Indigenous Arts Exploration

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This ten-week course offers participants the opportunity to explore the evolution of the indigenous art forms of Ireland, through the media of film, drama, music, song and oral presentations. Students will gain an alternative perspective on Ireland's literary, cultural and performative heritage through reading and viewing a selection of iconic texts, film and performances which represent the traditional art forms of Ireland in their broadest sense. A key element of the course is the emphasis on the Irish language, surely the most salient emblem of Ireland's indigenous culture. Classes will consist of lectures, film presentations and discussion of reading and viewing materials. Participants will also have the opportunity to engage with the practices of traditional song and dance during classes. Archive and contemporary film, where appropriate, in both documentary and fictional genres will provide a comprehensive background to the selected art form and will provide a context for active discussion at the end of each session.