A “common matrix of cultural knowledge,” is what Blanca Chester suggests narratives assume, in the work “Green Grass, Running Water: Theorizing the World of the Novel.” The Four Old Indians, are indeed a great example of characters that belong to such a matrix of cultural knowledge, however, it does exclude many non-First Nations.

As a reader of the contemporary novel, and assuming that not every reader will be of Native descent, how does one connect with the matrix? I believe that the Four Old Indians, Lone Ranger, Ishmael, Robinson Crusoe, and Hawkeye, represent the the common matrix of cultural knowledge in the way they represent the oral tradition of story-telling. This highlights the significance of story-telling, and what it means to Aboriginal cultures in terms of their past, present, and future. Chester illustrates that, for them, “the world is always brought into being, or created, through story” (46). The dialogues are a great way to submerse the reader in such a cultural vibe.

The first impressions I had of these characters were that they were just a comical, slightly strange, group of individuals. I must admit, I was met with simple confusion at first – seeing that there was something important by their means of telling stories, and then realizing the true meaning. The cycles of the stories are also beautifully represented with their interpretations of creation, conveying each woman of First Woman, Changing Woman, Thought Woman, and Old Woman. The immortality of story telling, as well as the cyclical nature, are represented in their entertaining dialogues.

Their creation stories are a slice of their cultural history.  It is interesting and compelling to me, that there is always a key female in the stories of origin.  Chester shows the history lesson by explaning,  “King connects Robinson’s Okanagan Coyote with stories from the Blackfoot of Alberta, and the traditions of Thought Woman (Pueblo), First Woman (Navajo), Old Woman (Blackfoot, Dunne-za), and Changing Woman (Navajo)” (45).  The readers are immersed in the cultural history of a wide range of nations.

Story-telling is a chief aspect of the cultural matrix, as Chester writes that the dialogue of the Old Indians “reflects oral tradition and First Nations and Native American perspectives of the world” (46). Through contemporary happenings and setting of the story, the common matrix of cultural knowledge is presented to and engulfs the reader in a literary and historical reality that is true for Aboriginal people.

Works Cited

Chester Blanca. “Green Grass Running Water: Theorizing the World of the Novel.” Canadian Literature 161-162. (1999). Web. April 04/2013.

In his article, “First Contact As a Spiritual Performance: Encounters on the North American West Coast,” John Sutton Lutz elaborates on the difficulties of “the first and ongoing contacts between native and stranger” (45).  Undoubtedly, the interactions must have been perplexing to both sides, given the language barrier, and the lack of knowledge of the other culture.  Lutz, however, through his writings, seems to make the assumption that the reader is either European or that the Europeans had a harder time understanding indigenous culture.  Whether this assumption is fair or not, I will argue, that it is of minimal significance considering what he is trying to assert.  The value of the article, I believe, is in his suggestion to accept the spiritual influences of all cultures, and to not disregard them as irrational, non-scientific beliefs.  With this, we can perceive cultural differences of both history and present times in a less judgmental manner.

The assumption that the reader is of European descent – if that is what he assumed – is in fact, a fair one.  Even if the reader was of native descent, the world of academia is dominated by Western cultural influence, and the reader would most likely have been immersed in a Euro-centric way of thought.  For example, as a philosophy student, all of the courses I have experienced so far only covered Western philosophy, and none of Eastern.  In fact, I believe there is only one course covering Eastern philosophy – the focus of the philosophy degree is dominated by Western thought.

And if, Lutz had made the assumption that Europeans would have a harder time interpreting the performances of the indigenous, I believe it would be a fair assumption as well.  He speaks of the Europeans feeling a sense of superiority already because of their advanced technology, and it is widely presumed that the indigenous way of life is more primitive, perhaps due to nomadic ways of living off the land.  The sense of superiority, I believe, makes it harder to empathize and/or accept the different ways one thinks.  It is clear even in present day, with clashes of religion and even political views – for an individual or group that thinks they are right in opposition to their differing counterpart, it takes quite the open mind for them to begin to interpret their opposition’s beliefs with respect.

