Church in Yuquot Village (Indian Church)
Study Guide

Church in Yuquot Village (Indian Church)

Emily Carr

1929

About the study guide

This easy to use guide has been thoughtfully created to assist teachers with their curriculum and lessons. 

Download Study Guide
Church at Yuquot Villiage (Indian Church) - Emily Carr
Painting of a small white church surrounded by a tall green forest.
Re-Invaders: Digital Intervention on an Emily Carr Painting
Sonny Assu, Re-Invaders: Digital Intervention on an Emily Carr Painting (Indian Church, 1929), 2014

About the study guide

This easy to use guide has been thoughtfully created to assist teachers with their curriculum and lessons. 

Download Study Guide

About the artwork

Emily Carr painted this artwork in 1929 on the Pacific coast of Vancouver Island. The village is the ancestral home of the Mowachaht people. It is done from a one point perspective. Contrast is evident in the artwork.

About the artist

Emily Carr was an independent, eccentric Victorian woman living in Canada. She explored the presence of god in nature. She had relationships with many First Nations People. Her career blossoms in her middle age after meeting the Group of Seven.

Please preview the short film and then share it with your students. Select one or two guiding questions that reflect your curriculum and can guide student research and inquiry connected to the artwork, artists, and the socio-cultural context in which it was created.

Guiding Questions

  • In what ways does tension exist in this artwork?
  • How does this artwork reflect the changing relationship between First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples and settlers?
  • Is this artwork an appropriation or appreciation of Indigenous culture?
  • Sonny Assu is a Ligwilda'xw Kwakwaka'wakw contemporary artist. How does his reclamation of the painting reflect relationships?
  • Whose perspective is being upheld in this artwork?
  • What power does naming have?
  • In what ways is Canadian identity tied to our natural landscape?
  • How did the colonialist policies of the new Canadian government have an impact on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit individuals and communities?
  • Why do you think that certain people or events become national symbols?
  • What social attitudes past and present are reflected in this artwork?
  • How does Emily Carr uphold or push the role of women?
  • What impact does artists’ portrayal of Indigenous individuals and communities during this period have on Canadians’ understanding of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures?
  • What do we know about the history of Aboriginal peoples of Canada prior to their contact with Europeans?
  • How might you respond to a theme in the artwork through a monologue, dialogue, dance, artwork, poem, or song?
  • How might you express your learning of the artwork through a monologue, dialogue, dance, artwork, or song?
  • How does this painting help us to judge the long-term impact on Canada and Canadian identity of shifting relationships between First Nations peoples and Europeans?
  • Have the experiences of all groups been given equal treatment in the narrative of early Canada?
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Ontario Secondary Curriculum Connections - Overall Expectations

The Arts - Visual Arts

B1. The Critical Analysis Process: demonstrate an understanding of the critical analysis process by examining, interpreting, evaluating, and reflecting on various art works;

B2. Art, Society, and Values: demonstrate an understanding of how art works reflect the society in which they were created, and of how they can affect personal values;

C1. Terminology: demonstrate an understanding of, and use correct terminology when referring to, elements, principles, and other components related to visual arts;

C2. Conventions and Techniques: demonstrate an understanding of conventions and techniques used in the creation of visual art works;

C3. Responsible Practices: demonstrate an understanding of responsible practices related to visual arts.

The Arts - Media Arts

B1. The Critical Analysis Process: demonstrate an understanding of the critical analysis process by using it to monitor the creative process, and by examining, interpreting, assessing, and reflecting on media artworks;

B2. Identity and Values: demonstrate an understanding of how media art works reflect personal and cultural identity, and affect personal, cultural, and community values and their awareness of those values;

C2. Contexts and Influences: demonstrate an understanding of the sociocultural and historical contexts of media arts;

C3. Responsible Practices: demonstrate an understanding of responsible practices associated with producing, presenting, and experiencing media art works.

The Arts - Dance

A2. Choreography and Composition: combine the elements of dance in a variety of ways in composing individual and ensemble dance creations;

The Arts - Drama

A1. The Creative Process: use the creative process and a variety of sources and forms, both individually and collaboratively, to design and develop drama works;

B2. Drama and Society: demonstrate an understanding of how societies present and past use or have used drama, and of how creating and viewing drama can benefit individuals, groups, and communities;

The Arts - Music

A1. The Creative Process: apply the stages of the creative process when performing notated and/or improvised music and composing and/or arranging music;

History:

A1. Historical Inquiry: use the historical inquiry process and the concepts of historical thinking when investigating aspects of Canadian history, with a focus on the development of identity and culture (CHI4U)

B2. Significant Interactions: analyse the impact of significant interactions, including interactions with the environment, on the selected ethnic group’s country or region of origin

B3. Culture and Identity: analyse ways in which various factors contributed to the development of culture and identity in the selected ethnic group in its country or region of origin

English:

Writing: use a variety of organizational structures and patterns to produce coherent and effective written work;

Writer’s Craft:

B: Practising Writing: 1. Exploring Ideas, Forms, and Styles: generate and experiment with ideas about writing content, forms, and styles;

Communications Technology:

A1. demonstrate an understanding of the core concepts, techniques, and skills required to produce a range of communications media products and services;

C2. demonstrate an understanding of the social effects of current communications media technologies and the importance of respecting cultural and societal diversity in the production of media projects.

Communications Technology: Broadcast and Print Production

A1. demonstrate an understanding of the core concepts, techniques, and skills required to produce a range of audio, video, broadcast journalism, graphic arts, and printing and publishing products or services;

C2. demonstrate an understanding of social effects and issues arising from the use of communications media technologies and the importance of respecting cultural and societal diversity in the production of media projects.