Follow the instructions in this lesson to set up your blog and write a short introduction (300 – 400 words) that includes at least two hyperlinks and a visual. This introduction should welcome your readers and include a brief description of the course and some commentary on your expectations for this course.
Hi everyone!
My name is Caitlin Bennett, and I am a fourth year English Lit major, Creative Writing minor set to graduate this spring. I was born and raised in North Vancouver.
Outside of my university career, I work part time as an assistant manager for Landmark Cinemas. I’ve worked in the movie theatre industry for almost 6 years now, and have come to be extremely proficient in buttering popcorns. I’m also a cheerleader on Adrenaline’s Audacity team. I have been involved in the BC cheerleading community for 10 years now, first as an athlete, then coach, then manager, and athlete again. It’s my second biggest passion next to writing. Although it’s not always possible, I try to take at least two weeks off every year to go somewhere fun! Last spring I took a trip to New York, Montreal, and Ottawa where my aunt lives.
Here is me feeling very Canadian, sitting with the Famous Five on Parliament Hill:
As a literature student, I have found myself focused mainly on British literature from various time periods, so I am excited to engage with material that hits closer to home in this class. As a Canadian, I’ve often found myself struggling as to how to identify with my nation. Aside from being stereotypically polite and loving hockey, I don’t know what makes a Canadian a Canadian other than their passport. I don’t even love hockey, so I hope there’s more to it than that! We’re a state whose political structure originated in British law and a people who absorb massive amounts of media and entertainment from the US. Where does that leave our culture as a nation? Who do we want to be? How do First Nations fit into that? These are questions I’m interested in exploring in this course!
Cheers,
Caitlin
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Works Cited
Evans, Pete. “Immigrants more likely to consider Canadian symbols important to national identity.” CBC News. CBC, 6 Oct. 2015. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.
“The Famous Five.” The Nellie McClung Foundation. n.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.
Hey there! As soon as I read ‘cheerleader’ I knew I had to comment–I was a cheerleader for eight years with Midnight, starting out when Pee-Wee was still a category… Unfortunately for me I’ve had to take a step away from cheer because of injuries, competing at level 6 must be so much fun (and also so much hard work).
I find the subject about engaging with Canadian identity really poignant, that CBC article was an interesting read. It’s always been incredibly interesting how we absorb other cultures and media and how it has left Canada a kind of in-between place with not much to speak of in terms of concepts as simple as national cuisine (I mean, what do we really have besides poutine?) and as complex as national identity.
Hi Natalie!
Nice to hear from a fellow cheerleader. I actually just joined Audacity about a month ago (after trying to quit cheer this year lol) because they had an injury on the team, so it’s all pretty new to me still. I’m really enjoying it so far though, and my teammates are lovely!
I think you make a great point about our national cuisine. So many countries are famous for their national cuisine. We have Italian restaurants, French, Chinese, Japanese, etc. in our own cities, yet I don’t think other countries have Canadian restaurants because what would they serve? Interestingly, when I was in London a couple years ago I did see a Canadian-themed bar. I didn’t go in, but the outside had a moose and a bunch of maple leaves. It seems that the way others see us is so defined by a very small amount of symbols/activities – Moose, Maple Leaf, Hockey, Poutine, Beavers. That’s Canada in a nutshell, and I can’t say I have any better way to define it.
Hey Caitlin,
I really enjoyed your first blog post, because it brought some significant questions to my mind. While our identity can be focussed on hockey, beavers, maple leaves, and poutine (eh!) I believe that inner identity is much more important to us as a nation and individuals. Most of the examples of identity from the CBC article you linked are visible (or audible in the case of the anthem), whereas I would argue that the folklore and stories of the land we live and go to school on would be much more telling of the origins of Canada, and where we fit within this nation in the 21st century. The readings and blogs in the course lead me to a slightly different questions than yours : Who are we (and what is our history)? Where do we fit into the First Nation (the original) community and culture, both positively and negatively? While visible identity is an important aspect of ones birthplace and culture, one which Canada is having a tinge of a crisis it seems, I believe it is the intimate stories, and the history of individuals coming together than will be most telling of who we are, and where we belong. I look forward to reading more of your blog posts! 🙂
Until next time,
Nicholas
Hi Nicholas,
Thank you for such a thoughtful comment. I agree with you about folklore and stories of the land being more important to our identity than these outward symbols. I think you’ve actually caught on to a big part of what makes Canadian identity so fragile. There’s always been a divide between being “First Nations” and being “Canadian” and thus we have developed separate identities (although they sometimes overlap). The only stories non-indigenous Canadians have of the land are either horror stories of how they treated first nations or stories that are so recent in memory that they don’t feel much like history. Personally, I have never felt welcomed as a Canadian to treat First Nations stories as part of my own history, but more to revere them as part of a foreign culture. Perhaps this will change in the future, or we will begin to create stories together that involve all those who live in Canada. I guess we’ll see!
