Month: June 2016

5] “To raise the question of ‘authenticity’ is to challenge not only the narrative but also the ‘truth’ behind Salish ways of knowing “(Carlson 59). Explain why this is so according to Carlson, and explain why it is important to recognize this point.

In Keith Carlson’s Orality about Literacy: The ‘Black and White’ of Salish History, he exposes and critiques Western misconceptions of Salish people in regards to their history of literacy (or, as ethnocentrically Western worldviews purport, their lack thereof). He calls upon, for instance, Okanagan elder Harry Robinson’s story of Coyote and his white twin brother, as well as Bertha Peters’ narrative of the transformed chiefs. Both Robinson’s and Peters’ accounts share one overarching commonality— that God intended for Salish people to be literate. Yet despite these narratives and the fact that they contain post-contact content, they are still referred to by Westerners or newcomers as “legends” or “mythologies” (Carlson 56). Westerners have and likely will continue to perpetuate the idea that they imposed literacy upon North American aboriginals via colonialism— but why? Carlson tackles this question by appealing to the discrepancies between Western and Salish assessments of what constitutes “authenticity” as well as historical accuracy.

The Salish, by and large, do not have any conception of “authenticity”— in fact, “neither reality nor authenticity is part of the indigenous criteria for assessing stories” (Carlson 56-57). Rather than authentic or inauthentic stories (such as teek-whl or sqwélqwel), there are instead better remembered/conveyed or less well-remembered/conveyed stories (Carlson 57). And as such, there exists a fundamental confusion among Westerners in regards to how to assess historical accounts of Salish literacy, one that has led largely to their lack of insight into Salish historical consciousness.

Historical accuracy, which both Westerners and the Salish are highly concerned with, is also assessed in highly opposing ways. For Westerners (especially those in academia), historical accuracy is dependent on verifiable and concrete evidence (Carlson 57). We as students in the Western world know that citing evidence (whether in a works cited page or a bibliography) is crucial; failure to do so will often be construed as plagiarism! For the Salish, however, historical accuracy is assessed via “relations to people’s memories of previous renditions or versions of a narrative and in relation to the teller’s status and reputation as an authority” (Carlson 57).

In questioning the authenticity of Salish people’s narratives, newcomers/Westerners are, as Professor Paterson suggests, challenging fundamental Salish ways of knowing; they are essentially challenging an entire worldview and another group’s way of being, all while simultaneously imposing their worldviews upon them. Having been immersed in one worldview for the majority of my life, I can somewhat understand the biases one may have in thinking that their view, one they have long been steeped in, may be best. It is by no means an easy feat to expand one’s ways of knowing (or to even attempt to understand other ways), however, it is absolutely necessary to do so; like in this course, it is only possible to be enlightened with informed insights and understandings if one is truly receptive and open to worldviews aside from their own. Perhaps equally important to being receptive is having access to these worldviews in the first place— is knowing of them. Ensuring that we do not silence Indigenous voices, then, is also vital. Ignorance prevents us from taking steps necessary to understand and it also breeds intolerance. Taking the initiative and time to understand Indigenous worldviews may help pave the way (no matter how slowly) towards true reconciliation.

Works Cited

Carlson, Keith Thor. “Orality and Literacy: The ‘Black and White’ of Salish History.” Orality & Literacy: Reflections Across Disciplines. 43-72. Print

Paquin, Mali Ilse. “Unsolved murders of indigenous women reflect Canada’s history of silence.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. 25 June 2015. Web. 29 June 2016.

Gilmore, Scott. “Canada’s race problem? It’s even worse than America’s.” Macleans. Rogers Media. 22 Jan 2015. Web. 29 June 2016.

Read at least 3 students blog short stories about ‘home’ and make a list of the common shared assumptions, values and stories that you find. Post this list on your blog with some commentary about what you discovered.

