Acimowin Anaskanak - Story Scrolls: A Methodology of First Nations Art Practices as a Healing Tool

Abstract

This study utilizes visual art as a tool to encourage survivors of Indian Residential Schools to share their experiences as a means toward connecting with community and fostering healing. This work is informed by personal and familial experiences and is inspired by First Nations Plains peoples who understood the power of visual art and story as a medicine for trauma. Story Scrolls use historically inspired visual artwork and oral methodologies to create contemporary Indigenous art. Due to the traumatization that occurred to First Nations children in Indian residential schools, many have not shared their personal stories. Story Scrolls combine visual art creation, Indigenous art history and activity based learning as a therapeutic way for those who attended and those dealing with intergenerational trauma from the Indian Residential School system. This study presents an Indigenous-inspired methodology that focuses on contemporary First Nations people facilitating their own story sharing sessions painted on scrolls of canvas; it is called Acimowin-Anaskanak, Story Scrolls.