Gift of the Indus

Overview

Immerse your students in the arts and culture of Pakistan. This Web site, designed for high school students, introduces students to the rich traditions and history of this South Asian country and its people through videos, audio clips, virtual galleries, and a teen blog.

Suggested Use

The history and culture of Pakistan is a subject not often explored in U.S. high schools, but the diverse traditions, geography, and performing and visual arts of this country offer abundant opportunities to foster cultural awareness and make cross-cultural connections. Gift of the Indus: The Arts and Culture of Pakistan provides a great overview of Pakistan, and students can use the site to find similarities between two seemingly disparate countries while simultaneously celebrating their differences.

Before asking students to explore the site, lead them in a discussion about Pakistan. What do students know about the country? What have students heard or seen about Pakistan in the media? After coming up with a significant list, ask students if they think any of the items on the list are based on stereotypes. Why or why not? Return to this list after students have gained a significant understanding of Pakistan's art and culture. Students could add to the list with facts they've learned and pinpoint additional stereotypes or misjudgments if present.

Depending on your curricular goals, you may wish to encourage students to review the site independently or to direct them to particular content areas. Build students' critical thinking skills by posing the following discussion questions. Students could discuss the questions in large groups, write reflective or persuasive essays in response to the questions, or create artworks inspired by themes addressed in discussions or modeled after works of art they viewed on the site.

• What similarities and differences do you notice between Pakistan and the United States? Which are the most surprising or striking? Why?
• If you had to create a website on the arts of the United States, which art forms would you include? Which artists?
• Discuss the theme of tradition vs. modernization. Provide examples of ways age-old traditions contrast with modern society in Pakistan. How are the arts different in contemporary times versus traditional art forms? Can you think of examples in the United States where old traditions clash with the new? In what ways are your favorite art forms, pastimes, or clothing different from your parents or grandparents? What traditions are passed down in your family, and how are they similar or different to traditions in Pakistan?
• Consider the title of the teen blog "Mehfil." How is a blog a type of gathering place? In what ways can technology bridge people from different countries? Do you think the Internet has a role in influencing change in societies? Read through the blog and pick one post that interests you the most. Why did you choose that post? Add a comment to the post in the blog.
• What aspects of Pakistani culture are you most curious about? Imagine you are emailing or speaking with a friend in Pakistan. What would you ask? What are some unique facts about the United States that you think your friend would find interesting?

Technical Requirements

This multimedia site is bandwidth-intensive, requiring a high-speed Internet connection. Users should be equipped with speakers (or headphones in a lab or classroom setting) and will need the Flash 7 player and a monitor display of no less than 800 x 600 for the best viewing experience.