Hello, and welcome! This is my first online English class, but I am fairly excited to have a place for my thoughts and to be able to respectfully read/discuss stories and perspectives with everyone else. My name is Jenny Lu, and I am a second-generation immigrant who was born in Canada but grew up in California. I plan to major in English Literature and minor in Commerce. I like eating ice cream on cold days, drinking smoothies any day, and reading/writing poetry when I feel up to it.
Part of the main reason I chose UBC was due to the multicultural experience I had missed in my childhood—I suppose I felt such was lacking in my current environment. I wrote a high school research paper about the need to include more multicultural literature to be taught in American schools (their unofficial curriculum mostly comprises of The Great Gatsby, Lord of the Flies, Shakespeare’s classic plays, etc.), which would in turn expand students’ minds. In fact, this topic is still discussed today as some issue yet to be resolved.
I still believe much creativity and open-mindedness is cultivated when we immerse ourselves into different cultural experiences, whether it be from reading literature, traveling to foreign countries, or simply listening to other people’s stories. English 470 provides the potential to learn about the intricate relations of Canadian colonization, literary canonization, and historical tensions. From studying abroad, I have been exposed to native history and art via MOA, and through readings in my ASTU class. Our class was able to get a sneak-peek on their website, (the public one up is here) which gave an online tour of campus places and native acknowledgments, one being the native host signs.
These scattered signs do not occupy much space nor do they subtly serve as a learning space for native culture and tradition, but as a mere acknowledgment in what we all must share—one that starts with reading the sign and sparks a curiosity to question; a willingness to learn, a desire to listen. The words can only speak to those who are willing and aware of the living blood of the Indigenous people, and the renewal of their absence in history.
Lisa Brooks refers to Samson Occom when addressing the essence of Native nationalist literature, that this “insistence to keep telling and creating stories” allows “Indian life [to continue], and it is this resistance against loss that has made that life possible” (231). These signs can spark reflection on the shadows of society and the importance of words as a means of a culture’s survival, in creating stories and different perspectives or truths.
Similarly, in this course, I hope to develop more perspective on the intersections in the Canadian literature realms in regards to historical context and understand the distinctions between what is written and what was promptly ignored or yet to be known.
Ending on a more lighthearted note, here is a short animated video taken from Brené Brown’s Ted Talk on ‘The Power of Vulnerability.’ While the approach we take is context dependent when someone we know is suffering, empathy can be related to storytelling: When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we are forging this path for connection, active thinking and listening, and ultimately some means of understanding.
Works Cited
Brooks, Lisa. “At the Gathering Place.” American Indian Literary Nationalism. Eds. Jace Weaver, Craig S. Womack, and Robert Warrior. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2006. 225-41.
Flood, Alison. “Yale English Students Call for End of Focus on White Male Writers.” theguardian, 1 June 2016. Web. Accessed 10 September 2016.
The RSA. “Brené Brown on Empathy.” YouTube. YouTube, Web. 10 Dec. 2013. Web. 11 Sept. 2016.
Vellum, Guilhem. Today Your Host is Musqueam. 2011. Photograph. UBC. flickr. Web. 9 September 2016.
Hello Jenny, I can relate to you in the sense that I am also a second generation immigrant. And as I grow older, I realize that it’s actually quite an interesting position to be in as we get to represent multiple cultures and act as a bridge for different cultures to intertwine. One way to do that is of course through stories. I heavily take it upon myself to hold stories from both cultures that I come from so that I can pass them on to foreigners and succeeding generations. Over time these stories have naturally become who I am. One reason I hope to learn from this course is – then of course – more stories about Canada and narratives of it’s founding fathers.
Hi Lucas. Thanks for your comment!
As second generation immigrants, we definitely get to experience two (or multiple) cultures intermingle and face distinct struggles when growing up, such as rebelling against the non-host culture in order to belong to one defined group, etc. I find it interesting that growing up and almost denying my own ethnicity has led to an eventual acceptance and slow, steady nurture for it. A general aspect of a respectful multicultural environment is that through the act of relaying and listening to diverse stories, our identities are constantly evolving through the influences of one another. I am definitely glad that this course exists for the purpose of representing other narratives that I have yet to learn more about.
Hi!
As you already mentioned on my blog, we do have the same name :).
Your post is really interesting, and it really made me self-reflect. I realized that I did see one of the native host signs around the campus, yet I just processed it for a second or two and forgot all about it. I do know that UBC is on the land of the Musqueam, but for some reason I did not put two and two together to see that the sign is a reminder of that fact. Embarrassingly, all I wondered was why British Columbia was put backwards.
When I first read your last paragraph, I didn’t fully understand what you meant. So I went to watch the linked video, and the information turned out to be a lot more interesting than I thought it would be. (The video made me want to comment!) It struck me that I was feeling sympathy for the Musqueam, not empathy. While I felt sorry for the Musqueam and from time to time fleetingly imagined how hard it must be for their loss of home, I did not put myself in their shoes. To be honest, I still am not putting myself in their shoes. It is hard for me to fully understand their situation, because I have never experienced anything like it.
So now, I have another goal for this course: to be able to emphathize with the Musqueam. I go to school on their land, and even live on their land. I feel it is only right to at least understand what they’ve been through and still experience, and connect with them the best I can. After that, maybe I can think about ways to increase empathy in the UBC community regarding the Musqueam, and not just stop at empathy.
What do you think? Have you already thought about ways to increase connection to the Musqueam?
Hi Jenny! Once again, thanks for commenting (this was in spam and I have just noticed and approved it). Don’t worry though as I would have not thought too much about the native host signs around campus either if not for the course I took and the Q&A conference with Sarah Ling (one of the persons working on the website) that our class had. Like landmarks or tour sites, people need signs to indicate more information and history about it. Ironically in British Columbia (and many other places) we need signs to acknowledge who the original settlers were, as a reminder that they still exist, implying that we are progressing backwards (in terms of our society valuing the general spirituality of nature/things–similar to that link which Erika posted that where the people refused $200k+ per person to install pipelines).
I’m glad you took on a new perspective with the video! It’s one of the more interesting videos I know of on Youtube. I think the animations emphasize the point in a cute manner. You are right in that the first step is awareness, and then everything else afterward is taking initiative. While sympathy is a mere comment on the issues faced, empathy drives to bring a connection, as you said. I am not sure of the opportunities of helping bring a deeper connection to the Musqueam people as I don’t want to impose myself on anyone who may not actually want help to begin with. I think creating dialogue with other people and bringing that initial awareness about this marginalized group would be the widest opportunity for me.
Hello Jenny
Welcome to our course of studies – and thank you for a most interesting introduction blog. I have seen Brene Browns short videos before and appreciate her perspective on empathy. I look forward to learning more about your perspectives and engaging with your insights. Thank you. Erika
Hi Erika!
Thank you for the welcome. I coincidentally took this course when I was considering education but I am glad to have kept it–the online blog discussions have been interesting to read and engage in. I have always preferred writing my thoughts over speaking them as it helps me solidify my thinking process more. I look forward to the rest of this course.
Best,
Jenny