These assumptions, to me are not anything to be deeply concerned about.  John Sutton Lutz’s article is so valuable, in my perception, because, whether or not he assumes that European thought is the dominant one, he encourages the reader to really question that dominance.  Although, presumably more rational because of the Enlightenment’s focus on science and education, Lutz suggests that “a closer look at the Europeans would show that their rational behaviour was also determined, in part, by their non-rational spiritual beliefs” (31).  For instance, it was in the belief of a religious view that Europeans thought the indigenous needed to be converted and saved spiritually – despite the disrespect and violence that was involved in the process.

Lutz illustrates that both sides were governed by their religious or spiritual beliefs that defined their world.  One is not necessarily more rational or superior than the other, merely because of technological advantage.  Technology, I believe, is not a reflection of a flourishing society when the scruples of a people are compromised.  It is important to question is morality is a function of rationality – such as utilitarianism, a belief that the right thing to do is defined by the advantage to the group, the greater good.  A moral compass, the ability to empathize and feel compassion, and an ability to let go of egoistic individuality, are more rational factors for a society to flourish than advanced technology.

The Multiculturalism Act of 1988, signed on by the late Prime Minister, Pierre Trudeau, was a means to accommodate immigrants of all nations, races, religions, and languages.  The Act is “seen to represent official commitment to ensuring that all ethnic and racial groups are able to maintain their cultures while fully participating in Canadian society” (James 31).  It was a nice attempt to relieve the pressures and undo the prevalence of Canadian “whiteness” that Daniel Coleman speaks about in his book, White Civility.  His work illustrates the dominance of the cultures of the colonizers, shown in his examination of widespread literature from 1850 to 1950.  The ideas about Canadian citizenship were promoted in light of British culture, and despite the Act, the perception still exists today.

Coleman’s thoughts about the dominant white culture is apparent even when looking at things such as the Canadian national holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Obviously, the national language is English, and the assimilation of immigrants includes the learning of the language.  When looking at the oppressive incidences of the residential schools, that would be a clear example of the cultural dominance of “whiteness”.  What we see on television especially is a reflection of the white way of man – definitions of beauty, family structure, and other societal expectations are normalized through popular culture.

To define oneself as Canadian, was a different experience for my parents’ generation (being immigrants), as it was for my time – post-Multiculturalism Act.  My mother still speaks of herself as being Korean, even though she holds citizenship in Canada, speaks fluent English, and even went to university here.  I, however, despite having grown up in a Korean home which maintained much of its culture through language, traditions, and even food, identify myself as both Korean and Canadian, and to me that does mean being multicultural.  As a child, I did feel less Canadian and more Korean when we coloured pictures of turkeys to celebrate Thanksgiving, and my mother did not gather our family for dinner for such festivities.  The culture was definitely prominent.  As I grow older and do not let the insignificance of things like Canadian traditions bother me, or define what it means to be Canadian, I can and enjoy identifying with both cultures.

The Multiculturalism Act, although seemingly just symbolic, is a fantastic addition to the official Canadian culture.  Multiculturalism is even included in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, making it not just a privilege to maintain one’s non-white culture, but a right.  More and more, steps taken to undo the British dominance, I believe, will result in a truly multicultural and equal society!

Works Cited

James, Carl E.  “Multicultural and Anti-Racism Education in Canada.”  Race, Gender & Class (Spring 1995), pp. 31-48.

A map is much like a story – it tells of a shared cultural history as much as it does geopolitical landscape.  The trial of the Wet’suwet’en and Gitxsan people against the Crown was a great example of just how the Aboriginal population proved so resourceful in their fight for sovereignty.  In Matthew Sparke‘s article, “A Map that Roared and an Original Atlas: Canada, Cartography, and the Narration of Nation,” he examines the correlation in theme of the trial and the writing of volume one of the Historical Atlas of Canada.  The importance of cartography is highlighted in these cases, and Sparke shows the challenge they present to the pre-existing homogeneous, dominant perceptions of our nation’s history.

