First, let me take a second to welcome all of my readers to this blog:

Hi Mom!

I’m joking, of course; I also welcome all three of my classmates who read this page.

A Brief Bio

I’m Cianne, and this is my blog. While I’ve started it for the 2018W T2 section of ENGL 470 (Canadian Studies for any of you not in the know), I’m hoping that it will eventually become a place for Canadian storytelling outside of just this one class (check back next year to see if this is the case!)

I’m an English Major in my “3rd” year of a never-ending B.A., and I also have the wonderful privilege of working for UBC full-time. So, I’m on campus nearly every day, but I rarely see the inside of a classroom, as unfortunately, most classes fall in that 9:00 – 5:00 range.  I’m from both B.C. and Alberta, and Vancouver was the 7th city within 7 years that I called “home”.

Bowen Island, B.C.

So, what exactly are Canadian Studies?

Canadian Studies is a fairly broad designation. I mean, just look at the size of the country. In the English Literature discipline, it generally refers to the reading and analyzing of Canadian “canon” literature: names such as Margaret Atwood, Margaret Laurence, and Sinclair Ross. However, in this particular class, we are going to be focusing on Canadian Indigenous literature,  reading some written works, and examining the role that orality plays in Indigenous literature. We will explore how stories are used in nation building, the stories we all tell about being Canadian, and the implications of a “Canadian canon” that often leaves out most Indigenous literature. Hopefully, we will discuss ways to shift this canon.

Expectations

I expect and am excited to become acquainted with Indigenous literature, as it is a genre (if that is the correct term) to which I am a newcomer. I am eager to expand my knowledge of the rich literary tradition, both written and oral, that has been a part of this land for generations untold.

In particular, I look forward to continuing the process of decolonizing my own personal stories about Canada, and to learn more about the land that I call home. I am also extremely thrilled to learn about reading for symbolism from cultures other than my own: it’s a skill I plan to put to good use!

Works Cited

“Creation Story.” Nisga’a Lisims Government, 12 Jan. 2019, www.nisgaanation.ca/creation-story.

“Decolonizing Ourselves.” Centre for Humans Rights Research. University of Manitoba, 12 Jan 2019, law.robsonhall.com/chrr/other-resources/critical-conversations/critical-conversations-on-truth-and-reconciliation/decolonizing-ourselves/.

McKinnon, Cianne. Bowen Island Cliff. 2017. photos.app.goo.gl/zMZ8o3TuQbrCg6tF9. Accessed 12 Jan. 2019.