Write a blog that hyper-links your research on the characters in GGRW according to the pages assigned to you. Be sure to make use of Jane Flicks’ GGRW reading notes on your reading list.

In this week’s assignment I will be attempting to analyse as well as connect various allusions and puns from a passage in Thomas King’s novel Green Grass, Running Water. I chose a passage which begins at a point that I believe addresses many of the major themes in this novel and decided to delve right into the middle of the story and chose pages 238 – 243 for my analysis. Thomas King has written his incredibly layered story in a circular fashion. I feel the theme of dichotomies has been present in many of my blog posts and it appears once more in this book, but with similar grey area in between. King intertwines the worlds of men and women, past and present, “native” and “white”, oral and literate, and most importantly of real and imaginary. The underlying idea that this is a creation story remains in these selected pages, and this passage was in the midst of an explanation. Throughout the novel, even as the many perspectives changed I always found myself waiting to get back to the unique point of view of the unknown narrative (written in first person, and if read out loud may in fact be the reader?) and Coyote. Therefore, as the narrator suggested, over the next few pages, I seated myself and listened (239).

This passage picks up with Robinson Crusoe explaining his version for a creation story that explains why there is so much water. He begins with the Thought Women and the story of the River. We also have commentary from Coyote and our Narrator, as well as Dr. Hovaugh and Babo continuing on their pursuit after the four. There were a few allusions in particular that stood out to me involving Robinson Crusuoe, the concept of the light, and the inclination towards miracles.

Robinson Crusoe: 

I knew I had heard this name before  I could not, however pin point why the name gave me so much discomfort. You have to understand that I am enjoying my “summer” mentality but it bugged me so much that I couldn’t quite grasp where I had heard it. I hadn’t even finished fully typing out the name of this character into google search before I was given options of “Robinson Crusoe Island”, “Robinson Crusoe 1997”, “Robinson Crusoe board game” and all of a sudden I realized that he is in fact the same figure that haunted me on my Intermediate Macro Economics exam this past winter semester. He was as an example for international trade based on the fact that he is a single individual on an island in Daniel Defoe’s 18^th century novel “The Life and Adventure of Robinson Crusoe”. We used him to discuss mutual benefits under conditions of equality, reciprocity and freedom. The novel itself is a well known travel narrative and I believe King was referring to the themes in the novel regarding legitimizing colonization and its distorted representation of the “Other” in the novel. As well I believe he chose Crusoe to symbolize the unfair relationship between humans. In the novel, as Jane Flick points out  Crusoe “is aided by his Man Friday, the “savage” he rescues from cannibals, and then Christianizes“.  Crusoe goes on to develop a master slave type of relationship with Friday. Over the course of the novel Crusoe eventually refers to himself as “’King’ over the natives and Europeans, who are his subjects”. Defoe investigate the relationship of the colonial mind, a similar concern to Thomas King. Flick also points out that King goes on to mock his character Crusoe and even adores him in shirt that says “the one with the palm trees” (142).

There are countless allusions to Christian archetypes in this novel and it is a way for King to use humor to undermine Biblical narratives. These following two comparisons are just a couple of the examples he includes.

Light:

“As the old Indians watched, the universe gently tilted and the edge of the world danced in light” (233).

My initial thought of creation stories has to do with Christian ideals and maybe due to the influence of  a common Western lens. Even though I do not practice any type of Christianity I know of the common saying “And then God said ‘Let there be light’”, or something along those lines. It was also still fresh in my mind because it was the creation story that Thomas King compared his own to during his CBC Massey Lecture.  On page 230, there is a conversation regarding the turning on of a light, specifically having Coyote do so. King’s own writing may be a nod towards the biblical reference, and positioning  Coyote as the creator and introducing light into the world. After the light is turned on, a star settles in the distance in the west. This star is also seen by Babo as he and Dr. Hovaugh trek towards the Canadian border. The allusion here may regard the Biblical star of Bethlehem. In a similar manner to the three wise men who searched for “the young Child”, Babo and the doctor use it as guidance to find the four natives.

