The Conundrum of critical pedagogy in Arts Education

The Conundrum of critical pedagogy in Community Arts Education

As an Aboriginal artist, Mother, activist, and educator, I have always held the belief that the main purpose of community arts education was to provide a vehicle to facilitate the voice of marginalized societies. Yet- all that I have witnessed during the past decade of my own involvement within these institutions is the continued subjugation of Indigenous knowledge. Case in point, during my seven years of studying "Art and Art History" in Canada, I never once was presented with the opportunity of studying an Aboriginal art history. Imagine how an aboriginal student would feel, as they attend these institutions, which are located upon traditional territory, and never once being witness to an accurate representation of them-selves within. What are the effects of this academic apartheid upon the Aboriginal students psyche? As we recognize ourselves as being non-existent within the academy, we become forced, either to succumb towards feelings of inferiority "by the death and burial of our local culture,"(quote) or to revolt. If the complete negation of traditional Aboriginal epistemologies from the academy, is part of Canada's plan to create a homogenized society(ibister) , then educators employing critical pedagogy must challenge the hegemony of Eurocentric thought by decolonizing the curriculum, through enabling the complete recovery and validation of the subjugated students knowledge. Our revolution will be only be realized by ensuring that the Indigenous local, become precedent. For- if we attempt to mobilize international social justice movements without maintaining this requirement, we will only become guilty of contributing towards the homogenization of resistant culture. It is only through recognizing and maintaining our diversity locally, that we may find our strengths, in the struggle against the colonization of culture, globally.