My Artifact

Curricular Competencies Reflection

Comprehend and Connect

During this assignment, I learned about an aspect of identity that many Indigenous people face, which is having multiple identities that conflict with one another. In this poem, the speaker struggles with the clash between his identity as an Inuit person and his upbringing in the western system. He feels as though he is being torn in half by two identities that are pulling him in separate directions. I grew in my reading and interpreting skills by practicing my ability to identify poetic devices, analyze the structure of the poem, and pull meaning from the text. I also used prior knowledge combined with some research on the poet himself to properly interpret the poem. I can take the knowledge that I have gained and use it towards reconciliation by supporting other Indigenous artists such as poets and writers so that I can broaden my perspective on issues that concern the Indigenous community.

Core Competencies Reflection

Communication

I developed my communication skills during this project by understanding and sharing information about the poet and his work and responding to questions concisely and meaningfully. My strategy for collecting relevant information about the poet was to visit several credible sources so that I could gain accurate knowledge about the poet’s backstory in order to find a deeper meaning in the poem. This allowed me to share my interpretation of the poem with proper context. Additionally, I found numerous poetic devices in the poem and explained in depth how these devices enhanced that meaning and intent of the message that the poet was trying to send.