Inspire Team

Animal Muk - Cross-Cultural Edition

by for .  
#communicating with confidence
30 - 45

Goal

The Animal Muk - Cross-Cultural Edition activity aims to foster cross-cultural understanding by exploring the diversity of animal sounds and movements across different communities. Learners engage in the traditional Inuit game of Animal Muk, sharing their interpretations of animal sounds and movements. The activity encourages learners to discuss and appreciate the cultural and linguistic variations in representing animals.

Note: This activity is best suited for in person groups, but it may be possible to modify for an online environment. 

Materials

    Instructions

    Introduction

    • Explain the concept of Animal Muk, a traditional Inuit game focused on making animal sounds and movements to make others laugh.

    • Form a circle with learners, designating one person to start in the middle.


    Animal Muk Rounds

    • Each participant takes a turn in the middle, making sounds and movements of an animal to make others laugh.

    • If another learner laughs at the person in the middle, they switch spots and are now in the middle, making sounds.

    • After each round, open the floor for learners to share their thoughts on how they would make that particular animal's sound or movements.

      • Do they have different variations in sounds for the same animal?

      • Do they have a different idea of how they would imitate that animal’s movements?

      • Do they have a different name or word to describe that animal in their community?

      • Invite learners to show how they would have approached being that animal if they had been in the middle.



    Background

    Preparation

    • Familiarize yourself with the traditional Inuit game of Animal Muk.

    • Ensure a suitable space for learners to form a circle.

    • Prepare a list of animals for learners to imitate during the activity, in case anyone struggles to come up with one on their own.

    Technology Considerations

    This activity may be difficult to replicate online, as it may be difficult to determine who laughs, and also for learners to have space to mimic movements. One suggested adaptation would be to just have the activity focus on animal sounds and names, and remove the movement and laughter components.

    Additional Context

    Animal Muk is a lighthearted game that transcends cultural boundaries. Emphasize the inclusive nature of the activity and encourage learners to appreciate the richness of cultural diversity.

    Tips for Localization

    Adapt the list of animals to include species relevant to the learners' local environment.

    Encourage learners to share not only sounds and movements but also stories or cultural beliefs associated with specific animals in their communities.

    Debrief Questions

    • How did the activity make you feel, especially when trying to imitate different animals?

    • What did you learn about the diversity of animal representations across cultures?

    • How did cultural differences influence the way we imitated animals?

    • Did you discover any commonalities in how animals are represented across different cultures?

    • How do animals hold significance in various cultures, and how might these cultural beliefs influence the way we represent them?

    • How can understanding these cultural variations contribute to cross-cultural appreciation and communication?

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