Project Description

Shawn’s Process

Deer Claw Rattle

Choosing the rattle: I knew that I wanted to create an audio piece, so I tried to focus on objects that produced sound. I was initially thinking of working with drums, but I found that I kept gravitating back to the rattle. I was thinking about these items stored away from sight/touch/sound etc. and

it occurred to me that perhaps things continually emit a pulse that transmits their knowledge/ideas, and it is up to us to tune into their frequencies. I feel like during my time in the ROM archives, I activated something within both the object and myself that warranted exploration.

Wakaterièn:tarahkwe’ tsi wa’kahská:neke’ ne akerennón:ni’. Sok ki’ wa’kate’nién:ten’ ne aontake’nikonhrakón:tahkwe’ tsi nonkwá:ti ne waterennótha’. Kéhrhahkwe’ tóka’ aontio’tèn:’en ne ie’nahkwakonhrékstha’, nek tsi tonke’nikonhratihéntho’ ne ostá:wen. Ia’kate’nikonhraié:ra’te’ tsi nón:we akwé:kon tewateweien’tónnion, né: ne tsi naho’tèn:shon iah tewá:tons ónhka aiontkáhtho’, iaieié:na’, tóka’ ni’ aiakothón:te’ne’ thí:ken. 

Wà:kehrek tóka’ nón:wa kí:ken naho’tèn:shon tionkwèn:nonks, tionkwá:wis ne attokháhtshera/anonhtonniónhtshera. Nek tsi ì:’i ionkwaterihwaién:ni ne taietewarihwa’será:ko’. Tsi nikarì:wes ROM tsi iontahkwenniaientáhkhwa’ ié:ke’skwe’, wa’kahténtia’te’ tiok nahò:ten nà:kon ne thí:ken ostawen’será:kon, tánon’ akwerià:ne ò:ni’. Né: takáhawe’ tsi wa’tewatonhóntsohwe’ ne atientéhrha’ne’ tánon’ akatatientéhrha’ne’.

ᓂᑭᑭᐢᑫᐣᑌᓂᑕᔾ ᐁᐎ ᐱᒉᐸᓂᒋᑭᔭᐸᐣ, ᐁᑯ ᒪᑲ ᓂᑭ ᑯᒋᑕᐣ ᒋᑭ ᒥᑌᓂᑕᒪᐣ ᓇᓇᑯ ᑫᑾᓇ ᑲ ᐯᑕᑯᑭ᙮ ᐅᐡᑲᐨ ᓂᐎ ᓄᒋᑕᑕᔾ ᒪᑌᑕᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᓇ ᓴᑯᐨ ᓂᐎ ᑭᐌᐱᑎᑯᐣ ᔓᐌᐱᒋᑲᓇᐣ ᓂᑭ ᑕᒪᒋᐦᐅᐣ, ᓂᑭ ᒥᑐᓄᐌᓂᑌᐣ ᐅᐦᐅ ᑫᑾᓇ ᒣᑾ ᐁ ᓂᑭᑲᑌᑫ ᒧᓇ ᐁ ᐗᐸᒋᑲᑌᑫ/ᒧᓇ ᐁ ᓄᒋᑕᓄᑫ/ᒧᓇ ᐁ ᑐᒋᑲᑌᑫ, ᐁᑯ ᒪᑲ ᓀᐢᑕ ᓂᑭ ᒥᑐᓀᓂᑌᐣ ᑕᐸᐢᐠ ᐅᐦᐅ ᑫᑾᓇ ᑕᔑᓀ ᒋᑭ ᐗᓂᐸᓄᐦᐃᒪᑭᑫ ᐅᑭᑌᓂᑕᒧᐎᓇᐁᑯ ᒪᑲ ᓀᐢᑕ ᑭᓇᓇᐤ ᒋᑭ ᒥᐢᑲᒪᐠ ᐊᓂᒪ ᑲᐯᒋ ᐗᓂᐸᓂᐠ ᐊᐣᑕ ᑫᑾᓇ᙮ ᓂᑭ ᑕᒪᒐᐦᐅᐣ ᒣᑾᐨ ᐁᑭ ᒧᐗᐱᐢᑕᒪᐣ (ᕈᐅᐊᒼ) ᑲ ᑲᓀᑭᑲᑌᑫ ᑫᑾᓇ᙮ ᓂᑭ ᐊᐸᐦᐁᐣ ᐎᔦᐡ ᑫᑾᐣ ᐱᒉ ᓂᑕᒐᑯᐦᐠ ᐁᑯ ᒪᑲ ᓀᐢᑕ ᐊᐣᑕ ᐱᒉ ᐊᓇᐦᐃ ᑫᑾᓇ ᒋᑭ ᓇᑐ ᑭᐢᑫᓂᒋᑲᑌᑫ.

