Two-Eyed Seeing as a Potential Way Forward in Art Education: Bringing Indigenous Knowledges Alongside Western Knowledges in the Classroom

Abstract

The future of education is not without its challenges, as on the one hand there is a significant call for decolonization of curricula—and on the other, a high level of fear and discomfort among educators who are asked to teach outside of their own comfort zones (Barkaskas & Gladwin, 2021; Carroll et al., 2020; Mitchell et al., 2018; Scott & Gani, 2018). One area in particular in the Canadian education system that has gained significant traction in recent years is the incorporation of Indigenous knowledges alongside Western knowledges in the classroom (Mawere, 2015; Wilson et al., 2019). This Two-Eyed Seeing (TES) approach is the concept of seeing the world through Indigenous ways of knowing with one eye, and Western ways of knowing with the other, so that the individual can bring those two ways of knowing together to see the world through both philosophies (Hatcher et al., 2009; Jeffrey et al., 2021). By bringing Indigenous and Western knowledges alongside one another, and engaging in both knowledge systems as equally valid and important sources of knowledge generation, educators can provide students with tools to see the world in multiple perspectives, challenge dominant Eurocentric narratives, and have access to a richer and more diverse art discourse with the aim of validating the lived experiences and knowledges of Indigenous peoples, ultimately leading to a more inclusive and socially conscious art education.