Virtual Powwow

 

 

Cyndi Chie coyotespirit@cox.net
Don Dean coolsch@yahoo.com
Reginald Johnson reggie.rljohnson@gmail.com
Diana Osborn diana@sciences.sdsu.edu

 

Overview | Instructional Objective | Learners | Context | Scope | Object of Game | Design Details

Competing Products | Motivational Issues | Design Process | References

 
Team member Diana Osborn in regalia  

Overview

Have you ever been to a powwow? No? Well, now is your chance. Experience the excitement as dancers put on the regalia and perform traditional Native American dances, contest dances and honoring dances. Between dances talk with the dancers and learn about Native American culture.

 

Instructional Objective

Learners will be introduced to the various aspects of the powwow. As an added bonus they will learn about the varied cultures of Native American tribes. Learners will be introduced to the song, dance and history of a number of Native American tribes. Through interacting with the Virtual Powwow the learners will be exposed to the cultural diversity of the North American tribes.

 

Learners

The simulation would be of particular interest to "Urban Indians" who wish to explore their cultural heritage. The simulation would also be of interest to teenagers and adults who wish to learn about Native American culture and history. School groups could use the Virtual Powwow as part of the curriculum when studying Native Americans. If used for a class assignment, the teacher would need to prepare the class ahead of time by having the class create avatars and explore Second Life before the powwow.

 

Context of Use

The simulation would be developed in Second Life as a living museum. The powwow would be hosted by Native Americans. The dancers, also played by Native Americans, would be coordinated by the host who also controls the drum (orchestrating the order and start time of the dances). The dancers would wear regalia for the specific dances and/or regalia representing their tribe. Visitors would be able to watch the dances and interact with the individual dancers after each dance is finished. The dancers would each use their own computer, and would not need to be in the same physical location. The visitors could each use their own computer or watch via a "smart classroom." Visitors, using their own computer, could explore the Virtual Powwow setting, examining various objects and artifacts. These objects would include historical information on the object's use and importance, as well as information about its construction and material. Information would be presented via text, images, audio and movies.

 

Scope

The setting for the simulation would include a dance circle and drum, as well as examples of typical living structures and artifacts of the represented tribes. Each item, including the structures, would have information about their construction, material and history. The simulation would be determined by the host. Visitors would be free to come and go as they choose, watching any number of dances and interacting with dancers and objects. Example learning exercises could be: 1) an instructor brings a class to watch the powwow as a group. Interaction with the dancers and objects in the area would be mediated through the instructor. 2) an instructor allows students to logon separately or in groups to watch the powwow. Interaction with the dancers and objects in the area would be as the individuals or groups.

 

Object of the Game

This activity is more of a simulation than a game, although it draws upon some of the elements of current role playing games. The end state would be set by the host. This might be dancing each of the dances available, completing a single synchronized dance or contest, or following the powwow from typical start to finish. For visitors, the experience would be similar to visiting a museum. They can spend as much or as little time as they wish watching the dancers, talking with the Native American participants, and interacting with the setting objects. Instructors who wish to use the powwow as part of their curriculum could create a note card for the class outlining the instructional objectives and tasks. Second Life citizens would find out about the Virtual Powwow via advertisements, that would include videos of a powwow and word of mouth.

 

Design Details

Universal Elements

The graphics will be somewhat photorealistic and very colorful as warranted. The structures, implements and landscape will be made using Second Life tools which limits their look to a simple video game style. The regalia will be created using Photoshop, but once again the look will be similar to what appears in video games. Every effort will be made to be as realistic as possible by using historical photos and illustrations as references. Authentic Native American chants and music will be used as well as some nature sounds. Animations will be created to simulate as closely as possible each of the different dances included.