nikikiskêtênitay êwi pichêpanichikiyapan êko maka niki kochitan chiki mitênitaman nanako kêkwana ka pêtaakoki. oshkach niwi nochitatay matêtaskahiikana sakoch niwi kiwêpitikoon showêpichikan niki tamachahoon. niki mitonowêniten oho kêkwana mêkwach ê nikihkatêkê mona ê wapachikatêkê,/mona ê nochitanokê,/mona ê tochikatêkê, êko maka nêsta niki mitonênitên tapask oho kêkwana tashinê chiki waanipanohiimakikê okitênitamowina êko maka nêsta kinanaw chiki miskamak anima kapêchi wanipanik anta kêkwana. niki tamachihoon mêkwach êki mowapistaman ROM ka kanêkikatêkê kêkwana, niki apahên wiiyêsh kêkwan pichê nitachakohk êko maka nêsta anta pichê anahi kêkwana chiki nato kiskênichikatêkê.

Shawn’s Project: Frequencies

FREQUENCIES is a digital audio & visual project based on a Deer Toe Rattle. Collected in 1902, the Rattle is made from Wood, Hide & Deer Claws, and is listed as a Dance Rattle, or Medicine Man’s Shaker. It can be traced to the collection of Dr. Oronhyateka; a Mohawk physician and scholar, from Six Nations of the Grand River. One of the first Indigenous physicians in North America, Dr. Oronhyateka established the Historical Rooms & Library (which once stood in downtown Toronto) during his tenure as the Supreme Chief Ranger of the Independent Order of Foresters. Oronhyateka’s Historical Rooms housed local Indigenous and World Artifacts.

FREQUENCIES is rooted in the initial act of “tuning in” (think adjusting a dial across radio airwaves or flipping through television stations). It explores the notion that while many Indigenous artifacts lay dormant, they continue to resonate – and are

perhaps still capable of transmitting information/knowledge/ideas. I see this project as an activation or call to reactivation. It is an exploration of the ways we engage with our cultural past through story, sight, motion and sound. ‘Frequencies’ examines devices of communication, knowledge, and the transmission of ideas. How DID & DOES this object function? And how would it communicate within a mechanized world?

As this project has grown, it has begun to occupy more 3 dimensional landscapes that re-imagine the rattle, its movements & transmissions.

‘Frequencies’ is about Transference. Traversing Technological Territories. Adaptation.

Frequencies konwá:iats ne kí:ken kawennáhrha’ & tká:ra’s kaio’tenhserakwe’ní:io. Né: ne tewate’nienténhston ne ostá:wen, oskenón:ton aohiakwí:ra ionnià:ton. 1902 shiioserò:ten wahatirò:roke’, ó:ienhte ionnià:ton ostá:wen, oskenón:ton kanéhon tánon’ o’éhta. Kahiatonhserà:ke kahiá:ton tsi Teienonniahkwà:tha’ Ostá:wen tóka’ ni’ Ratétsen’ts Raostá:wen nen’ nè:’e. Dr. Oronhiatékha’ tsi rarohrókstha’ nitiawé:non. Kanien’kehá:ka nahaia’to’tenhne, ratétsen’ts tánon’ rahiá:tons shes. Ohswé:ken thotehià:ron. Raónha’ tahatié:renhte’ ratétsen’ts wahá:ton’ ne akwé:kon tsi nihá:ti ne ronnonkwehón:we ne A’nowaráhne. Historical Rooms & Liabrary wahahsennakará:tate’ (Aterónto kanáthen nón:we kanonhsó:tahkwe’). Tho ki’ nihoié:ren tsi nikarì:wes Shakohentèn:sehkwe’ ne Rontehrhanónhnha’ ne Rontatewenní:io Ratikwirià:khons Raotitióhkwa. Né: ne raó:wen Historical Rooms nón:we ronatahkwenniaién:tahkwe’ ne onkwehón:we tánon’ onhontsakwé:kon raonawenhshòn:’a.