The Atlas invites readers not only to learn more about the history of Canada, but also to re-think their perspectives about what Canadian citizens have been commonly taught in schools.  It challenged the political certainties of affirming the nation-state as the ones in power, the ones in charge.  It undermined the idea that the sovereignty of Canada has always been a legitimate and just accomplishment.  However, the Atlas shows that it is not just sovereignty from Britain that Canada successfully acquired, but sovereignty over a native population whom had to be conquered.

Sparke speaks of a concept metaphor, which he calls ‘contrapuntal cartographies’.  It is the perception that the solid cartographies already in existence, need to be questioned and sometimes re-mapped.  It is through this interpretation that there can be “a strategic revoicing of the subdominant to make it equal to the dominant and thus to orchestrate a balance that can potentially edify and educate an audience about the power relations of culture” (Sparke 467).  Canada and the world are in dire need of this openness to re-interpret and re-evaluate the histories that have been fed to a gullible world.

When Chief Justice Allan McEachern reacted to a map dictating Wet’suwet’en and Gitxsan territory with the words, “we’ll call it the map that roared,” (Sparke 468) it illustrated a beautifully tragic metaphor.  The roar could interchangeably be one of turmoil or triumph, depending on the two interpretations that Sparke offers.  One reflecting the tumultuous anachronism of the situation, and one of a fiery resistance.  Seeing as how Chief Justice rejected Wet’suwet’en and Gitxsan claims, perhaps he perceived the roar as one of futility – that of a dying wild animal, tired from its fight, yet persistent in its frustration.

The resistance – a fight worth fighting!  The roar is a pledge of non-compliance, of sovereignty and self-governance, of independence as a society.  The roar is a shaming of Chief Justice and his decisive blows to an entire population of people attempting merely to reclaim what was rightfully theirs.

Bibliography

Sparke, Matthew.  “A Map that Roared and an Original Atlas: Canada, Cartography, and the Narration of Nation.”  Annals of the Association of American Geographers (Vol. 88 No. 3) Sept. 1998: 463-495.

From my earliest memories, I had lived and grown up in the small Canadian suburb of Tsawwassen – a predominantly white and Christian town.  I am a second-generation, Canadian-born citizen to Korean immigrant parents who had been here since the late 70’s.  As a young school girl, I acknowledged I was a visible minority, but was fortunate enough to have lived around other children that chose not to treat me differently because of such.  I understood that being Canadian meant being multicultural, and we of all backgrounds were included in that mosaic.

Elementary school had been a breeze, but once the teenage years hit, things began to change.  At a bigger school, at 13 years of age, kids who were strangers were eager to voice their opinions and point out differences.  A few boys would make fun of me for the attention and laughs – just blatantly racist remarks.  I was shy and did not know how to deal with the treatment, so I found I could say nothing back.  It was only then that I started to become ashamed of being different.  I became embarrassed to speak Korean in public and bring Korean food for lunch.  I also began to question how I felt about being a ‘Canadian’ if this was the way that people were allowed to treat me.

Another realization that made me question what it meant to be Canadian was the first time I had driven through the Tsawwassen Native Reservation.  It had been something that no one ever talked about, until of course, I got my license and roaming around, I drove through it for the first time.  It was nothing like the suburban heaven that the rest of the town was.  All I saw was spread out houses of varying quality and a somewhat barren landscape.  Some houses on the brink of deterioration and some mansions with 6-car garages… I was perplexed as to how this community looked like it did, and also why we were kept so separate.

Becoming disconnected from what I thought was my Canadian identity, I sought to embrace my ethnic heritage.  However, Korea was a place that I had visited once as a child and had no connection to besides the language and my immediate family.  I associated myself, however, to all of my grandfather’s stories.  He was raised on a farm, in what was technically China at the time before there were borders like there are today.  He spoke of a Korea that was never divided, but it was under the rule of Japan.  Since before he was born, Korea was occupied by the Japanese Empire.  He learnt Japanese in school, served in the Japanese Air Force, and lived in Japan for years after.  To this day, he associates himself more with Japanese culture than he does Korean, and speaks more fondly of the people as a whole.  And thus, I realized as I tried to associate and identify myself with a nation or ethnicity, that I no longer really cared.  At present, I believe my identity is something that reflects my individualism rather than a collective.  And, after some travelling, I am beginning to find home in many different places, and find my values gained by many different teachings.

