The night grows ever lighter. I blink at the light of my screen, struggling to stay awake. How did it come to this? I was doing so well! I think to myself, holding back the tears that so, so, easily fall from my eyes at the slightest disturbance. Once I cried because I spilled some noodles on the sidewalk. Anyhow, here I am, bravely forging through while releasing yawns every once in a while. You gotta just let ’em out sometimes.
My very first reaction to Robinson’s story about the Black and White law was that it was likely conceived after contact. Keeping in mind the history between the Indigenous people and Europeans, all the hurt and anger that must have been present after years of horrible treatment, the characterization of the twins makes sense. Coyote’s character, as Wickwire notes, was far from the bad boy Harry often painted him to be (Robinson 11); he was quite responsible and mature, making me wonder what exactly had happened to create the wild man previously described. This departure from character points towards a story that was more a product of the result of the contact rather than a prediction… which I guess it presented itself as, really, though its creation story elements do give off the vibe that this is something whipped up after a long time knowing the White twin’s children. The stories with Coyote as a footloose and fancy-free individual might be older than this one, but I can’t say I know. It’s simply an assumption I can make from reading this story.
Also, such accurate, painful description of the harm Europeans caused in this story is really paints it as a kind of narrative formed to come to terms with the shoddy treatment received by them, to find some kind of logical origin to it. Dr. Paterson asks what the Indigenous people did to deserve the ills that came upon them in this week’s lesson, and I feel this story is a way to bring about an explanation. Notably, it highlights that there was nothing the Indigenous people did to warrant the pain brought upon them, but rather a side-effect of each group’s forefather’s difference in temperament. The European people are descendants of a liar and a thief, thus explaining their behaviour. Coyote was good and raised his children well, but his brother’s mistake in rearing his doomed them.
As for the stolen piece of paper, it hearkens back to our discussion on oral and written cultures. The Europeans count as a “written” culture… type of people. Their ancestor stole a secret piece of paper, which I figure he used to write on and taught his children to do the same. Thus, a difference in record keeping was born. The fact that Coyote then traveled to England to procure a piece of paper with a law written on it implies the fact that the Europeans essentially forced the Indigenous people to adapt to their ways, even in seeking retribution. Overall, the story highlights the difference between the groups in a matter that is understanding considering the teller and the history at hand.
Works Cited
Paterson, Erika. “Lesson 2:2.” ENGL 470A Canadian Studies Canadian Literary Genre. UBC, n.d. Web. 21 June 2014.
Robinson, Harry. Living by Stories: a Journey of Landscape and Memory. Compiled and edited by Wendy Wickwire. Vancouver: Talon Books, 2005.
Hello Hannia!
I wholeheartedly agree when you mention that “the Black and White law was … likely conceived after contact.” I, too, am of the belief that the details, anger, anguish, and other emotions that were reflected in Robinson’s piece are a testament to this as I cannot imagine such detail and description to sprout from the temperament of the Indigenous unless the atrocities were felt first and then written after.
Something I wonder about the piece is whether it had to be altered or changed in certain areas for an audience outside of the Indigenous. Even today, the Indigenous are not fully given freedom or entitlement to what was originally theirs, and I wonder whether, in order to have the work available to everyone and integrated and open for others to read, some parts had to be fabricated and changed? Hmm!
I also am very intrigued with your analysis of the stolen piece of paper and Coyote’s reason for traveling to England. While I had similar thoughts about how it hearkens back to our discussion of the oral vs written cultures, it had not dawned on me that this could be another way to bring to the surface the idea that the Indigenous had been forced to adapt to European and settler ways.
Thanks for the food for thought! I look forward to further dialogue with you :)!
Hi Hania, thanks for this – you say “The stories with Coyote as a footloose and fancy-free individual might be older than this one, but I can’t say I know. It’s simply an assumption I can make from reading this story.” Coyote is a transformer figure in some First Nations stories – and in Green Grass Running Water, you will meet Coyote again; I think you might want to do a little reading up on Coyote as a Trickster figure – also, take a look at lesson 3:2 where I discuss “Coyote Pedegogy.” As I say, Coyote is a complex and extremely important character with transformative powers. Indeed, look at what Warwick says when she realizes that Coyote is able to “travel freely between pre-historical and historical time zones” (11) –thinking of Coyote as a master transformer.
Hi Hannia,
Like Elissa, I also agree with you that this story was conceived after contact, not a prediction of contact. As you say, perhaps this story was a way to provide an explanation for why First Nations people were treated so horribly after the arrival of the Europeans. Going to back to Chamberlin, who talks about stories giving meaning to the places we call home, it’s interesting to consider the meaning that this story gives the First Nations people about their home. It justifies their right to the land and rejects the idea of White supremacy, whether intellectual, moral, or technological. What do you make of this story in context with Chamberlin’s discussion of the convergence of reality and imagination?
Hi Hannia! Great post, I like how you added in Dr Paterson’s question about what the Indigenous people did to deserve residential schools and genocide. I found that trying to answer that question myself kept leading me off topic and ranting like a lunatic. Its a very important question to ask, and I’m glad you found some answers in the readings.
So Coyote is a being with the ability to change shape, most stories involving Coyote revolve around how this trickster tricks the world. One story I was told was a creation story: Coyote pretending to be Raven (Raven is suppost to be the true creator) and decided to seduce everyone – Coyote seduces fox, turtle, crow, wolf, bear, etc – and this seduction is how the many different Nations came to be. So, writing this story sounds a bit weird – I guess this is the basis of the course – understanding how weird stories sound written on paper.
Ok and Lastly! I just wanted to note that for centuries in Europe most people did not know how to read or write – only the wealthy had the opportunity. Yet, the society was built upon writing as a cornerstone for European culture and philosophy. Nobody really talks about how the common people relayed information (probably through stories).
Hi Hannia, enjoyed the blog post! I was wondering what you thought of this story now that we’ve read Carlson? One thing that struck me about his article was the idea that these type of stories may portray an idea that First Nations people saw literacy as being rightfully theirs, rather than a colonizing tool or a gift bestowed on them by the Europeans. Really changed the way I read this story!
HI all: I have a little giggle in my throat as I read through your dialogue about the ‘origins’ of Robinson’s story: before or after contact? Don’t get me wrong; this is a wonderfully insightful dialogue full of excellent questions and interesting insights – yes indeed. The reason I am giggling is because the story, like all stories – was indeed told long before contact; the point is that stories change! So, when Robinson sets off to tell a story, he measures first who are his listeners, where is the telling, what is the time and the place, the event and the reason for telling: all these things shape the story, but it remains an ancient story. And, like all stories, it is interwoven with other stories, and if you do not know the other stories, it is difficult to fully know this story. But you have certainly made a wonderful exploration and I hope discovered much about yourselves as readers.