Frequencies ioteríhonte ne akatshén:ri’ (kwah né: ne tóka’ shí:ken séhsaks thé:nen ne tsi thatirihowanáhtha’ tóka’ ni’ tká:ra’s). Ioteríhonte akatshén:ri’ nahò:ten’ shé:kon wá:ton ne nahò:ten’ ronnonkwehón:we rononniánion. Tiok nón:we kaién:ton, nek tsi shé:kon kahá:wi tánon’ iote’shén:naien iaióhetste’ ne orihwa’shòn:’a/attokháhtshera/anonhtonniónhtshera.

Tsi ní:ioht tsi iékhes, kí:ken kaio’tenhserakwe’ní:io ioteríhonte ne aonsonterihwahténtia’te’ nè:’e. Né: tentkáhawe’ ne aonsetewaientéhrha’ne’ tánon’ aonsétewatste’ ne tsi niionkwarihò:ten’. Tho neniá:wen’ne’ nó:nen entsitewaká:raton’, entsitewatkáhtho’, entsitewatoriahnerón:ko’, tánon’ entsonkwathón:te’ne’. ‘Frequencies’ kaka’én:ions ne oh ní:ioht tsi tetewahtháhrha’, oh niionkwattokhahtsherò:ten’, tánon’ oh ní:ioht tsi ietiohétstha’ ne anonhtonniónhtshera. Oh nahò:ten ioterihón:tahkwe’ tánon’ oh nahò:ten ón:wa wenhniserá:te ioteríhonte kí:ken nahò:ten ronón:ni? Tánon’ oh ní:ioht tsi tenkahthá:ren’ ne ón:wa wenhniserá:te nonhontsà:ke?

Tsi ní:ioht tsi taiotehiahróntie’ ne kí:ken kaio’tenhserakwe’ní:io, ó:nen sénha iotstonhátie’ ne onhóntsa (3 na’tekakónhsare). Né: ne aonsaión:ni’ ne ostá:wen, oh ní:ioht tsi watoriahnerónkwas tánon’ oh ní:ioht tsi ieiohétstha’.

‘Frequencies’ ioteríhonte ne iakarihóhetste’, akaka’énn:ión’ ne asé’stsi iontstha’shòn:’a, tánon’ aonsakarèn:nha’.

ᐗᐗᐡᑫᔑᐡ ᒥᓯᐟ ᔕᐌᐸᓂᒋᑲᐣ ᐁᑯ ᐅᑕ ᑲ ᐅᔑᒋᐸᓂᐠ ᔕᐌᐸᓂᒋᑫᐎᓇ ᐊᐸᑎᓯᐎᐣ, ᑕᑲᑌᐸᓂᒋᑫᐎᓇ ᐁᑯ ᒪᑲ ᐱᒉᐸᓂᒋᑫᐎᓇ, ᐅᐡᑲᐨ ᐁᑭ ᒧᐗᑐᓂᑲᑌᑭ 1902, ᐅᒪ ᔕᐌᐸᓂᒋᑲᐣ, ᐊᔭᐦᐊᐤ, ᐃᔑᓂᑾᐣ, ᒥᑕ, ᐗᐗᐡᑫᔑᐡ ᐗᔭᐣ, ᐁᑯ ᒪᑲ ᐗᐗᐡᑫᔑᐡ ᒥᓯᑕ, ᑲ ᓂᒧᐎᐣ ᐃᔑᓂᑲᑌᐤ ᓀᐢᑕ ᒪᑲ ᐅᒥᑌᐎᐣ ᔕᐌᐸᓂᒋᑲᐣ ᐃᔑᓂᑲᑌᐤ᙮

wawashkêshish misit shawêpanichikan êko ota ka oshichipanik shawêpanichikêwina apatisiwin, takatepanichikêwina êko maka pichêpanichikêwina. Oshach êki mowatonikatêki 1902, oma shawêpanichikan, ayahow ishinakwan, mita, wawashkêshish wayan, êko maka wawashkêshish misita, ka nimowin shawêpanichikan ishinikatêw, nêsta maka omitêwin shawepanichikan ishinikatêw.