Miracles:

After Babo points out the morning star that he sees in the distance, the Doctor too stares at it for some time and Babo asks “What do you think? Omen or miracle?” (238). From what I understand, the bible has many references to miracles, where by it is defined as something that cannot be explained by natural scientific laws. Instead it relates to the supernatural. Often, explanations in the New Testament are  that miracles are performed by faith in God. Here again a very quick explanation for the light made by Dr Havaugh is to simply brush it off and refer to it as a miracle.

Work Cited

2003 CBC Massey Lectures, Thomas King, The Truth about Stories: A Native Narrative:http://www.cbc.ca/ideas.

Flick, Jane. “Reading Notes for Thomas King’s Green Grass, Running Water.” Canadian Literature 161/162 (1999). Web. 18 July 2016.

King, Thomas. Green Grass, Running Water. New York: Bantam Books, 1994. Prin

“Robinson Crusoe and the Secret of Primitive Accumulation.” Monthly Review. N.p., 01 Sept. 2011. Web. 25 July 2016

“What Does the Bible Say About Miracles?” Christian Courier. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 July 2016.

Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 24 July 2016.

1. Coyote Pedagogy is a term sometimes used to describe King’s writing strategies (Margery Fee and Jane Flick). Discuss your understanding of the role of Coyote in the novel.

My elementary school was situated next to a densely forested park, home to many coyotes. Each year we would have an assembly that would teach us how to deal with a coyote if one ever found itself wondering on the playground or on our ways home. We were told that they feared easily and were almost always more scared of us than we of them. The speaker at the assemblies would tell us to stretch out our hands and yell “GO AWAY COYOTE”, if we ever encountered one.  My first instinct when I think about coyotes always traces back to these moments in elementary school as opposed to Wile E. Coyote, although I am very familiar with him as well. We ran into many when we would go on runs for gym class or track and field. Each time the coyote would simply scamper away. Therefore, my understanding of coyotes assumed them to be fearful, harmless, and an animal species that keeps to themselves. It was incredibly interesting, thus, to read of and try to understand Thomas King’s Coyote in Green Grass, Running Water.

Before I started this novel, I did a quick look up of two things: the word pedagogy –  which turned out be not what I had in mind – as well as the origins of the title.  Pedagogy actually refers to the method and practice of teaching, usually in the form of an academic subject or theoretical concept.  With this in mind, I had an odd first encounter with Coyote. Understanding that he was a trickster I had foreshadowed that we might learn through his mistakes, but he turned out to be both a student and teacher through the course of the novel. The title of this novel Green Grass, Running Water  serves as a metaphor. It is from a famous line drawn out of the contracts between the Europeans signed with the Indigenous people. Both the title of this book and Coyote serve as symbols that King has placed for us to distinguish between what is myth and what is reality, and both these concepts serve as themes throughout the novel.

Coyotes character comes across as the traditional trickster often found in Aboriginal Tales. He’s the second animal I have read about, portraying  this role, the first being a raven. However, trickster in this sense is a synonym for protagonist. Coyote is impish, lively and almost childlike as he rushes to the next tale and has a never ending desire to start the next story for the creation of the world. There is a clear  but unknown first person narrator in the novel, however Coyote is prone to interrupting and joining in with him/her/it.  My understanding of Coyote’s role is that of challenging authoritative norms. This novel is a symphony of voices telling the tale, with both orality and literacy in play and King has created a unique platform for his story to exist.

Coyote is a character who leaves autonomy for readers to draw their own conclusions.  Carlton Smith studied the role of post modern tricksters and has called this text “performative” (520), and I think it’s a perfect word to summarize it. This read was far from anything I have read before – that is to say conventional Western literature. As Fee and Flick state, readers of these conventional literature have an understanding and “knowing where the borders are” (131). King’s text had blurred an unclear borders and he ultimately challenges his readers and through Coyote and ultimately Coyote Pedagogy forces his readers to become tricksters.

It was great fun to read with its many points of view, quick pace and resulted in a great chorus  the many voices managed to orchestrate.

