Introduction
One of the initial challenges presented by ENGL 470 was to find “common ground” and on a deeper level, to utilize literature as a driving force to promote this common ground. However, in a country consisting of a 20.6% foreign-born population, the highest of any industrialized country, where is this common ground? And how can we utilize literature to foster a collaborative future- one where reading about foreign experiences is welcomed with common humanity, rather than discriminated by differences? These were some of the challenges we tried to overcome through our annotated bibliography and subsequent sources. As a result, we have come up with a call to action focused on embracing the intersection between Indigenous and European tradition through a digital media platform. We believe that in our digital society, it is urgent to integrate tools such as film, radio, television and the internet into Indigenous story-telling traditions. This method fosters a collaborative common ground that is relevant to our technologic generation. With more and more First Nation producers, authors, directors and bloggers emerging, it has never been easier to generate stories and share it with a world-wide public audience. This integration will allow a balanced and egalitarian future for Canadian literature.
“New literature is multiplatformed, so there’s not just one way to read — was there ever? It will be distributed not in limited editions or carefully conscribed duodecimos but with a blissful infinitude and for all who come.”
The ‘blissful infinitude’, as Malamud describes, is a feature of the multi-cultural future of literature. Through digital integration, we are headed towards a literary future in which readers and viewers will welcome different histories, cultures and experiences. It paves the way for a common ground, and most importantly, is publicly accessible to share and spread across Canada and the rest of the world.
Discussion Points
- One of the central points made revolved around comparing the communications of the internet and technology and traditional forms. The dialogue questioned how technology and online spaces such as videos may be problematic because loosing face- to- face contact can allow for misinterpretation and potentially remain ‘static’ after it is recorded. We are also left with questions around the ‘tone’ of communicating via internet and whether using oral stories through the internet can be considered truly ‘oral’.
“One of the issues with communicating via the Internet and technology is that you lose the face-to-face contact. You lose a lot of the non-verbal aspects of communication, which can be problematic in some situations. It is so easy to entirely misinterpret what one is trying to say, to miss the tone of the message, etc. That’s happened to me before, and I’m sure everyone has encountered it one time or another! This, I guess, goes back to Breanna’s point about “stolen and repurposed” words- very intriguing point you made!”- Jenny Ho
“On a final note, I found the whole idea of oral stories being recorded and circulated as videos quite intriguing-in contrast to Wickwire’s retellings of Robinson’s stories, where the process of oral story telling is simulated so some extent on the page, video allows these stories to be preserved as they were intended to be told, on some level. On the other hand, the telling remains static after it’s recorded, just like with print. Which leads an intriguing thought-is it the process of being spoken aloud which makes something truly “oral”, or is it the process of being told to an interactive audience, over and over, or is it something else entirely?”- Breanna Simpson
The discourse around tone and oral stories led to the discussion of authenticity and anonymity of the internet and how we cannot be fully aware how the opinions and words being expressed belong to the groups they claim to represent. This allows us to consider how the internet and digital media has no restrictions on who can take your words and turn them into something else; adding to the discussion of digital oral stories this can be consequential for the audience.
- Another central point discussed was the use of digital media by Indigenous groups as means for their movements and raise awareness for the public at large. This discussion was interesting because it allowed us to understand how technology is used to tackle negative representations and provide a more accurate representation of Indigenous affairs outside the media.
“Topics about First Nation peoples were almost exclusively, in my opinion, confined to the news in the early media age. To reach wider audiences, journalists would dispel cultural particularities. This meant the oversimplification, fragmented and misrepresentation of First Nation peoples cultural identities. Further, community-geared radio or television channels that did respond to specific cultural needs were broadcast mostly in northern Canada at the time. Therefore, cultural and social information about First Nations peoples was not available in the mainstream media”.-Kristin Kozar
This dialogue brought up Idle No More as an example and how current media helped and explain the cause of the movement. This discussion also provided some light into how First Nations media previously were treated in similar manner and how today with the presence of digital media, First Nation people’s voices are heard and allowing them to control their media sites. How does this have an impact for the Canadian society at large? Technological advancements allows for First Nations peoples to use digital media to promote their movements and spread awareness, this opens up the digital diversity that was once not present.
- One interesting point of conversation revolved around the use of podcasts (specifically the sarcasm and humour in Thomas Kings’ “Dead Dog Cafe”) as a way for First Nations to explore different avenues of expression in regards to telling their story. This discussion was interesting because it was easy to relate to. All of us at one point in our lives have used humour to make the most out of an otherwise undesired situation.
“First Nation humor, in my experience anyway, is more a form of [cutting humor]. It makes reference to painful times and situations and then laughs at it. Sort of like the sad clown. In regards to the “The Dead Dog Cafe” podcast, do you think that this gave a platform for First Nations people to also start telling of their hurt? To start making known the pain felt from Canadian First Nations people through the humor given on the “The Dead Dog Cafe”? I.e. residential schools, racism, alcoholism, stereotypes, etc?” -Kristin Kozar
The dialogue brought up a lot of interesting back and forth and we all agreed that through self-deprecating humour the First Nations was “was a platform inadvertently created for making their hurt known too” (Milica Komad). It was a way to bring to reality the injustice that was going on. Through this, we agreed that people became more aware of the Native struggle that unfortunately continues to persist today. Many Canadians still have a split mentality when it comes to Natives vs. non-Natives. Perhaps what is needed is more platforms such as “Dead Dog Cafe” for First Nations to be able to tell their story. It would certainly help if their story reached more open ears as this is the best way to raise awareness and turn stereotypes inside out.
