Hello again everyone! I am back with another blog post, this time for assignment 2:4. For this assignment, I have decided to answer question two, which I will paste down below:
2. In this lesson I say that our capacity for understanding or making meaningfulness from the first stories is seriously limited for numerous reasons and I briefly offer two reasons why this is so: 1) the social process of the telling is disconnected from the story and this creates obvious problems for ascribing meaningfulness, and 2) the extended time of criminal prohibitions against Indigenous peoples telling stories combined with the act of taking all the children between 5 – 15 away from their families and communities. In Wickwire’s introduction to Living Stories, find a third reason why, according to Robinson, our abilities to make meaning from first stories and encounters is so seriously limited. To be complete, your answer should begin with a brief discussion on the two reasons I present and then proceed to introduce and explain your third reason from Wickwire’s introduction.
I’m going to be honest, the lecture for this lesson left me shell-shocked. I knew some of the atrocities faced by Indigenous people in residential schools, but I had no idea that the last one didn’t close until 1996. It baffles my mind that these things were happening to children for such a long period of time. Before I dive into my response to this question, I must admit that I am honestly disappointed in myself for not educating myself on this issue. I have lived 22 years of my life on these people’s lands, and it is my responsibility to educate myself on what my ancestors have done to them historically.
As for my response to the question, I suppose above is my response to the point made of lost generations and stories (the second reason why we can’t fully understand first stories.) Upon my realization above, I took it upon myself to read some stories of residential school survivors–not necessarily first stories but I felt the theme of storytelling in this course was echoed through my exploration of these very traumatic tales of actual genocide of Indigenous people. I particularly was struck by this one here, by Mary Carpenter.
It was hard for me to understand the first point made in question two in regards to the social process of telling a story reducing the ability to make meaning out of it. However, when I read Robinson’s Living by Stories: a Journey of Landscape and Memory, it made a lot more sense. The story in particular about the laws that Coyote travelled to England to put in place helped me realize that these weren’t just stories as we know them. I feel like stories in a modern sense are a sort of fluff term that often bring to mind fictional, unreal situations. This is not what first stories are–first stories tell of myths and legends that portray actual laws, rules, and traditions and explain why Indigenous people adhere to them today. They are far more educated and historic tales than I ever gave them credit for.
As for a third reason, I think to my own reaction to reading this introduction: an unfamiliarity with the subject matter. I think in Wickwire’s story of how she met and frequently spent time with Harry, she goes into depth on how unfamiliar she was with some of his stories: “At last I could see some tangible parallels between these stories and those that I had surveyed in the published records. However, just as I began to relax in this timeless zone of relative familiarity, Harry suddenly shifted back to the historical period,” (Robinson, 13). Wickwire comments that she spent time looking at all of the published historical myths and legends of Indigenous people, however, when Harry’s stories stray from what is on record, she is slightly taken aback. I think this is one of the reasons that we can’t fully understand or put meaning into first stories because we have preconceptions of what they are already going to be. We have records that have been put into place, but are those recorded stories really authentic? Have they been modified or changed due to the generations of lost voices in residential schools? I’m not completely sure, but Wickwire’s response to Harry’s stories has me thinking this could be the case.
This lesson really challenged me to think outside of my own preconceptions and areas of familiarity when reading about Wickwire and Harry. I realized that I, too, need to check my own expectations of first stories at the door. Beyond that, this lesson has really taught me that I need to do more research to understand the atrocities that took place for Indigenous people and youth as recent as twenty-four years ago. I do not have the right to live on their land without fully understanding the genocide that took place.
Works Cited
Robinson, Harry. Living by Stories: a Journey of Landscape and Memory. Compiled and edited by Wendy Wickwire. Vancouver: Talon Books2005. (1-30)
Carpenter, Mary. Lost Generations. Canada History, https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/
first-nations-inuit-metis/lost-generations. Retrieved on 7 Feb 2020.
Miller, J.R. Residential Schools in Canada. The Canadian Encyclopedia, https://www.
thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/residential-schools. Retrieved on 7 Feb 2020.
Georgia
February 9, 2020 — 4:22 pm
Hi Chase,
I really enjoyed reading your insightful response to this question. When I first found out that the last residential school closed in 1996 I was just as absolutely shocked as you were.
I found that taking some GRSJ classes during my first years at UBC opened my eyes to so many tragic Canadian histories that I hadn’t heard of or hadn’t properly understood.
I’m curious, as much as it is an individual responsibility to educate yourself on the history of the land you occupy, do you think that all university students should have to take a class on Indigenous subjects? I know that the BC elementary and high school curriculums have shifted to include more Indigenous themes and histories. Do you think the government should be responsible for creating these curriculums? How do you think this might benefit (or not) the next generations graduating high school?