Works Cited

Flick, Jane. “Reading Notes for Thomas King’s Green Grass Running Water.” Canadian Literature 161-162. (1999). Web. April 04/2013.

King, Thomas. Green Grass Running Water. Toronto: Harper Collins, 1993. Print.

“Pedagogy.” Dictionary.com. 2016. Web. 18 July. 2016.

Flick, Jane. “Reading Notes for Thomas King’s Green Grass Running Water.” Canadian Literature 161-162. (1999). Web. April 04/2013.

Smith, Carlton. “Coyote, Contingency, and Community: Thomas King’s Green Grass, Running Water and Postmodern Trickster.” American Indian Quarterly. Berkeley: Summer 1997. (515-535). Print.

The combination of the Quiet Revolutions in Quebec and the women’s movement in the 1960s and 70s broke apart the visuals of white men running  a country. These movements were just the beginning of what would lead to multicultural policies and later a nations perceived identity. Put simply, the Canadian Multiculturalism Act is a law passed in 1989. The purpose of this act attempts to maintain as well as improve multiculturalism in Canada. The initial lead up to the Act began in 1971, under Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau, as he introduced multicultural policies that Canadians would adopt. These policies would ensure that Canada recognizes and respects all societies and their diversities regarding religion, culture and language. These policies also made Canada one of the first countries  in the world to adopt such views.   Two fundamentals of the Act, as per the Parole Board of Canada (PBC),  are: “All citizens are equal and have the freedom to preserve, enhance, and share their cultural heritage.” And “ Multiculturalism promotes the full and equitable participation of individuals and communities of all origins in all aspects of Canadian society.”

The act establishes the policy of the government to ensure that every Canadian receives equal treatment  and has the government celebrate diversity. Gingrich et al focus their attention to both the criticism and the applause that have been given to the Act. One criticism they states is that there is no definitive meaning attached to the term and as a federal policy, multiculturalism is difficult to explicate. They also state that no other policy initiative has greater relevance for the lives of new comers than it. The authors conducted research in order to investigate what Canadians understand by multiculturalism. On the one hand it brings positive light on those wishing to immigrate to this place to call it their new home. However, after reading the CanLIt guide, the multiple policies and acts that have been documented seem to all just be building blocks in what, on the outskirts, appears to be a nation’s identity.

After learning more about imagined communities through what Eric Hobsbawm and Benedict Anderson point out many nations have attached certain traditions and culture in hindsight, in order to take on a form of national pride as well as national loyalty. The idea of multicultural policies seems more to sugar coat and gloss over important social injustices that were and remain in “Canada”. Some critics, as stated in the CanLit guide, have argued that the multiculturalism policy leads to token displays of diversity while ignoring more important issues. As well, this form of diversity seems more to perceive minorities as exotic while taking attention away from political and economic exclusion.

Daniel Coleman introduces and discusses ideas of white civility, and he breaks the long silence and takes a step back to observe the roots of Canadian whiteness as a literary project of early colonials and nation builders. He states that the fictitious idea of a white and civil Canadian ethnicity has greatly distorted the perception of Canadians that live on the land. Coleman begins his book by recounting Himani  Bannerji’s short story  in which a South Asian mother from Toronto is shocked after seeing the picture her daughter drew of their family for a school assignment. The family in the picture consists of blonde hair and blue eyed members, none of which represent the family. Coleman uses this example to set the tone and to show how “ the workings of White normativity shape people’s perceptions of themselves, their families and their relation to social legitimacy” (Coleman 3).  His idea of a “fictive ethnicity” as well as the creation of the Canadian national identity is a good summation and in that sense the Multicultural Act is simply another building block that has been part of the construction.

Works Cited

“Aboriginal and Diversity Initiatives.” Government of Canada, Parole Board of Canada, Policy Sector, Clemency and Pardons Sector, Communications Sector. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 July 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.

