PRINT CULTURE, THE BODY AND REPRESENTATIONS OF (THE) LIONS

Our previous planning process had revealed a group interest of investigating ideas of how the Nittany Lion represented us and how we (as members of PSU) are represented by the Nittany Lion. Wikipedia notes that mascots are used to represent groups with common public identities. Often, mascots reflect desired qualities that can personify competitive spirits. Another connection to our work with representations comes from traditions of American Indians for whom animal totems are intricately woven together with spiritual paths. Animals totems, in this tradition, are symbolic objects that allow people to get in touch with specific qualities found within the animal which the person needs, connects with, or feels a deep affinity toward.  The connection to American Indian lore may very well serve as the bases for the term “Nittany” lion, http://www.mtnittany.org/Lore-Nita-nee-Juniata-Maiden.htm, and as such, serves as the basis for much of our inquiry.

As a means of thinking about the idea of representation, it seemed appropriate to think about the qualities of lions (mountain lions and nittany lions) to begin to open up connections between us, and our school mascot.  In order to do so, the students went on a library search to investigate print materials.  The idea was for students to find a variety of different print materials related to lions, and consider how lions were represented in those materials. In other words, what can we learn about mountain lions from looking at different kinds of print material? More importantly, if we are not yet able to read words, what do we learn about mountain lions from looking at print material? How do young children use print material as a way to make meaning?

Working in teams, the students set out to find books. Immediately, it became apparent that many of them were not fluent in using the library. As a result, the students found themselves learning about how to use the library within the contexts of a purposeful driven activity. Working together, the students utilized the expertise of their teammates to work through library search engines and combed the stacks for their books. Picture books were a main source of material (likely a result of being in the education library and the proximity of this type of material). 

A line of flight…. While looking at books, students discovered new areas of inquiry. For example, Hali, Sam, Audrey and someone found a book that included curriculum ideas to study lions. Looking at a “find the lion” map search generated questions about where, in the US, mountain lions lived. Looking at the map, I asked, “does this map represent where you can find mountain lions in the US?  Do they really live in Florida?”  A quick google search provided the answer…yes, in fact they do, but they are endangered. Populations of mountain lions, who require isolated and undisturbed game-rich wilderness, have diminished as humans have encroached in their habitat. 

When we returned to the classroom, books in hand, we spent some time thinking about how the lions were represented in the books. The solitary life of the mountain lion was challenged by a children’s picture book (found by Danielle) that provided anthropomorphic features to tell the story of a family of lions. These lions were portrayed similarly to human families…living and playing together in harmony with other species of animals. 

Students were asked to think about the ways that the lions were represented and then asked to create a list of characteristics that describe mountain lions. We used these words to create a series of body sculptures.

·      fierce

·      smart

·      prou

·      furry

·      predator

·      sleek/ sly/ sneaky

·      loud

·      scary

·      majestic

·      strong

·      fast

·      cute

·      protective

·      talented

·      dangerous

·      friendly

·      hungry

·      social (?)

·      changing

·      fearless

·      ferocious

·      hunters

·      respected

·      endangered

At first, it seemed difficult for the students to take the bodywork seriously. There were lots of giggles and even more wandering eyes to check how other classmates were forming their bodies.  For some, allowing their body to do the work came easy while, for others, it was more difficult to release the reliance on language. Thinking through what the word meant, and how to make the body look slowed the process of sculpting (for some) leaving a few students looking around to decide what what they “should” do.

A final group sculpture allowed each student to find their individual voice within the space of community. As the facilitator, I chose the term “majestic” to create the group sculpture.

The discussion after revealed some interesting ways that making meaning with our bodies allowed for students to try on an identity of “majestic” and to consider how our combined efforts facilitated communal, public identities that are embedded within our singular components. Additionally, our discussion opened up spaces for students to consider the social nature of language, the fluidity of meaning, and the ways that knowledge is build through cumulative experiences that do not, necessarily, follow neat and linear patterns.

Audrey: I think that’s another thing, like how they were talking about two different meanings. Like if you go, and you were in class and your teacher, you say, I don’t know what blah, blah, blah word is and your teacher says “oh well, look it up, there’s a dictionary over there” but like, a dictionary definition is going to be like, a fact but what we all came up with was something completely different but they all stood for something majestic. And when we started adding stuff to, it was even more majestic. Like somebody might have an idea to, like, take it this way. It still stood for and represented majestic. 

Kris: yes, it makes that boundary of meaning more fluid, yes? It allows all of us to have our own piece of meaning and it doesn’t have to mean…well this means this and this means this. Now this means this AND this AND this AND this…all of equally valid meanings

Jess: I think like, going off what she said…we don’t think of ourselves as majestic as individuals but when we put us together and tried to put ourselves like that, we felt more like that. Like with the stadium thing you talked about. Like when I go there I don’t think of it as majestic but then when you put the team in there and everyone around and everything that goes on…  so I just think its neat how each one of us doesn’t feel majestic but you put us all together and we are. 

Kris: Together we add layers…we start to add layers of meaning and move things in new directions.

Jaime: It’s the same idea about beauty… if you go in the dictionary, it will tell you something but I think that something is beautiful doesn’t mean that everyone thinks that is beautiful. Any word is in the eye of beholder.