Question 3) We began this unit by discussing assumptions and differences that we carry into our class. In “First Contact as Spiritual Performance,” Lutz makes an assumption about his readers (Lutz, “First Contact” 32). He asks us to begin with the assumption that comprehending the performances of the Indigenous participants is “one of the most obvious difficulties.” He explains that this is so because “one must of necessity enter a world that is distant in time and alien in culture, attempting to perceive indigenous performance through their eyes as well as those of the Europeans.” Here, Lutz is assuming either that his readers belong to the European tradition, or he is assuming that it is more difficult for a European to understand Indigenous performances – than the other way around. What do you make of this reading? Am I being fair when I point to this assumption? If so, is Lutz being fair when he makes this assumption?

In reading Lutz’s words regarding the perception of first stories, it is easy to jump to conclusions. We might assume that Lutz is writing for the European person in order to enlighten them to the validity of the ways and practices of Indigenous peoples. That seems like the most logical conclusion because we can probably assume that they are more ignorant of First Nations culture that a Native person. One would think that a person of First Nation heritage might have an instant connection to these stories and fully understand why they are important and as equally valid as any European version. However, I would argue that there would be a large amount of people, Canadians especially, of European descent, who would likely not connect to a European first story. This is, as Lutz says, because we must attempt to “enter into a world that is distant in time and alien in culture” (“First Contact” 32) and this applies just as much to the culture of the early Europeans. I would find it difficult to relate to the ways and practices of anyone who lived in the 1800’s, or perhaps even earlier – “We often think of Christopher Columbus’ 1492 landfall as the ‘real first, first encounter’. Yet we know that Norse had been to North America in the years around 1,000” (“Contact Over and Over” 2)– regardless of their heritage. True, I would probably have an easier time with the European stories, if only for a shared language, but the commitment to religion, it’s practices, morals and stories that had a significant influence on those European settlers, would separate me, among other things. This goes to show that, similarly, modern day Natives may not automatically connect or sympathize with the bygone people of their heritage. The practices of those days were likely radically different from what they are today, and that is assuming that the Indigenous person in question is actually versed in their native culture. Just because they are born of that heritage does not guarantee that they were brought up to understand or appreciate it. I can say from experience as a 2^nd/3^rd generation Canadian that there’s a large portion of my heritage that I know very little about, simply because my dad didn’t think that those stories and customs were important to pass on to me, since they were fairly far from removed even from him. I think, overall, Lutz is making the assumption that the Indigenous first contact performances would be more difficult to relate to and, to an extent this is true. However, we might conclude that Lutz is writing for all modern people reading his work and interested in learning about those pivotal first moments of contact, not just Europeans.

Works Cited:

DavidandRemus Bad Crayfish. “Christopher Columbus: What Really Happened.” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 6 Nov. 2013. Web. 14 June 2016.

Lutz, John. “Contact Over and Over Again.” Myth and Memory: Rethinking Stories of Indignenous- European Contact. Ed. Lutz. Vancouver: U of British Columbia P, 2007. 1-15. Print.

—. “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.

“Traditions.” Germany. Cultural Portfolios from COM227 at Depauw U. 3 May 2003. Web. 14 June 2016.

“Video: Justin Trudeau Warmly Welcomed by First Nations Leaders.” Photograph. The Globe and Mail. The Globe and Mail Inc. 8 Dec. 2015. Web. 14 June 2016.