Knowledge brings power. Literacy has brought tremendous amounts of power to modern societies, for it is easier to transmit information with more accuracy.  Jared Diamond has dedicated an entire chapter on the advantages of writing in regards to the progression of a civilization in his novel “Guns, Germs, and Steel”. He states that those who “pride themselves on being civilized have always viewed writing as the sharpest distinction raising them above ‘barbarians’ or ‘savages’” (Diamond 206). He also introduces us to Sequoyah, a Cherokee Indian from the 1820s from what is now Arkansas. Sequoyah observed that “white people” made marks on paper and that they derived great advantage by using those marks. In 1810, Sequoyah designed a written system for the Cherokee language (Diamond 219). This is a great example of idea diffusion. As he was surrounded by alphabets he could not comprehend, he independently reinvented a syllabary (220).  I found this story interesting, because we often hear of the inabilities for Indigenous communities to utilize writing for they are only often displayed in a noble savage sense. The concept of idea diffusion is wonderful and refreshing for the progression of a civilization because of the ideas of another. It was another side to same stories we are often told.

Through Carlson’s work we once again return to the issues and debate regarding  orality and literacy. For the Salish people, literacy was both a foreign and necessary concept. It is a Western tool used to preserve their cultures and traditions against colonial assimilation. (Carlson 43). Carlson points out to the findings of Sally Snyder who states that within the Salish community it is a well respected idea to never tell stories incorrectly. If the story happens to be imperfectly recalled, she states, it is better to not tell it at all because it was “dangerous to omit scenes and to shorten myths”, and a crucial point: “shortening myths would shorten the lives of all listeners” (59).  If we keep this in mind, it would likely be unheard of for a Salish person to purposely change stories with historical significance. For Carlson, raising questions of authenticity would be similar to raising questions against the very character of a community, questions that go against our very understanding of them. The importance of understanding character goes to great lengths whenever we compare and place different ideas in a hierarchical manner.

It is also interesting how often we worry about the mistranslations and doubting authenticity when it comes accounting history in an oral manner. Modern societies tend to place too much trust in the idea that once something has been written down, it will not change. However, there remains a mass of conflicting information that has been written down over the years.  A simple Google search will lead to you many roads of conflicting information. It was important for oral cultures to adapt in order for their children to be able to attain to the New World however it is equally  as important to understand what remains pure in oral societies and they need to be respected as such.

Works Cited

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

Diamond, Jared M. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. New York: W.W. Norton, 1998. Print.

The opening passage that John Lutz writes deeply resonated in my understanding of the all too often miscommunication that exists during first encounters. Both the natives and strangers, as he says, struggled with similar concerns and questions upon first meeting (30). This misunderstanding may persist when we now try to understand and put ourselves in the position of the First Nations people. It must have been a difficult task for two societies who are deeply cultured, ever changing and ambivalent to the core to communicate and reach common grounds. Having only words and sign language to transcend the gap often fails to do justice to real intentions.

“Undoubtedly, what was sent via the performance was imperfectly received by the audience, and the response to the misunderstood message was no doubt also misunderstood in a cycle of confusion” (30)

I believe it is fair to assume that Lutz considers a large percentage of his readers to come from Western or European influence. I also believe it a fair assumption that it is difficult for European’s to sympathize with First Nations but I do not know if I would agree with it being easier for First Nations to understand Europeans. If we go off history, I would say yes because the Western culture has been so consuming and has had the impact of washing away or even blending into other cultures. However at that particular moment, during the first encounter, both parties were in complete dark in regards to the foreign people they would meet

Lutz appears to out the Indigenous people as the ones who are at fault or at the failing end of delivering coherent communication,  making “us” not be able to understand what they are trying to say. Just because something is different from what you are used to does not mean it is any less wrong from what we know. They had a common ground, literally the ground they stood on was what the two sides could attempt to communicate over. However the two people had very different relations to that land and it could result in equal miscommunication. For the Indigenous people they draw their thoughts and feelings from the land. Whereas the Europeans who focused more on how to attain it and how to get around any obstacles that stood in their way. In any sense, once the two groups were able to communicate over a common issue, simultaneously messages were exchanged but they may not have translated in the exact manner either one intended.