- Finally, an important and perhaps more positive point that we discussed was the increase and change in portrayals of First Nations in the media. As we’ve seen throughout this blog process digital media has certainly changed the way that we process and deliver information, and this discussion addressed that topic head-on.
“Do you agree that the film and media portrayals of Indigenous peoples and issues have taken a more positive turn in recent years? Do you think they are any more accurate? If digital media is becoming a tool through which more objective, positive, or accurate portrayals of Indigenous peoples and cultures can be circulated, who is setting the tone for this change? Whose is the “voice” disseminating down through digital media to be heard and perhaps listened to?” – Breanna Simpson
The discussion led to an agreement that at the very least, First Nations are certainly being represented more in the media. And this is incredible, a more accurate representation of First Nations can only lead to growth and wider acknowledgement and acceptance. Representation is so important, and we see this throughout many cultures. Imagine this: growing up as a First Nation girl and the majority of the women you see in the media are white. Accompanied with lines that basically say. “This is what beautiful looks like and this is the only way you can look beautiful.” That little girl is essentially being told that her value and self-worth is less because there is no one that looks like her, or who is from her culture in the media. This is why accurate, honest, and positive representations of all cultures, not only First Nations is important in the media today.
Questions for Future Research
An important area to focus on for the future would be to access the current advancements of Indigenous and Western ideologies towards a collaborative national identity. Our intervention strategy focused on different channels of technology used with literature and creating ways of how the Canadian literary canon is being developed towards more national identity, how might the increasing diversification of identities allow for assurance of a common ground? With the push towards a more synergetic identity, will this previous literary cannon of nationalism be dissolved or will we see an unanticipated adjunction of “Them and Us”? (Chamberlin)
Other important areas to focus on for future research would be to address how the collaborative framework especially within digital media, will allow for different groups to work together. As previously mentioned working towards a more collaborative identity allows for more than one story, how might different groups respond to the collective identity and to better social relations? How will this formation of collective identity in the literary fields allow for a greater benefit of the Indigenous movements in greater Canada? We have focused on the common ground within literary aspects but how might this react to the revolution of Indigenous sovereignty?
It is important to mention that there will always be diverting opinions and voices, even with working towards a common ground. Allowing us to accept these diverting positions and accepting the diversity of more than one story is the initial and critical step towards a finding the “common ground”.
Conclusion
While the colonizing, European settler story was at one time the foundational idea within the Canadian literary canon, the past 50 years or so has seen a shift toward de-colonizing historical self-consciousness, and several literary interventions that have been explored in our web dialogue, as well as our partner team’s web dialogue, create a possibility for further balance and equality among Canadian literary identities.
Our partner team’s interests include an exploration of digital reproduction and circulation, the literary intervention presented in “Journals in Digital Space: Electronic Circulation, Cultural Commons, and Intellectual Labour” by Larissa Lai, as well as a shared interest with our team in Ian Rae’s literary intervention, focusing on digital poetics in “The Case for Digital Poetics”. Christl Verduyn’s “Back to the Future”, also influenced our discussion, and consideration of literary interventions. As acknowledged in lesson 4.3, Roxanne Rimstead, a contributing author to the CanLit interventions, makes a pivotal claim that the Canadian literary canon, and its positive development, depends on “how we see the present and how we are willing to address the unsayable conflicts in our national culture”. This statement offers two implications: one, that there are cultural problems present in Canada that need to be addressed, and two, that there is a very real possibility to try and fix these problems.
Among both of our groups, there is an understanding that a successful, positive, future for Canadian literature includes a diversity of voices within the literary canon, increased inclusiveness, equal cultural and national identities being established, and most importantly, a connection between people and ideas in Canada.
In order for diverse literary voices to have an established place within the Canadian literary canon, they must first be produced and circulated. Jenny Ho presents a source on Vanity Publishing and print-on-demand sites that offer alternatives to authors being signed on to mainstream publishing houses. This option suggests self-publishing as a strategy for diverse voices to be established within the literary realm. Other alternatives for creating new connections between different national identities include a diversification of media technology. Spiderwoman Theatre, as presented by Rabia Khan, offers a feminist environment to explore Aboriginal identity, tradition, and art, and while it may be an American company, the possibility for a Canadian equivalent seems hopeful. This willingness to address issues of racism, oppression, and stereotyping is explored among Canadian authors too, such as Marie Clements who has written, produced, and staged “The Unnatural and Accidental Women”. This source, presented by Milica Komad, is a play exploring the lives of Aboriginal women who have been killed on the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver.
These different technologies provide different avenues for equality within Canadian literature. They also support existing cultural identities and help foster opportunities for Aboriginals to have their voices heard through different mediums. Bobby Goldsmith’s look at oral traditions observes Aboriginals engaging with technology in order to preserve ancient art-forms of oral storytelling. These oral storytelling traditions, ancient in nature, take on contemporary forms as well, as proven by Julia Pressman’s look at The Dead Dog Café, and its radio show written by Thomas King.
With all of these sources, technology is a key component in constructing possible strategies for literary intervention. Our intervention strategy strongly focuses on different avenues of technology used alongside literature, and creates a hopeful dialogue of ways the Canadian literary canon is being developed to include equal national identities, diverse voices, and most importantly, more than one story.
…..