Models and Maps from the Marshall Islands:
A Case in Ethnomathematics
The researcher investigated how stick charts/maps were made and used by the Marshall Islanders to navigate the Pacific Ocean. Stick charts were widely used by the Marshallese for navigation before World War Two. They were usually made from palm ribs which were tied up to form an abstract geometric composition. Two types of charts are introduced in the study: Mattang and Rebbelith. Mattangs were used in the training of navigators and were constructed with identical standardized models. The Rebbelith charts are used as maps of the region, with the same lines and curves seen in Mattang. Unlike modern maps, they were not "images" of the landscape, but rather contained abstract shapes of the land and water.
Wiki: Marshall Islanders
The study focuses mainly on the mathematical ideas of modeling and mapping embodied in these charts/maps. According to the writer, these maps and charts are analogical and visual representations of the original space, which require scientific knowledge and mathematics skills in establishing and formulating these spatial relationships. “Maps, therefore, must be viewed broadly and, with a broad view, we can better appreciate them as products of mathematical abstractions.”
Stop 1. The charts had to be studied and memorized prior to a voyage and they were not available during a trip. Wait a second, memorizing a map? It must have been a more challenging task than memorizing times-table, which including its practice in elementary school has been debated over for many years. Such a pedagogical practice can only be understood in its cultural context. As the writer explains, due to the limited land and water dominated environment, knowledge and techniques were highly prized and well kept in a way that the “textbook” had to be preserved on land. The charts that represented major ocean swell patterns and silent tides are considered the most valuable assets in the community.
Stop 2: It is also interesting to note that when navigators choose their successor "knowledge carriers”, women were not excluded. This is against my understanding that women were now and then under-presented or mistreated in most education systems in male-dominated cultures.
Question: The public does not commonly say that mathematics and culture are connected. Do you have experience of teaching mathematics in a culture-rich activity?
It was my understanding too, that culture and mathematics cannot to be connected. As I mentioned in my reflect on “On Culture, Geometrical Thinking And Mathematics Education” by Paulus Gerdes, I always though culture and tradition affect social behavior and history but not mathematics as a part of science. However, reading these articles changes my point of view and I understand culture and tradition is rooted in every part of people life. Reviewing design and shapes that were used in ancient objects such as carpet, cloth or dishes reveals these are related to people experiences of nature. For instance shapes and designs among farmers have been different from ranchers. Ascher’s article shows the relationship of Marshall Islanders and sea and how this relation shapes their culture and tradition. I think teaching “Mattang and Rebeblith” to people who lived in desert must be difficult as they do not have any idea of ocean and its need. Moreover, Marshall Islanders had understood the importance and the need to memorize the map, otherwise, it must be hard to convince people to memorize such a difficult structure.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I did not have this experience to teach in a culture rich activities. However, now, I believe it is very helpful and important. These activities connect students to their real life experience, to the objects that they probably have in their home. This familiar experience makes students comfortable that it is not, after all, a new topic and they already know it, so, they can learn it easily. On the other hand, I believe teaching based on culture is really sensitive, so teachers must be completely familiar with the culture or a careful designed curriculum is needed.
In my classroom, I try to play games with my students every week. It is a fun way to use their math skills and they often forget they are using them! I have often tried out math games from other cultures, such as mancala. This is, of course, a superficial connection to the culture of another place. The new curriculum has a strong focus on indigenous culture in all subjects and I am hoping to bring in some of their practices into the classroom. So far, I haven’t been successful, as the resources provided are scant and I haven’t had any luck when contacting my school’s local indigenous community. I’m looking forward to bringing in cultural teachings into my mathematics classroom, but would really prefer to do it in a meaningful, accurate way. I suppose that, in the meantime, some connection to culture, even if superficial, is a good start. :)
ReplyDeleteI have facilitated the creation of Aboriginal weaving, dream-catchers, and paintings and drawings using traditional Coast Salish forms. I have not explicitly linked these to mathematical teachings, but I can see some possibilities. I wonder though, to what extent it is important to name these activities as mathematical and connect them to abstract calculations.
ReplyDeleteI have used hockey statistics in newspapers to teach math. This makes connections to popular North American sports culture. Of course, it is of more interest to some students than others.
I have also tried to link mathematics in an abstract way to social studies of Ancient cultures such as value systems in Mesopotamian trade and the taxes based on the flooding of the Nile river in Egypt.