Works Cited

Lutz, John. “First Contact as a Spiritual Performance: Aboriginal — Non-Aboriginal Encounters on the North American West Coast.” Myth and Memory: Rethinking Stories of Indigenous-European Contact. Ed. Lutz. Vancouver: U of British Columbia P, 2007. 30-45. Print.

I certainly cannot be the only one feeling this way, but I have not ever had the chance to share my personal values and beliefs in an environment that is so open and willing to share and interact! It was s great to see my fellow classmates also open up in regards to what home is to them, and it’s a shame that in a traditional classroom setting I would never get to be this intimate with all of you. Thank you for letting me peek into your minds on a weekly basis and I hope you all are enjoying the process as much as I am.

After reading multiple blog posts a few themes stuck out. The emotions that one associated with home, of security and upbringing stood out to me especially in Danica’s post. The physical environment of the city she grew up in shaped and impacted her memories and concepts of home. Growing up in a smaller town where everyone knows one another seemed to have a lasting effect on the comforts of the entire place. The idea of being known and recognized in ones home is an important factor in the comfort and security it brings with it and I can only begin to imagine how it must have felt to have such a diverse community to call home.

Another theme that stuck out and one that I could definitely relate to was the concept and appreciation of home when one is away as in Sandra’s story.  I think for both of us  it was only by stepping out of our live’s and into the world that we could see what we most deeply cared about and find in a home. It is truly easy to dismiss routine as lifeless when in reality it is our form of comfort and plays an essential role in what is dear to us. But I am also glad to hear on her reflections and how we do have to get ourselves into uncomfortable positions to really appreciate what is familiar and ours. 

Towards the end of her post Lorraine mentioned making home a mindset. Without the needs of a location or conceptions, she could get herself in a tranquil state and have that be her home. Her insight reminded me of the work by Pico Iyer, and his revelations in “The Art of Stillness”.  He states that movement is a wonderful privilege and is much more accessible these days, but for him, and I do agree with him here, it only has a meaning if you have a home to go back to. And home here, is not merely the place you sleep, but the place you stand.

This really appreciated this week’s assignment as it gave us links to be empathetic and value the shared experience we all have even among such a diverse group. This mindset will make it easier as we take a step back and delve our studies into recognizing the values of home and what it had meant and what it now means to the First Nation’s people.

Work’s Cited

“Where Is Home?” Pico Iyer:. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 June 2016.

I just wanted to start off by saying that I initially didn’t have the intention of making this post as intimate as it is, but as the weeks go on I find this cyber space easier to express myself on and to the likes of all you wonderful readers.

Home and houses do not really go hand and hand for me. I moved quite a bit growing up. The idea of home has always been the people I have been with and essentially, it is my two siblings and my mom. This past September was the first time I was away from my family for long duration. Growing up, we did not ever really travel outside the province; I think that for my immigrated mother the initial move was a solidified and meaningful enough experience. Growing up here with heavy Western influence, I had a very romantic idea of travel. Being an avid fantasy reader, I wanted to go on my “quest” – on my solo quest away from home to gain some soulful insight in regards to my presence in life. The opportunity to spend four months in Scotland as well as travel through Europe was something I never imagined myself doing. Very quickly, I had found myself needing to make a home in a new city, with a new culture, and brand new people. It did not turn out to be exactly as I would have imagined. It never did quiet feel like home, just a pass time but I had made it an experience for myself. It was not so much the experiences that formed but the ways in which I responded to them. I was suddenly doing many things I never would have imagined nor had the opportunity to do at “home”. I was playing Varsity rugby among burly Scottish women. I was stargazing and northern lights hunting in the Highlands.  I was chasing lost buses in Florence.  I was having Christmas dinner with a Dutch family in Holland. I was drowning myself and expanding my waistline with chocolates in Belgium. I met new family and was entrusted with an empty flat in London.  I was dancing in the streets of Edinburgh with the city – ringing in the New Year with “Vikings and flames and parades all while I was away from home!  I was doing all this and making so many memories BUT MY GOD how I missed home… I missed my mom because of the blubbering child I will always be.

