Norval Norval MorrisseauMorrisseau

"I go to the "I go to the inner places. I inner places. I

go to the go to the source. I even source. I even

dare to say, I go dare to say, I go to the house of to the house of

invention where invention where all the inventors all the inventors of mankind have of mankind have

been."been."

Self Portrait

““My paintings are icons, My paintings are icons, that is to say they are imagesthat is to say they are images

that focus on spiritual powers, that focus on spiritual powers, generated by traditional beliefs and generated by traditional beliefs and

wisdom.”wisdom.”

Shaman’s Ride

Otter with Michael Otter with Michael

Young Ojibway Indian Man

with Eagle Headdress" "Child Like Simplicity"

• Born outside of Thunder Bay. He is Ojibway

•A career of nearly fifty years

• His art and its transformations that have earned him the title shaman artist.

• At the age of thirteen he was given the name Copper Thunderbird by a medicine woman.

•The Thunderbird is a powerful Anishnaabe (Ojibwa) deity.

Morrisseau Morrisseau learned Anishnaabe cosmology learned Anishnaabe cosmology from his shaman grandfatherfrom his shaman grandfather, a member of , a member of the Midewiwin religious society, the Midewiwin religious society,

Christianity from his Catholic grandmotherChristianity from his Catholic grandmother. . He studied his Anishnaabe heritage He studied his Anishnaabe heritage

intensively, becoming a shaman. intensively, becoming a shaman. His art draws upon Midewiwin birchbark His art draws upon Midewiwin birchbark

scrolls, rock paintings and Anishnaabe scrolls, rock paintings and Anishnaabe decorative arts.decorative arts.

Oral traditionOral tradition

His grandfather told him the stories His grandfather told him the stories and legends passed down amongst the and legends passed down amongst the Ojibwa people. Ojibwa people.

As a child Norval began producing As a child Norval began producing images to illustrate these stories.images to illustrate these stories.

He would draw on the sandy beaches He would draw on the sandy beaches of Lake Nippagon with a stick and let of Lake Nippagon with a stick and let the waves take the images away. the waves take the images away.

He was told by some that it was taboo He was told by some that it was taboo to illustrate these stories. to illustrate these stories.

His art is like a stain glass His art is like a stain glass windowwindow

Transforming With Grandson was painted in 1990 by artist and shaman Norval Morrisseau.

Norval borrowed from his Catholic roots a style that he was comforatble with for religious iconography.

His visions, like ancient His visions, like ancient taboos that have taboos that have turned into dreams of turned into dreams of the future, come to life the future, come to life on canvas and paper. on canvas and paper.

They are talismans of They are talismans of the future and images the future and images of respect of the past. of respect of the past.

Sharing his storySharing his story

Norval was the first to paint the ancient Norval was the first to paint the ancient myths and legends of the eastern myths and legends of the eastern woodlands, stories previously passed woodlands, stories previously passed down by the oral tradition. down by the oral tradition.

His art creates a bridge of understanding His art creates a bridge of understanding between native and non-native cultures between native and non-native cultures

It appeals to a broad audience without It appeals to a broad audience without diminishing the integrity of their content. diminishing the integrity of their content.

Woodland or Legend Woodland or Legend paintingpainting

The artist charted the creative and spiritual The artist charted the creative and spiritual journey that would contribute to his unique journey that would contribute to his unique style of painting known as “Woodland” or style of painting known as “Woodland” or “Legend” painting, now called Anishnaabe, of “Legend” painting, now called Anishnaabe, of which he is the originator.which he is the originator.

His works evoke ancient symbolic etchings of His works evoke ancient symbolic etchings of sacred birchbark scrollssacred birchbark scrolls and pictographic renderings of spiritual creatures, and pictographic renderings of spiritual creatures,

Morrisseau “reveals” the souls of humans and Morrisseau “reveals” the souls of humans and animals through his unique “x-ray” style of animals through his unique “x-ray” style of imaging: imaging:

Artist and Shaman Between Two Artist and Shaman Between Two

Worlds 1980Worlds 1980

His StyleHis Style Combining Combining rich coloursrich colours, he represents , he represents

inner realities with inner realities with strong flowing lines, strong flowing lines, often indicating spiritual forces. often indicating spiritual forces.

His art expresses his spiritual explorations and His art expresses his spiritual explorations and aspects of Anishnaabe cultureaspects of Anishnaabe culture

It It reflects:reflects: tensions between Aboriginal cultures tensions between Aboriginal cultures

and Christianity,and Christianity, shamanism,shamanism, the interconnection between all living the interconnection between all living

things and the importance of the family things and the importance of the family

Tell your storyTell your story

Share a family story that gets retold around the dinner table or when your relatives get together. Or record an event that took place on a family trip

10 marks Draw and colour this narrative story in the Woodland style of Morrisseau

5 marks Write a paragraph that tells the story in words