinion in historical narratives and stories. 3. Students distinguish relevant from irrelevant information, essential from incidental information, and verifiable from unverifiable information in historical narratives and stories. 4. Students assess the credibility of primary and secondary sources and draw sound conclusions from them. 5. Students detect the different historical points of view on historical events and determine the context in which the historical statements were made (the questions asked, sources used, authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspectives). 7.11 Students analyze political and economic change in the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries (the Age of Exploration, the Enlightenment, and the Age of Reason). 1. Know the great voyages of discovery, the locations of the routes, and the influence of cartography in the development of a new European worldview. 2. Discuss the exchanges of plants, animals, technology, culture, and ideas among Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and the major economic and social effects on each continent. 3. Examine the origins of modern capitalism; the influence of mercantilism and cottage industry; the elements and importance of a market economy in seventeenth-century Europe; the changing international trading and marketing patterns, including their locations on a world map; and the influence of explorers and map makers.

8.6 Students analyze the divergent paths of the American people from 1800 to the mid-1800s and the challenges they faced, with emphasis on the Northeast.

4. Study the lives of black Americans who gained freedom in the North and founded schools and churches to advance their rights and communities.

8.7 Students analyze the divergent paths of the American people in the South from 1800 to the mid-1800s and the challenges they faced. 2. Trace the origins and development of slavery; its effects on black Americans and on the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s political, social, religious, economic, and cultural development; and identify the strategies that were tried to both overturn and preserve it (e.g., through the writings and historical documents on Nat Turner, Denmark Vesey). 4. Compare the lives of and opportunities for free blacks in the North with those of free blacks in the South.

8.9 Students analyze the early and steady attempts to abolish slavery and to realize the ideals of the Declaration of Independence. 1. Describe the leaders of the movement (e.g., John Quincy Adams and his proposed constitutional amendment, John Brown and the armed resistance, Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, Benjamin Franklin, Theodore Weld, William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass). 6. Describe the lives of free blacks and the laws that limited their freedom and economic opportunities.

Grades 9-12 Chronological and Spatial Thinking 1. Students compare the present with the past, evaluating the consequences of past events and decisions and determining the lessons that were learned. 2. Students analyze how change happens at different rates at different times; understand that some aspects can change while others remain the same; and understand that change is complicated and affects not only technology and politics but also values and beliefs. 3. Students use a variety of maps and documents to interpret human movement, including major patterns of domestic and international migration, changing environmental preferences and settlement patterns, the frictions that develop between population groups, and the diffusion of ideas, technological innovations, and goods. 4. Students relate current events to the physical and human characteristics of places and regions.

Historical Research, Evidence, and Point of View 1. Students distinguish valid arguments from fallacious arguments in historical interpretations. 2. Students identify bias and prejudice in historical interpretations. 3. Students evaluate major debates among historians concerning alternative interpretations of the past, including an analysis of authorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; use of evidence and the distinctions between sound generalizations and misleading oversimplifications. 4. Students construct and test hypotheses; collect, evaluate, and employ information from multiple primary and secondary sources; and apply it in oral and written presentations. Historical Interpretation 1. Students show the connections, causal and otherwise, between particular historical events and larger social, economic, and political trends and developments. 2. Students recognize the complexity of historical causes and effects, including the limitations on determining cause and effect. 3. Students interpret past events and issues within the context in which an event unfolded rather than solely in terms of present-day norms and values. 4. Students understand the meaning, implication, and impact of historical events and recognize that events could have taken other directions.

Drapo Vodou (Grades 6-12) Visual Arts Content Standards

2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Visual Arts Students apply artistic processes and skills, using a variety of media to communicate meaning and intent in original works of art. Skills, Processes, Materials, and Tools 2.1 Use various observational drawing skills to depict a variety of subject matter. Communication and Expression Through Original Works of Art 2.4 Create increasingly complex original works of art reflecting personal choices and increased technical skill. 2.5 Select specific media and processes to express moods, feelings, themes, or ideas. Skills, Processes, Materials, and Tools 2.1 Develop increasing skill in the use of at least three different media. 2.3 Develop skill in using mixed media while guided by a selected principle of design.

3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT Understanding the Historical Contributions and Cultural Dimensions of the Visual Arts Students analyze the role and development of the visual arts in past and present cultures throughout the world, noting human diversity as it relates to the visual arts and artists. Role and Development of the Visual Arts 3.1 Identify similarities and differences in the purposes of art created in selected cultures. Diversity of the Visual Arts 3.3 Identify and describe trends in the visual arts and discuss how the issues of time, place, and cultural influence are reflected in selected works of art. 3.4 Discuss the purposes of art in selected contemporary cultures.