Specific Elements

  • User-manipulable variables
    • Dancers would be able to manipulate the clothing and accessories they wear at any point during the simulation, as well as their own personal appearance.
    • Dancers/the host would control the dances. This will be done with an invisible item available in Second Life that attaches to the head of the host. This item can be loaded with animations of a number of dances. The host chooses the dance. The dancers touch the head of the host to participate in the dance. This allows for the dance to be synchronized. The host can control who gains access to the synchronization device thereby restricting the dances to the authorized dancers.
    • Spectators would be able to touch various items to invoke information cards, music, video or animations related to those items. The Native American participants would be able to select from a variety of authentic costumes and accessories such as rattles, drums, flutes, food preparation tools, hunting and farming implements, etc.
Examples of items that would be featured in Virtual Powwow
Pottery Ceremonial Drum Grinding Rock Gourd Rattle


Examples of Virtual Powwow Items and Scenes Created in Second Life

Example of Native American dwellings in Second Life.
(click on image to enlarge)

Team member wearing Jingle Dress created for Second Life.
(click on image to enlarge)
Team members relaxing around campfire in Second Life roasting marshmallows.
(click on image to enlarge)


  Technical Elements

  • The software needed to author the game could include:
    • Second Life
    • Photoshop
    • Maya
    • iMovie
    • Premiere
    • AfterEffects
    • Flash
    • Poser (for Second Life animations - dance movement creation)
  • The game would be developed for use in Second Life
  • Screen size and resolution of the game would be dependent on the settings of the client
  • The resolutions of the graphics would be 72ppi. The screen size would be the typical Second Life screen.
  • Bit depth and dimensions of graphics, movies and sounds:
    • 24 bytes - 36 bytes for graphic files
    • Recommended size for movies 320x240 pixels
    • WAV audio files are uploadable into the Second Life client. Ogg-Vorbis compressed format is used for high quality streaming delivery at several different bitrates. Landowners can stream Internet audio from any host URL onto their property.
  • File formats of graphics and sounds:
    • Graphics for clothing need to uploaded as TGA files
    • Sounds = WAV files
    • Movies = Quicktime
    • Animations = bvh files (Compatible with Poser)
  • Method to accommodate multiple platforms:
    • Second Life accommodates both PC and Mac users as long as their computer’s operating system and graphics cards are updated enough to handle the application
    • Files are loaded into player’s or property’s inventory they can then be passed on to other players

 

Competing Products

Games:
The NativeTech: Native American Technology and Art Web site has several games played by Native Americans available online. These games are often played at a powwow. The Discovery Channel has online resources for creating a board game to teach Native American history. The resources include lesson plans for all ages.

Other educational resources:
Our Early US Series: Native American Life Grades 2 to 5 (20 minute video). ProTeacher offers educational resources for creating lesson plans on Native American history.

While there are many resources for developing lesson plans and there are several resources that teach the games played by Native American tribes, we found no simulations or games that recreated a Powwow. The closest we found was a lesson plan on the TeacherLink web site that taught about Powwows and had the class do many of the activities of a Powwow in class.

 

Motivational Issues

Powwows initially were completely restricted to Native Americans, both as participants and spectators. As time progressed these restrictions were relaxed for most to allow anyone to attend as spectators. Participation as dancers is still regarded as a Native American privilege. Although some powwows are specifically held as an extension of friendship with non-natives, most are not and it is expected that only natives will participate. The history, typical format and other details regarding the powwow are not readily available even when attending a powwow unless one has contacts who already know this information. It remains somewhat of a mystery, not only to non-natives but to many Native Americans who have grown up without access to the reservation or in a number of cases, without knowledge of their true heritage.

Currently, anyone who wishes to participate in or watch a powwow must travel many miles unless they are fortunate enough to live close to a reservation that hosts a public powwow. These powwows are often held annually. A virtual powwow, that does not have the same overhead of an actual powwow, could be held more frequently, and would not have the travel requirements associated with its real life counter part.

The presentation of a virtual powwow with native hosts provides a safe environment for the native who is trying to find his or her roots (typically called an "Urban Indian") as well as a way for non-natives to understand the diversity and richness of the event. This simulation draws specifically on the curiosity of the participants.

