Anonymous
asked:
p1 The anon about the play thing again : The play would be about a very specific historical period (1604-1713), and would feature French settlers, the Anishinaabeg, Wendat, Haudenosaunee and the English. The mission of the play would be to try and show all sides of a story, showing each group's goals, what they went through, etc. they want to give the students (who are 10) a better understanding. I worry about the idea of costumes though, since they would not have enough if any Indigenous kids

p2 to play those parts. It’s just that this area tends to be a cultural desert so if there’s any Indigenous children, there are not enough for all the parts they would need and they’d have to be played by non-Indigenous children, and the whole costume thing… I just worry if it’s appropriate because I worry that if you let them play these parts that it’d be a gateway to halloween costumes and appropriation… that’s my main worry :/

I am more concerned with how they will present the settler’s “goals”. If they attempt to sympathize with settlers, or justify their behavior, that will be a devastating stereotype these children will need to unlearn later. Cultural appropriation is not okay, as you know, but I think that if the play demonstrates “both sides” that will be even more harmful.