Stockbridge Indian Deed Totems

Many real estate documents filed in Pittsfield or Springfield bear signatures of Stockbridge Indians in the form of figures, or totems, representing deer, heron, beaver, bear and other clans. Indiantown had a mix of people of native, English, Dutch and African descent in the mid1700s. All but English at times signed deeds with stick‐figure clan symbols, inspiration for the following art project.

Third Grade Art Lesson: Native American Name Symbols

A lesson plan for one period

Massachusetts Art Frameworks: 1.2 (drawing), 2.2 (line), 3.2 (expressive work that explores abstraction), 3.3 (embody an idea), 8.3 (inspiration from historical and cultural styles)

Instructional Objective: One purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to symbolic pictorial name symbols of early local Native Americans. A second purpose is for students to explore creating a symbol by simplifying an animal shape.

A. Behavioral Objectives: The students will: 1. demonstrate an understanding of Native American clan or name symbols and design a similar symbol. (cognitive) 2. express an idea in their art: a symbol of their personality. (affective) 3. use black and white drawing materials to create an animal symbol (psychomotor)

B. Narrative Understanding and appreciating Native American clan or name symbols can provide artists with a link to the past and inspire new art work. Clan or name symbols were used by Native Americans on documents such as deeds. They were a form of picture writing, taking inspiration from nature, especially simplified animal forms. Some historians think the Mohicans, who lived along the Massachusetts‐New York border, had three clans: the wolf, the bear and the turtle. Other sources mention a turkey and deer clan. According to modern day Mohicans there was a bear clan among the Stockbridge Mohicans.

C. Classroom Activities

C1. Pretest and Classroom Discussion
In a classroom discussion teacher elicits from students what they may know of the native Mohicans or their picture writing. Teacher then paraphrases the above information and shows students examples of name symbols. Teacher also displays photographs of similar subjects and explains how the nature designs, such as animals, were simplified or abstracted to create the symbols.

C2. Visual Aids
The teacher creates large black and white drawings or photocopy enlargements of traditional clan and name symbols, using the references listed below.

C3. Student Activity
Students discuss personality traits (for example, strength, speed, studiousness, kindness, humor. persistence), and what elements from nature, especially animals, may be used to symbolize that trait. Students sketch a few animals and simplified symbol ideas with pencil on paper first, then draw a more finished copy of a name symbol for themselves with black markers.

C4. Materials
scrap paper, pencils, good drawing paper about 6”x6”, thin black markers

C5. Vocabulary
Especially: symbol, personality trait, style, clan, Mohican, clan/name symbol, Native Americans
And also: documents, deeds, signature

D. Assessment

Students display symbols. They explain their choices and the process they used to simplify or abstract nature forms.

E. Extensions

Students may use their name symbol to sign a document ‐ for example a document promising to learn about and respect the cultures of others; or a document about giving others in their school and community fair and equal treatment. The documents could be written by students in language arts class ahead of time, or the art teacher could prepare the documents.

— Donna Drew

SOURCES

 Wilbur, C. Keith, The New England Indians. Old Saybrook, Conn.: Globe Pequot Press, 1978.
 Dunn, Shirley W. The Mohican World 1680‐1750. Fleishmanns, NY: Purple Mountain Press, 2000.
 Blanchard, David. Seven Generations: A History of the Kanienkehaka. Kahnawake Survival, 1980. www.schoolnet.ca/aboriginal/ 7gen/symbol‐e.html
 Robinson, Barbara. Native American Sourcebook: A Teacher’s Resource on New England Native Peoples. Concord, Mass.: 1988.