Jack Hauen
February 12, 2020 — 2:47 pm
Hey Chase and Georgia,
In my experience, this reaction to finding out about the extent and recent history of residential schools is pretty common. I know I felt the same things you two did when I found out — also shamefully late in my education.
To expand upon Georgia’s point about mandatory courses, what do either or both of you think are the reasons that so few of us know enough about residential school history? Is it a failing of the public education system, journalism, individuals — or is it the effect of institutional racism generally? And how do we go about fixing it?
I know the TRC had some recommendations on this — what do you think would’ve benefited you personally, and led you to become aware of this recent and ongoing tragedy?
Thanks!
Jack
ChaseThomson
February 20, 2020 — 2:25 pm
Hi Jack,
Thank you for this insightful question. I think it is a shame that we all were so shocked to hear about the extent of residential schools. I do, in fact, blame institutional racism. With that, I think institutional racism affects the education system, journalism, and individuals–so I agree with that point as well.
I think we are moving in the right direction, especially with classes such as this, but we have a long way to go. This should be a mandatory lesson in high school for students to learn about.
ChaseThomson
February 20, 2020 — 2:27 pm
Hi Georgia,
I kind of said this in my response to Jack, however, I’ll say it again. I believe that it should be mandatory to learn about the indecencies to Indigenous people in elementary and high school. As for University, I think it is harder to enforce a mandate regarding these issues. But by the time a student enters University, they should have a decent knowledge of the genocide of Indigenous people (especially because we all benefit and live on land that was ripped away from them so violently.)
Thanks for the question!
EmilyHomuth
February 11, 2020 — 8:22 pm
Hi Chase!
I think you’ll be hearing this a whole lot, but I was also incredibly shocked to hear how long the residential school system lasted. I had no idea that it was such recent history.
I like your third point and I think you are absolutely correct, unfamiliarity with subject matter makes it incredibly hard to properly interpret stories. Do you think that unfamiliarity makes it hard to interpret because we have preconceived notions or because we do not have enough notions? Some preconceived notions may help interpret Indigenous stories. Mind you, I would say this only applies to those carefully cultivated through education and a healthy (and correct) understanding of Indigenous culture. One example, that I found helpful with my approach to Indigenous stories, is remembering the importance of animals in Indigenous culture (https://www.resilience.org/stories/2014-01-17/the-indigenous-and-modern-relationship-between-people-and-animals/). This helps me to keep an open mind in any story where animals make an appearance and to interpret their role in the story accordingly. Animals are featured in indigenous stories in a verity of ways from talking and transforming to being omens, guides or companions.
This preconceived notion is based on many different examples of Indigenous stories but, as you noted above, I also cannot dismiss stories that do not fit into my preconception. Are all preconceived notions bad or do we need to balance preconceptions based on Indigenous culture with education and a large knowledge base?
Thanks,
Emily
Work Cited
Boyd, Roger. “The Indigenous and Modern Relationship Between People and Animals” Resilience, 17 Jan. 2014, https://www.resilience.org/stories/2014-01-17/the-indigenous-and-modern-relationship-between-people-and-animals/. Accessed 11 Feb. 2020.
Robinson, Harry. Living By Stories: A Journey of Landscape and Memory, edited by Wendy Wickwire, Talonbooks Vancouver, 2005.
ChaseThomson
March 19, 2020 — 8:55 pm
Hi Emily,
I had my blog set to auto-approve comments but somehow yours sat in the queue until now! I’m so confused but so sorry that I haven’t seen it until now. To answer your question, I think that sometimes our unfamiliarity and ignorance is caused my preconceived notions (such as how we were raised, what ideals we were taught, etc.) However, I feel that some ignorance can come from not enough notions at all! When we aren’t exposed to something, we can fear it or misunderstand it. So, in a way, I think that it derives from both of those points!
Thank you for such an insightful comment, and I’m sorry it took this long for me to respond.
Chase
grace owens
February 11, 2020 — 8:45 pm
Hi Chase,
Great to connect with you again! I thought your piece was really insightful and not only did I see real fact and knowledge, but your emotion and self really resonated and showed through in this piece.
At the end of your piece, you say that you must leave your own preconceived notions of first stories behind for this course, but I wonder if instead of leaving it behind could you grow and expand upon? Is there a particular story you were thinking of when you wrote this and if so how could that story be opened to everyone and be adapted to fit your new knowledge from this course?
All the best,
Grace
ChaseThomson
February 20, 2020 — 2:30 pm
Hi Grace,
I didn’t really have an exact example of a story that defied my preconceptions of first stories. What I meant was rather that I had no idea what first stories were. I thought they were simply legends or myths told for entertainment purposes. What I didn’t realize is that they represent important historical elements of Indigenous tribes and actual laws that people follow in these communities and cultures.
My response to this question was deeply personal. It is hard to admit that I had preconceptions and a lack of knowledge about first stories and residential schools.
I hope this somewhat answered your question (?).