1.4.8 Role Models
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1.4.8 Role Models
What shapes your identity?
© Getty imagesWe have various roles in life. Your role right now might be that of a student, a worker, a sister or brother, or a son or daughter. A role is a part you have to play in the theatre of life! A role model is someone who is worthy of imitation, someone who is imitated for behaviour or appearance. A role model is inspiring and often successful in a particular field. One's identity is expressed in part by those after whom one wants to model one's self.
Young people tend to model themselves after their parents or other noteworthy people in their communities. A First Nations child might model himself after a warrior. In First Nations societies, elders are highly respected, and their behaviour is considered desirable examples to follow. Local leaders or inspiring soldiers, sports players, teachers, and politicians have demonstrated admirable qualities for people, especially young people, to look to and try to copy. Fictional characters can be role models, too. A child might model himself or herself after a character in a book or a cartoon. People with strong religious beliefs might think of Jesus or Mohammed as the ultimate role model.
Role models today: Some people may feel they know a celebrity or a character from a movie better than they know a family member. The media presents role models to youth and adults. Young people might look to a famous hockey player, television personality, or musician. Often, young people identify with famous people.
Young people tend to model themselves after their parents or other noteworthy people in their communities. A First Nations child might model himself after a warrior. In First Nations societies, elders are highly respected, and their behaviour is considered desirable examples to follow. Local leaders or inspiring soldiers, sports players, teachers, and politicians have demonstrated admirable qualities for people, especially young people, to look to and try to copy. Fictional characters can be role models, too. A child might model himself or herself after a character in a book or a cartoon. People with strong religious beliefs might think of Jesus or Mohammed as the ultimate role model.
Role models today: Some people may feel they know a celebrity or a character from a movie better than they know a family member. The media presents role models to youth and adults. Young people might look to a famous hockey player, television personality, or musician. Often, young people identify with famous people.
Reflect
Many teens have turned to rap culture for their role models, dressing in the same style of clothing and listening to the same kind of music. First Nations hip hop artists such as Hobbema's War Party have established themselves on the Canadian music scene with songs that call for a change in the status quo. Rap music is political, and so is First Nations hip hop.
When frontman Rex Smallboy started rapping, people on the reservation said he was trying to act black. But he loved black rappers because of "what's in their hearts. It's the message in the music." Since he started rapping, he has been trying to tell the story of his people through rap.
Their music and messages encourage change and understanding on all social levels. Frontman Rex Smallboy believes that rap music inspired him. He says,
Rap music sparked a fire in me that made me want to look at myself and my history. This is my salvation. This is about who I am, just like everybody else, every other race that wants to feel good about who they are, that's what it was about for me.