ᑲᑭ ᒥᐢᑭᑲᑌᐤ ᐅᐦᐅ ᒧᐗᑐᐎᓇ ᑲᑭ ᒪᒋᑕᐟ ᑐᑯᓄᐣ ᐅᕈᐣᐦᔭᑌᑲ, ᓇᓄᓄᑕᐌ ᑐᑯᓄᐣ ᓀᐢᑕ ᑲᑭᐢᑭᓄᐦᐊᒪᑫᐟ, ᑭᒋ ᓯᐱᐦᐠ ᓂᑯᑡᐢ ᐊᑕᐢᑫᓯᐎᓇ ᐅᒋᔪ᙮

kaki miskikatêw mowatowina kaki machitat tokonon Oronhyatêka; nanonotawê tokonon nêsta kakiskinohamakêt, kichi sipihk nikotwas ataskêsiwina ochiyo.

ᐎᓇ ᒶᐨ ᓂᐢᑕᒼ ᐃᓂᓂᐎ ᑲᑭ ᑭᔑᐡᑕᐟ ᑐᑯᓂᐎᐣ ᐅᑕ ᓄᕐᐟ ᐊᒣᕆᑲ, ᑐᑯᓂᐎᓂᓂᐤ ᐅᕈᐣᐦᔭᑌᑲ ᑭᒪᒋᑕᐤ ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐃᐎᑲᒥᐠ ᓀᑌ ᐱᒉ ᑐᕈᐣᑐ ᐌᐢᑲᐨ ᒣᑾᐨ ᑲᑭ ᐁᔭᐱᐟ ᑭᒋ ᐅᑭᒪᐎ ᒥᐢᑎᑯᐢᑲᐤ ᑲᓇᑯᑡᐸᒋᑫᒋᐠ᙮ ᐅᕈᐣᐦᔭᑌᑲ ᑭᑲᓀᑕᒼ ᐁᑯ ᒪᑲ ᓀᐢᑕ ᑭᐗᐸᑎᓀᑫᐤ ᐃᓂᓂᐎ ᐌᐢᑲᒋ ᐊᐸᒋᑕᐎᓇ ᐁᑯ ᒪᑲ ᐊᐢᑭᓂᐤ ᑫᑾᓇ᙮

wina mwach nistam ininiwi kaki kishishtat tokoniwin ota north America, tokoniwininiw oronhtêka kimachitaw masinahikamik nêtê pichê Toronto wêshach mêkwach kaki okimawi mistikoskaw kanakotwapachikêchik. Oronhyatêka kikanêtam êko maka nêsta kiwapatinêkêw ininiwi wêskachi apachitawina êko maka askiniw kêkwana.

ᔕᐌᐸᓂᒋᑫᐎᓇ ᐃᔑᓇᑾᐣ ᒬᐢᒋ ᐱᑯ ᕃᑎᔪ ᑲᐃᔑᓇᑾᐠ (ᐃᑌᓂᑕ ᒪᑲ ᐱᑯ ᐁ ᓇᑐᐯᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᕃᑎᔪ ᐯᑐᐎᓇ ᐁᑯ ᒪᑲ ᓀᐢᑕ ᑌᓕᐱᔑᐣ ᐁ ᐊᑎᓂᑲᑌᐠ ᑕᑲᐢᑌᐸᓂᒋᑲᓇ) ᐊᔭᐦᐊᐤ ᐃᑌᐣᑕᑾᐣ, ᒪᓇ ᐁᐎ ᒥᐢᑭᑲᑌᑭ ᐅᐦᐅ ᐃᓂᓂᐁᐎ ᐌᐢᑲᒋ ᑫᑾᓇ ᐁᑯ ᒪᑲ ᑭᔭᐱᐨ ᒋᑭ ᒥᐢᑭᑲᑌᑭ – ᓴᑯᐨ ᑭᔭᐱᐨ ᑲᐢᑭᑕᒥᑴ ᒋᑭ ᒥᓄᐌᒥᑲᑭ ᓂᓯᑐᑕᒧᐎᓇ/ᑭᐢᑫᓂᑕᒧᐎᓇ/ᒥᑌᓂᒋᑫᐎᓇ᙮

shawêpanichikêwina ishinakwan mwêschi piko rêtiyo kashinakwak (itênita maka piko ê natopêchikatêk rêtiyo pêtowina êko maka nêsta têlipishin ê atinikatêk takastêpanichikana) ayahaw itêntakwan, mana êwi miskikatêki oho ininiwi wêskachi kêkwana êko maka kiyapich chiki miskikatêki – sakoch kiyapich kaskitamikwê chiki minowêmikaki nisitotamowina/kiskênitamowina/mitênichikêwina.