 

Design Process

Initially we were looking at doing a game focused on teaching skills for success in college, geared specifically at college-bound high school students and first time freshman in college. However, the logistics of pulling this together within the environment that was still very unfamiliar, along with a certain lack of group excitement about how this could be made fun, changed our focus. After a bit of discussion among the group members, we settled on the idea of a virtual powwow.

Background information was gathered from members in the group who are Native American and have participated in powwows, interviews with the Director of the Barona Museum and Cultural Center and other Native Americans. Various museums were located online and viewed. During this research we discovered potential problems with the idea of a virtual powwow. As stated earlier, powwows were originally closed to non-natives. Even now, with powwows open to non-native spectators, there is concern among many Native Americans about this openness.

Initially we were thinking that we could have the learners participate as dancers in the powwow. However, after initial investigation related to this, it was decided it would be a potential problem having non-natives participate as if they were natives. We subsequently changed the design to have the dancers be accepted members of the host group. The host group would consist of Native Americans with knowledge of powwows.

Web searches were conducted to find similar games as well as informal inquiries of Second Life residents.

In order to have a playable prototype we created some articles of Native American clothing and some basic structures. We also searched for existing environments that would approximate a Native American environment. To simulate the dancing, team members participated with other Second Life dance environments and drum circles.

Through the process of creating clothing and structures, participating in some existing Second Life groups, and exploring the world we discovered that once items were produced it would be relatively simple to create an environment were participants could experience a virtual powwow, and there were many existing scripts that could be adapted to use. Even though the individual costumes, structures, objects and scripts could be created fairly simply, the process would initially be very time consuming.

The citizens of Second Life we spoke with were very enthusiastic and would love to participate in our proposed simulation if it were actually produced. The key word here is participate. One difficulty emerged was brought to light by the Director of the Barona Museum. She felt that only those with Native American blood should wear the regalia and dance. We are not sure how we could actually make an environment suitable for Second Life's residents, who would love to play the parts themselves, not merely observe, while fulfilling the Barona Museum Director's request. We are also not sure how we could insure the regalia if given out would not be put to use in ways objectionable to Barona or other Native American tribes.

We also learned the importance of not being wedded to one idea, that concepts should be reduced to the narrowest focus possible. In addition to having educational content there needs to be a large element of play for the game to be enjoyable. When it comes to depicting cultural groups sensitivity to their needs and desires must be taken into account.

 

References

Books & Journals

  • Anderson, C., Caldeira, D. & Labastida, R. (1996). The Kumeyaay: Secrets of the trail. San Diego, CA: County Office of Education.
  • Caldeira, D. & Labastida, R. (1995). The Kumeyaay people. San Diego, CA: County Office of Education.
  • Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. New York: Harper & Row.
  • Fullerton , T., Swain, C., & Hoffman, S. (2004). Game design workshop: Designing, prototyping, and playtesting games. San Francisco: CMP Books.
  • Gifford, E.W. (1931). The Kamia of Imperial Valley. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
  • Koster, R. (2005). A theory of fun for game design. Scottsdale, AZ: Paraglyph Press.
  • Lee, M. (1937/1989). Indians of the oaks (2nd edition). San Diego, CA: Museum of Man.
  • Malone, T. W., & Lepper, M. R. (1987). Making learning fun: A taxonomy of intrinsic motivations for learning. In R. E. Snow & M. J. Farr (Eds.). Aptitude, learning and instruction. Volume 3: Cognitive and affective process analysis. Hillsdale , NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
  • Salen, K., & Zimmerman, E. (2004). Rules of play: Game design fundamentals. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.

Electronic

Interview

  • Cheryl Hinton, Director (November 23, 2005); Barona Cultural Center & Museum; 1095 Barona Road, Lakeside, CA

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Last updated December 18, 2005