The concept of cultural values and a geographical home are just things that I have learned to lose now.  I feel that it is something I will develop in the future, after I have learned my life lessons, and settled into a home I will call my own.  For now, I am happy to be roaming.  I cannot relate to those who have had something they’ve known their whole lives – land, lifestyle, and family – and have it taken away from them by a people they have never seen before.  I can only try my best to empathize and understand.  In all honesty, however, I have nothing to explain how I value a home I never had, or a culture that I am learning.

Chamberlin’s work, If This is Your Land, Where are Your Stories? provides an intriguing look into the connection between fact and fiction, history and culture, and how they all relate to the human notion of home.  His last chapter, titled “Ceremonies” touches on the ‘Ceremonies of Belief’ that are expressed by every culture throughout humanity.  These ceremonies are, generally speaking, rituals of faith and meaning, that bring a community together and provide them with a sense of communal identity.  Some interesting points I found in the chapter were: the idea of the meaning of stories (those given by humans, blending history and dreams), the universal human condition (is it really the same?), and the border of truths and untruths of stories (how does it blur the line of Us and Them?).

The Meaning of Stories:

Chamberlin speaks of an ancient story of the Gitksan people, telling of a landslide caused by a grizzly bear.  The story is not only a piece of history,  but also a lesson of cultural values – one of gratitude.  When this story was presented in court, the officials sought to confirm the truth of the story, and had geologists discover that the story was in fact, scientifically sound.  It is interesting that the Gitksan people place trust and respect in the storytellers to tell a story of history, culture, and of morals.  The meaning placed in the story is initially written by the writer, and the sustaining meaning is held by those listeners who remind themselves of the importance of the story and how it reveals something true about their home.

The Human Condition:

There is a common ground that Chamberlin speaks of, that expresses itself in stories amongst differing cultures.  We are fulfilling a human need for some sort of satisfaction – whether it be an emotional, spiritual, or material fulfillment.  Is, however, the necessary human condition an utter feeling of need and want?  It appears so, with Chamberlin’s argument.  The power of communal occasions and connection through a force of story or song was so evident to him through his experience with the U2 concert.  Tears and singing through the collective draw to the emotional power of longing.  These ceremonies of belief are a grand representation of what brings us humans to our knees, and what provides us with hope in the end.  Much like a funeral, he explains, is a reminder of loss yet provides the attendees with a restored feeling of community.  Throughout the regular human emotional turmoils, there are ways we all find to bring ourselves together again.

Us and Them / Truths and Untruths:

Chamberlin illustrates the metaphors or ‘transubstantiations’ of the Christian communion practice.  The fact that such a ceremony is communal, is to develop an individual identity within the framework of a collective identity.  He also speaks of borders, such as the thin line between the truth and imagination in a story.  The place where these borders meet, and that moment we feel that the truths and untruths are real to us, is the same moment of common ground that we can use to transcend the borders of Us and Them.  The identity of one, versus the opposing identity of the other.  Chamberlin encourages finding that common ground among all cultures, and working our ways to peace.

Welcome to UBC Blogs. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

Hi folks! I am a fourth year Philosophy major, and I am super excited to take this course.  I have always had a strong interest in literature, political philosophy, and history, so this seems like a perfect blend.

I have been working in the DTES for 5 years now, and the effects of colonization very apparent there.  My goal is to work for a non-profit in the area, and give back to the country that gave so much to me.  Here are a couple places that you can get touch with, if the urge to become involved strikes you so!:

Atira Women’s Resource Society

Insite Supervised Injection Site

The problem created by our ancestors has left dark consequences.  I am pleased to see a class where we, as a community of learning, can explore and discuss the causes and solutions to this crisis.  As we stand today, the Native population of Canada  does not have the rights they once did as a free people, and are often struggling with problems such as alcoholism, abuse, and cultural identity confusion.  There are things we can do the raise awareness, and make it better!

Thanks for reading, and let’s make Canada the country we want it to be!