Greetings fellow classmates!
Before I continue, I’d like to insert this edit: I’d like to acknowledge that the land we live on is unceded Indigenous land belonging to the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. Deepest respect.
My name is Rana. I’m finishing my Literature (with a focus on social issues) degree part-time, while working full time in a rewarding job.
I’m very excited about this ENGL 470 course in particular. The use of the worldwideweb to communicate, learn, interact and tell stories is refreshing… I have never had a blog, and I want to write more.
But aside from the progressive learning style, I am excited about this course because of my interest in First Nations studies. I say my interest, but I think this interest is mandatory, if you don’t want to be living in a haze (note: most people are). I don’t see learning about the land beneath our feet and its stories as a hobby. As a settler, I see it as my responsibility.
This summer I was part of a First Nations Endangered Languages seminar – we attempted to explore solutions to document and revitalize endangered languages. British Columbia alone is home to 34 First Nations languages. Did you know that? What language was spoken in the area of the city or town you are from, before colonization? Find out in the First People’s interactive language map of BC. If I told you that I grew up on land belonging to the Qayqayt First Nation territory, who speak (spoke) Halq’eméylem, would you know where that is off the bat? Do you think we should know these things? I think we should.
Finally, I started out in Political Science, and it was great but.. by year two I realised I was really interested in the humanities. I’m interested in the stories that come out of history: I want to learn, through fiction or non, what the people had to say about their experiences – not so much what the ones doing the studying have to say. That being said, both pieces of the puzzle can be incredibly valuable (when ethically practiced).
Many thanks for stopping by. I’m looking forward to collaborating and discussing topics with you.
Rana.
Works Cited
Ling, Sarah and Lindsay, Spencer. Knowing the land beneath your feet. UBC FNIS Program. University of British Columbia, Musqueam territory. 12 September 2016. Web. http://fnis.arts.ubc.ca/research-resources/knowing-the-land-beneath-our-feet/
First Peoples’ Cultural Council. First Peoples’ Language Map of BC. 12 September 2016. Web. http://maps.fpcc.ca/
StephanieLines
September 13, 2016 — 6:18 pm
hi rana! i love this interactive language map! it’s heartbreaking to see languages becoming extinct. i was shocked when i learned in an anthropology class that globalization and imperialism throughout all our history has resulted in the loss of so many hundreds of languages. it is wonderful that there are foundations and societies working to preserve the cultures, languages and people that are threatened by extinction.
i grew up, and now have just returned to the territory of the okanagan nation, a nsyilxcən speaking people. there are only 146 fluent speakers, but over 600 are now learning.
i think the words we speak and the language we use helps us to define what is important to us as people. some languages dont have a future tense, and studies have shown that these cultures differ in the way they view the future – they see the future as being imminent, or current.
i am curious if in your seminar if there was anything you learned about how language might tie into the identity and culture of a people?
RanaYoung
September 14, 2016 — 10:30 pm
Totally. I love your insight about how we see the future – how language shapes how we see the world. It’s one of the most interesting concepts I’ve considered in my life.. In the seminar, we did learn a little about that – as well as how the traditional languages had to be written down after colonization, which caused some translation problems. Furthermore, I just read a piece about how gendered words weren’t an Indigenous concept (the example used was the Maori), so when translated to Western languages, the word “chief” was seen as only male, yet in Maori culture, both male and females were equally powerful. This led to colonialists ignoring female “chiefs” because in English, “chief” is associated with males. They later went to court over it.. “Decolonizing Methodologies” by Linda Tuhiwai Smith:
https://aboutabicycle.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/linda-tuhiwai-smith-decolonizing-methodologies-research-and-indigenous-peoples.pdf
StephanieLines
September 18, 2016 — 9:44 am
wow cool! thanks rana!
HannahWagner
September 13, 2016 — 6:23 pm
Hello Rana, my name is Hannah.
I really enjoyed reading your first blog post!
The First Nations Endangered Languages seminar sounds like it must have been a great experience. I followed your link and found out the language from my home town is the Nsyilxcən Language. That interactive language map is so informative and so cool! Thanks so much for sharing.
I also did a little search and think you must have grown up in New West? Well from what I saw New Westminster is the Qayqayt First Nation territory. I wish I didn’t need to look that up.
Most of my degree has been focused in political science and history, but ever chance I get I take an anthropology class :) … I am really excited to be taking a course that focuses a bit more on the other “piece of the puzzle” (as you put it) – because while learning what academics have to say is interesting, learning what individuals, communities and cultures are saying is vital.
I look forward to reading more from you! Thanks again for sharing.
– Hannah
RanaYoung
September 14, 2016 — 10:31 pm
Thanks for posting Hannah! Yes, you’re right, I grew up in New Westminster. I’m glad you checked out the map – someone from my class showed it to me in that seminar and I loved it! Enjoy the class and speak soon, Rana
erikapaterson
September 19, 2016 — 6:51 am
Hello Rana,
Welcome to our course of studies together and thank you for a most interesting and resourceful introduction – I too enjoyed the interactive language map. This kind of research and relearning is vital. I am very much looking forward to learning form your perspectives and engaging with your insights. Thank you! Erika
Rana
September 19, 2016 — 3:56 pm
Thank you Dr. Paterson for providing such an engaging platform. I certainly look forward to the rest of this course!
-Rana