My mother has an incredibly social and lively presence. She is overtly chatty and will never be lost for words. She has proven herself to being self-sacrificing and has built a financially stable and comfortable life for her three children in a new country, without ever mastering English or depending on anyone else. She has built her “empire” with a sewing machine and for the past two years with a small home business. Our house door is never locked, and does not never have strange women running around in it. My mom’s customers soon become her friends and those strange women always eventually find themselves in our living room having tea and chatting away. It’s a community of women – customers to friends, with hundreds of new faces coming through our doors weekly. I know some people would never openly invite people (my teenage brother hates it) into their house but this is how my home functions. It’s a hustle and bustle and laughter and frustration with my mom at the forefront . And all this was what I was missing.

When I was away, it was not as if I had a sudden realization about how much my family mattered to me because it was always obvious. I did however realize how much of my comfort and my ideas of home were consumed in the presence of my mother. I would make tea in the same fashion as her while I was away, sworn to never drinking it when I was home. I found myself expressing her accomplishments to my flatmates and to the family I met. I turned away from the ideas of marriage and told myself I would be content living with her and giving her company for the remainder of my life because she has sacrificed so much for us (don’t be concerned about a classmate potentially turning into a cat-women-living-with-her-mother type of situation, this is merely a phase). She may never have a Durant Mama style moment, but she truly should. Her presence is my home as corny as it sounds and I will always be grateful for it.

On the other end of the spectrum, while I was away, I suddenly had become content with my own company. I had done all my travels on my own and had spent countless hours, days, and weeks, in my own company and surprisingly never tired of it. I have always been introverted, but a willing to converse and painfully try new things type of introvert, so this too was not a surprising revelation. I am still not quite sure if home can be a feeling, or a satisfied attitude with the position of oneself in the world, but lately it feels that way. I do hope one day, to find myself content anywhere in the world with the knowledge of having support from my family and my never-ending dry and semi witty self commentary and to find myself feeling at ease and at home.

Works Cited

Barron, Tory. “‘The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story’ to Debut Saturday.” N.p., n.d. Web.

Iyer, Pico, and Eydís Einarsd́óttir. The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

There was a time once when all humans could not verbally speak. Communication was easily transferable through mental means. Words did not exist, languages did not exist – instead feelings, emotions and ideas were the tools for the society. The concept of privacy and lying did not exist for there was never any use for any such means. The times were simple and debates and misunderstandings were a rarity. Empathy was of abundance – it was easy to see entire perspectives of another person with entire feelings being delivered. Society flourished due to very few miscommunication and it was very effortless for each member to be on the same page.

Away from humanity, in the far northern regions there was a gathering of witches. These witches were verbal speakers and they never interacted with the humans, always keeping a safe distance. Two distinct societies living in separate and functional peace.  All the witches had come together for a conference, in a cave but the conference soon turned into a contest. Each witch trying to outdo the other by casting spells and brewing potions. To anyone watching it must have been fun to observe such a display.

There was one witch who had a different idea in mind and to show herself as a superior with the utmost of powers she stepped outside the cave and whispered to the south. The whisper resonated into the four corners of the world. A whisper with such strong vibration that the mental transference among humans was disrupted. The witch had forced humans to become verbal speakers. The other witches were all in disbelief. They had no idea what would result and no idea what would become of these humans. The contest had gone too far but alas there was no taking the whisper back.

For the humans, at first there was confusion. Then there was concern. Finally there was adjustment. Various societies in the different regions were forced to take on verbal speech. Languages were created and slowly humans began to interact verbally. No longer did they have the ability to easily express themselves. Frustration was now the new norm.