Caitlin
Hi Caitlin, Nick, and Natalie,
The question of what exactly is a Canadian identity is one that I also find fascinating. It reminds me of a recent article entitled “Canada, the country that nationalism side-swiped.”
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2016/01/08/canada-the-country-that-nationalism-side-swiped-salutin.html
Conventional nationalism is usually seen as a story that all citizens should fit into, and the opponents are branded anti-nationalists. But in Canada, that idea is reversed with nationalism being seen as accepting many stories simultaneously. Revering each story and respecting its original form is the objective of modern Canada.
It made me look at the quintessential Canadian: hockey, snow, beavers, and maple leafs. The inner identity of this country is varied, and it is a point of pride in that variance. So are these seemingly non-important things a way of binding all these people and stories together without touching that sacred story itself?
Hey Maryam,
That’s a really interesting article and point you make there, and I’m certainly inclined to agree. If I’m really being honest, the vehement nationalism I see in the States does often take me aback, so I like embracing the idea that what makes Canada unique is our accepting of differences, as opposed to a notion of ‘freedom’ or the like.
Or, just as I was responding to this comment, an American friend of mine sent me this link to a Buzzfeed quiz about ‘How Stereotypically Canadian Do You Dress’ (I am, apparently, ‘Canadian-ish’ you can take the quiz below if you feel like procrastinating for a minute)
http://www.buzzfeed.com/sarahaspler/how-stereotypically-canadian-do-you-dress?utm_term=.hfABoq5da#.bc7DnPoYg
It definitely makes me think about how Canadians are often associated with insignificant, material, stereotypes (my international friends are endless with their Tim Hortons and Hockey jabs and the latest thing, how attractive our Prime Minister is), but I think that embracing of difference hasn’t been lost on the international community looking in on Canada–when Syrian refugees were making international headlines, many of my friends also mentioned it to me in a way that suggested they weren’t surprised that Canada would do something like that, which makes me think that ‘true’ Canadian identity hasn’t been lost amidst the superficial stereotypes.
Hey guys, I don’t have much to add to your points other than to say I think you hit the nail on the head! Multiculturalism is a huge point of pride for Canadians.
Caitlin
Hello Caitlin Bennett. Thanks for the wonderful introduction. Your life must be pretty exciting. I have a friend who is a cheerleader. She is always full of energy, jovial and very positive. I think being close to her has influenced my opinion of cheerleaders so much. Having to do all the things who do must be truly demanding. Congratulations. Reading your post, I couldn’t agree more when you say, “I don’t know what makes a Canadian a Canadian other than their passport. I don’t even love hockey, so I hope there’s more to it than that! We’re a state whose political structure originated in British law and a people who absorb massive amounts of media and entertainment from the US. Where does that leave our culture as a nation? Who do we want to be? How do First Nations fit into that?” Whereas many nations are united by common heritages, religion or even language, Canada seems to be divided on all these fronts. The people lack a strong sense of nationalism. The problem is not about diversity as put forward by other people. There are nations that have highly diverse populace but are more united that Canada. I strongly believe the problem is caused by lack of commitment to unity and nationalism.
Hi Minkyo,
I think that’s an interesting viewpoint. We do have a diverse population, but frankly so does America. The US is often referred to as a melting pot. While it’s certainly brings a sense of comfort to have a strong united dream for all citizens, it also seems (in their case at least) to come with a huge pressure to conform to specific American norms. In that sense, I kind of like our Canadian mosaic.
Perhaps there’s a country that has found a solid middle ground with this. I haven’t done enough travelling to know!
Thanks for your comment,
Caitlin