Restorying Historical Trauma
Total Time: Approx. 2 to 3 hours
Participants will become familiar with the strategy of restorying by telling “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” from the point of view a character other than Goldilocks. After watching the video Strike Them Hard!, which retells the story of the Baker Massacre from a Blackfoot/Blackfeet perspective, participants use a Gallery Walk to review the use of story to transmit knowledge and to promote healing.
Activity 1: Introduction to Restorying
Form small groups. Ask participants to review the story of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” After making a list of the characters in the story, participants summarize the story from the point of view of a character other than Goldilocks, such as the woodcutter, mama bear, papa bear, baby bear, Goldilocks’ sibling or another family member.
Ask groups to use another artistic medium, such as song, reader’s theatre or images, to prepare a presentation of the story from different character’s point of view. If possible, encourage groups to select different characters so that a range of points of view is presented.
After the presentations, discuss the importance of point of view, focusing on the sense of power that comes with being able to speak from your viewpoint.
Activity 2: View Video Strike Them Hard!
Strike Them Hard! (21:21 minutes) is located in the Observing Practice section of Healing Historical Trauma.
Overview of video: Drama teacher Ramona Big Head, member of the Kainai Nation, wrote and produced a play about the Baker Massacre from a Blackfoot/Blackfeet perspective. Students from grades 1 to 12 participated in production of this play about a historical event of significance to the Blackfoot People. This example shows how to examine local events from an Indigenous perspective in addition to the usual historical perspective.
Allow time for discussion and response to the video.
Activity 3: Gallery Walk
Materials: Large sticky notes and chart paper
After viewing the video, ask participants to reconsider their experience of telling “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” from a different point of view. Ask them to relate their understanding of point of view to the play about the Baker Massacre. Do they think the retelling would help heal the community? If so, how?
Overview of Gallery Walk: Participants record their ideas on sticky notes and post them on the walls by topic. Participants walk around the room and read the notes before gathering in a large group to discuss the ideas presented.
Ask participants to record on sticky notes their ideas about the following:
- Strike Them Hard!
- theatre or story for transmitting knowledge
- theatre or story for healing
Post chart paper in different areas of the room. Title each paper with one of the above three topics. Ask participants to read the notes posted by their peers. Gather as a large group and share what they learned from the responses that were posted.
Wrap up: Encourage the participants to go back to the Walking Together digital resource as often as they can to learn more about the topic of Healing Historical Trauma.