After reading through my fellow classmates’ stories about home this week, I noticed a few commonalities; in particular, I noticed these three prevailing ideas:

1. Home is not necessarily place dependent. In my own stories about home, I focussed heavily on the intersection between home and place— that home was informed by place and by the physical features of place. After reading through my classmates’ stories, however, I realize that home manifests in so many ways other than in the tangible form of place. In John’s blog, for example, he puts it eloquently that home “is a feeling, a collection of thoughts” (Wang). Another fellow student, Nick, commented on my blog post that home “could be a feeling about a place, but also about an activity, or some other thing” (Babey).
2. We can accredit our feelings of being “at home” largely to our personal relations with people. I noticed this was especially prevalent in my own blog this week, as I referenced a loved one at least once in each of my individual stories. In Lorraine’s blog, she discusses filial piety; her question of “when my family is gone then where is my home?” resonates deeply with me and I think too with everyone else (Shen). Whether one considers their kin those who are related by blood, or simply those who have shown them true loyalty and kindness, the connection between family and home is a particularly strong one.
3. Home is not always static. Although some people may believe that home is necessarily something stable or something rooted, I think many of the stories from this week’s assignment challenge this notion. For example, in Alanna’s posting, she discusses how her “constant moving around” has actually made it such that she “doesn’t need personal pictures or specific people to feel at home” (Joy). The very idea that home can manifest in so many different ways also demonstrates that conceptions of home can evolve and change.

Write a short story (600 – 1000 words max) that describes your sense of home and the values and stories that you use to connect yourself to your home and respond to all comments on your blog.

Initial Thoughts

Last semester in English 222, I read Defining Place, an article written by human geographer Tim Cresswell. In attempting to answer the daunting question posed by this week’s assignment (what/where exactly is “home?”), I’ve found that this article in particular has resonated with me.

In it, Cresswell argues that three conditions must be met in order for place to become meaningful— namely, it must include a location, a locale, and a “sense” of place. While location simply refers to geographical whereabouts, locale refers to the material settings in which social relations are conducted. “Sense” of place, finally, refers to the subjective and emotional attachment people have to place.

While I’ve found Cresswell’s conditions inspiring, I have to wonder if they can also be applied in my task of defining “home.” Are “meaningful place” and “home” simply interchangeable terms, and if not, how exactly does one define “home?”

Perhaps telling stories about our homes can help us to pinpoint its elusive definition; without further ado, here are some of my personal stories about home.

My Sense of Home 

The house I grew up in was home because of its white and beige exterior trimmings, which inevitably began to weather after enduring 20 years of Canadian climate. It was home because of the five fruit trees my dad planted, which towered over the backyard grass, the flower gardens, and even the gigantic maple tree my childhood friend Ashley and I climbed (and fell out of) when we were six. It was home because of the distinct amalgamated smell of incense and my dad’s famous curry, an aroma that filled the nose of anyone and everyone who happened to drop by on a Sunday night. It was home because of a certain black cat named Salem, who, shedding her black fur, marked the carpets, much of the furniture, and many of my white clothes to my dismay. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the house I grew up in was home because it was constantly livened and warmed by people— those who lived in it, those who visited for just a few days, and even those who merely passed in and out.

But the dorm room I lived in during my first year at UBC was also home. It was home because of the white brick walls, which, covered in 4×6 glossy digital printouts, captured and displayed all of my favourite memories. It was nonetheless home because of the musky carpet, which had surely suffered countless spills and accidents from the previous students before me. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the dorm room I lived in during my first year at UBC was home because it shared a wall with my one of my dear childhood friends, Audrey, who lived next door on the right.

Across the world, China was also home. It was home because my grandmother’s house in Guangzhou contained an actual sit down toilet (to accommodate her Western family) as opposed to the “squatting” toilets normative in China. It was home because, despite strange looks I would get (people often thought I was adopted because I look more Caucasian), strangers were genuinely curious and willing to both accept and embrace my presence. Finally, China was home because I got to spend the most quality and priceless months with my favorite person— my dad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Concluding Thoughts

Prior to beginning this assignment, I was inclined to believe that home was more feeling dependant than it was dependent on physical features of place (meaning that I favoured Cresswell’s notion of a sense of place over his notions of location and locale). But, upon telling the stories of my homes, I’ve realized that any place I’ve ever considered “home” has indeed had some physical feature(s) which invoked feelings of belonging and of emotional attachment. I’ve come to the conclusion that physical features of place inform our emotional attachments to place, and, collectively, contribute to feelings of “home.” This is conversely true as well; our emotions and subjective feelings, similarly, inform our attachment to physical features in place, and collectively, contribute to feelings of “home.”

With all that being said, I’m interested in whether you think that Cresswell’s three conditions of location, locale, and sense of place are adequate in defining “home.” Why or why not? Do you think “home” is more feeling dependent or dependent on physical features of place?

Works Cited

 Cresswell, Tim. “Place: A Short Introduction.” Blackwell Publishing (2004). 1-14. Web. 5 Jun. 2016.

Iyer, Pico. “Where is home?” Ted Conferences (2013). Web. 5 Jun. 2016.