ᓂᐎ ᐊᐸᑌᐣ ᐅᒪ ᐊᐸᑎᓯᐎᐣ ᒋᒪᒋᐸᓂᐠ ᓀᐢᑕ ᒋᑭ ᒪᒋᑕᓄᐦᐠ, ᐁᑯ ᐅᒪ ᒋᑭ ᑭᓄᐗᐸᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᒪᒪᐢᑲᐨ ᒥᐢᒉᐟ ᑌᑫ ᐅᑕᓇᐠ ᐁ ᑭᓄᐗᐸᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᑭᑌᐃᓂᐧᓂ ᑭᐱᒪᑎᓯᐎᓇᐣ, ᑭᑎᐸᒋᒧᐎᓇᐣ, ᑲᐃᔑ ᑭᓄᐗᐸᑎᒪᐠ ᑫᑾᐣ, ᑲᐃᔑ ᐯᑕᒪᐠ ᑫᑾᓇ, ᔕᐌᐸᒋᑲᓇ ᑭᓄᐗᐸᒋᑲᑌᐗ ᓇᓇᑯ ᐊᔭᒧᐎᓇ, ᐁᑯ ᒪᑲ ᓭᓯᐦᐠ ᒥᑌᓂᒋᑫᐎᓇ᙮ ᑕᓂᓯ ᒋᑭ ᐁᑯ ᒪᑲ ᑕᓂᓯ ᒋᑭ ᑭᑭᐦᐠ ᐅᒪ ᑫᑾᓇ ᒋᑭ ᐱᒼᐸᓂᐠ ᓇ, ᓀᐢᑕ ᒪᑲ ᑕᓂᓯ ᒋᑭ ᐊᔭᒥᐦᐃᒪᑲᐠ ᐊᓄᐨ ᑲᐃᔑ ᐃᔑᓇᑾᐣ ᐊᐢᑭ ᐊᓄᐨᐱᒪᑎᓯᐎᐣ ᓇ

niwi apatên oma apatisiwin chimachipanik nêsta chiki machitanohk. êko oma chiki kinowapachikatêk mamaskach mischêt têkê otanak ê kinowapachikatêk kitêininiwi kipimatisiwinan, kitipachimowinan, kaishi kinowapatimak kêkwana, kaishi pêtamak kêkwana, shawêpachikana kinowapachikatêwa nanako ayamowina, kiskênitamowina, êko maka sêsihk mitênichikêwina. Tanisi chiki êko maka tanisi chiki kikihk oma kêkwana chiki pimpanik na, nêsta maka tanisi chiki ayamihimakak anoch kaishi ishinakwan aski anoch oma pimatisiwin na.

ᐊᑎ ᒥᔕᐠ ᐅᒪ ᐊᐸᑎᓯᐎᐣ, ᐊᔕᔾ ᐊᑎ ᐃᑕᑾᐣ ᐅᑕ ᐸᑭᑕᐢᑭᐦᐠ ᒪᓇ ᐱᑯ ᑲᔭᐸᑕ ᔕᐌᐸᒋᑫᐎᐣ, ᐁᑎ ᔕᐳᑗᐸᓂᐠ᙮

ati mishak oma apatisiwin, ashay ati itakwan ota pakitaskihk mnan piko kayapata shawêpachikan, êti shapotêpanik.

ᔕᐌᐸᒋᑫᐎᓇ ᒪᓇᐱᑯ ᐯᑾᐣ ᑕᑎᐱᒋᐎᐣ ᐃᔑᓇᑾᐣ ᐅᒪ ᑫᑾᐣ ᑲ ᐊᓂᒧᒋᑲᑌᐠ, ᐊᔕᔾ ᐊᑐᑌᒥᑲᐣ ᐅᑌ ᐊᐢᑭᓂᐤ, ᐊᒋᐱᒋᒥᑲᐣ᙮

shawêpachikêwina mana piko pêkwan tatipichiwan ishinakwan oma kêkwan ka animochikatêk, ashay atotêmikak otê askiniw, achipichiwin.

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