When various languages crossed paths the tensions arose further. With the abundance of miscommunication societies soon attacked and took over other societies. Soon each human tired of fully trying to deliver what they meant and they were forced to tell stories of themselves in order to make themselves an individual entity in the new world.  They built themselves out of those stories, and they picked and chose how they wanted their stories to behave. No longer did anyone have full exposure to everyone else. An individual could be who and what they wanted to be and this led to the creation of lies, deceits, and evil.  Words and stories are pale shadows of forgotten names. Words lit fires in the minds of men, and they forced tears to fall from the hardest hearts. Wars soon broke out, every human had their own personal agenda, and never again was their full expression of minds. Each human had to be careful of the stories they told, and more importantly the had to be wary of the stories they listened to.

Writing this story and orally retelling it proved to be a tougher task than I imagined. I could not fully translate what I wanted from this story. Not everyone would be able to read between the lines in the exact way I wanted them too and I believe this thought has always been with me, hence the theme for the story. One of the most important points I thought Thomas King had made in his initial chapter was to due with the tone of voice when telling stories. I tried to deliver this stories in multiple tones – from somber to overly enthusiastic and it resulted in varying degrees of reactions to it. I find it so fascinating how a simple characteristic such as tone can have an impact on the ability of believing and importance of a story. King’s comparison to the genesis and the story of Charm showed the societal hierarchy for the two. I also had difficulty captivating my audience (or maybe my friends and family just had poor attention spans) and I have an appreciation for the skills and true art of story telling.

Works Cited

King, Thomas. The Truth About Stories: A Native Narrative. Toronto: House of Anansi, 2003. Print.

Walsh, John. The Art of Storytelling: Easy Steps to Presenting an Unforgettable Story. Chicago: Moody, 2003. Print.

The idea for separating “oral culture” and “written culture” has been a norm for European societies for hundreds of years. Western discourse not only separates the two but also places them in hierarchical terms whereby written words are dominate when keeping records.  In present day, most oral societies have now adopted written words for expressing, communicating and documenting, but this does not take away from the great value in orally transmitting knowledge.  The idea of distinguishing between the two is not only narrowing, but also incorrect when taken into the context of framing culture in a larger sense.

Comparing “oral culture” to “written culture” is a juxtaposition that creates an unnecessary tension between the two. For Courtney MacNeil, speech and writing are entangled but our current theories and models do not exemplify it as such and we are therefore studying these traditions in a blind manner. As MacNeil exemplifies, the rapid advances of technology and the World Wide Web blur oral and written traditions further. Edward Chamberlain discusses the harmful effects of not only dividing the two but also assuming that “speaking and listening are simple and natural, while writing and reading are cultivated and complex” (19). He writes about the conflict that this brought in history, and how people created their own communities based on how they communicated with each other. He views the two in a similar light to MacNeil: written and oral cultures are intertwined with each other, since many oral cultures are “rich in forms of writing” (20). For Chamberlin, listening and reading go hand in hand.

In another one of Chamberlin’s works he brings up a very crucial point whereby he states colonialism has backed us into a place where we must make a choice between the two traditions, but he states bluntly that neither such culture exists (138).  Every culture has eyes and ears and therefore not only sees things but also reads them “whether in the stars or in the sand, whether spelled out by alphabet or animal, whether communicated across natural or supernatural boundaries” (138). As well in relation to oral traditions, he points out that every culture hears and listens. In the Western culture, the predominant institutions – churches, courts and parliaments – are places where speech is at the forefront.

In order to have culture as a whole, both are needed and it is foolish to even attempt to separate them. Forcing a dichotomy dismisses the symbiotic relationship that exists between the two. In an interview, discussing is book; Chamberlin states that the inability to communicate with others in the contemporary setting has to do with our issues in the past. To help deal with these issues we need the accounts of both oral and written stories.

Works Cited

Battiste, Marie Ann. “From Hand to Mouth: The Postcolonial Politics of Oral and Written Traditions.” Reclaiming Indigenous Voice and Vision. Vancouver: UBC, 2000. 124-38. Print.

Chamberlin, J. Edward. If This Is Your Land, Where Are Your Stories?: Reimagining Home and Sacred Space. Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim, 2004. Print.

MacNeil, Courtney. “Orality.” The Chicago School of Media Theory, n.d. Web. 20 May 2016.

“Oral Traditions.” Oral Traditions. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May 2016.