By Tiffany Thomas
SIX NATIONS – CBC aired “Maci’s Longhouse Sculpture”, an episode from the series “The Art Show” based on real children getting inspired to create their own art, yesterday morning around 11 a.m.
Maci General, wolf clan of the Cayuga Nation from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, made a Traditional Iroquois Longhouse Sculpture out of tree bark, branches, sticks and leaves with her brother Mark at the Kanata Village on the Six Nations Reserve. The young artist had heard about the opportunity through her dance teacher Michelle Farmer.
“We got to make whatever we wanted and I wanted to bring my culture into the show. The video was shot in one day and we loved the producers even though I can’t remember their names,” she said with a giggle.
The five-minute, 23-second long video features a visual representation of a historic Iroquois Longhouse, as well as Maci and Mark making their own miniature model. When the Two Row Times asked Maci why she loved art so much she said, “Crafting things is how I express my love for something, or my love for someone. I think handmade gifts are more special than things that are bought. Just because things that are bought don’t have that love and expression that you can make for somebody”.
The video also shares some knowledge on Iroquois culture, beliefs and history, “which is what made it that much better,” said Maci. Visit CBC Kids for a complete listing of all aired series.
