tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54894004786689219812024-03-13T09:50:18.611-04:00Maple, Lily, Peony, and RoseKita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-85556453202871686642015-07-31T08:30:00.001-04:002015-07-31T08:31:17.250-04:00Of Africa: "Worn: Shaping Black Feminine Identity" by Karin JonesIt has been some time since I have last posted here, but I can assure you that I have been hard at work studying, reading, etc. So I hope that this will only benefit and enhance future posts, and I want to thank you for your patience these past several months :)<br />
<br />
Recently, the city of Toronto has become a multiculturalism enthusiast's dream with the hosting of the Pan Am Games in July. We have had many tourists from abroad (some of whom I have had the pleasure of interacting with at the Royal Ontario Museum), and there are many ethnic and cultural events scattered around the city for the public to take part in.<br />
<br />
Of course, celebrations of ethnic identity are not straightforward: along with the pleasure, there is often pain. We can say we appreciate others' cultures all we want, but with that, we also have to hear people out on the issues and challenges they face, oftentimes <b>because</b> of those identities.<br />
<br />
Because of this, I find it interesting that after several months' worth of hiatus, I return to my volunteer post at the Royal Ontario Museum to a number of new exhibits and installations in the Canadian galleries where I work. One of these, <i>Worn: Shaping Black Feminine Identity</i> by Vancouver-based artist Karin Jones, is particularly noteworthy for the ROM initiative it is part of: <i>Of Africa</i>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MRV9HnPa1ZM/VbtkQ5XEM1I/AAAAAAAAAWg/_xLycXBQpro/s1600/IMG_3876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MRV9HnPa1ZM/VbtkQ5XEM1I/AAAAAAAAAWg/_xLycXBQpro/s640/IMG_3876.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Of Africa</i> is a ROM project several years in the making, aimed towards presenting a more diverse image of Africa and its diaspora, dispelling the myth that the African continent is culturally monolithic (i.e. that all Africans can be grouped into a single culture). Also, the use of contemporary modern art will also showcase the vitality of African cultures: they are not trapped in some distant past, but incredibly vibrant and open to creative expression and innovation.<br />
<br />
<i>Worn</i>, appearing as it does in the Canadian gallery, is meant to speak about the historical and contemporary reality of African Canadians, working in juxtaposition to the artifacts from European settlement that surround the temporary exhibition space in the rest of the gallery. The art installation is a dress made of synthetic hair in a style evoking the late 19th century bustle dress associated with the Victorian era. In the following pictures, you can see the intricate detailing of the braided hair. In this, we see Jones' argument that African arts (as exemplified through the braiding) are just as beautiful and refined as the European decorative and fashion arts that our society so admires.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0ek-9UjPDQA/VbtmUKqCpqI/AAAAAAAAAW4/wdla5x1O0pE/s1600/IMG_3878.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0ek-9UjPDQA/VbtmUKqCpqI/AAAAAAAAAW4/wdla5x1O0pE/s640/IMG_3878.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k0BMG5te1LY/VbtmTYqYaAI/AAAAAAAAAWs/4Pq_rv55vCo/s1600/IMG_3879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k0BMG5te1LY/VbtmTYqYaAI/AAAAAAAAAWs/4Pq_rv55vCo/s400/IMG_3879.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BLqo0sfmTb0/VbtmTx29tiI/AAAAAAAAAW0/c_bUljnK4KI/s1600/IMG_3880.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BLqo0sfmTb0/VbtmTx29tiI/AAAAAAAAAW0/c_bUljnK4KI/s640/IMG_3880.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
You may note that the dress is black. This is not only because of the colour of the synthetic hair, reminiscent of African and Caribbean braids, but because the Victorian dress Jones meant to emulate was a <b>mourning dress</b>. In her own words:<br />
<br />
<i>For me, the Victorian mourning dress is a symbol of sadness, "high" culture, the British Empire, and the imposition of feminine beauty norms.</i><br />
<br />
<i>[...] </i><br />
<br />
<i>I wear my African-Canadian identity much as a Victorian woman would have worn this type of dress: proudly, but uncomfortably, shaped and also constrained by it.</i><br />
<br />
Note as well the way the dress is displayed. Cotton balls and hair bolls are scattered upon the floor, testament to the role that Africans have played in the construction of the European empires and the settler colonies that now form today's First World - including Canada.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sY0ecwn2MZM/VbtpoVOD_pI/AAAAAAAAAXI/kgMD80CdKBs/s1600/IMG_3877.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sY0ecwn2MZM/VbtpoVOD_pI/AAAAAAAAAXI/kgMD80CdKBs/s640/IMG_3877.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
Canadians may speak of the abolition of slavery and the Underground Railroad that allowed African slaves in the United States to find freedom, but we also cannot forget that we, too, have benefited from the "invisible labour of thousands of Africans": not just in the 19th century at the height of the British Empire, but also into the present day.<br />
<br />
<u>Sources</u><br />
<br />
<i>Of Africa</i>. Royal Ontario Museum. n.d. Web. 31 July 2015.<br />
<br />
<i>Worn: Shaping Black Feminine Identity</i>. Royal Ontario Museum. n.d. Web. 31 July 2015.<br />
<br />
<u>Image Credits</u><br />
<br />
All photos (c) Kita InoruKita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-31493638287509339382015-01-12T22:31:00.003-05:002015-01-12T22:35:58.268-05:00"Je Me Souviens" But Not Enough: Finding History in Vieux-Québec<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4-sJnREeRfY/VLR8k8TRAaI/AAAAAAAAAOA/nxQOJde44iY/s1600/IMG_2120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4-sJnREeRfY/VLR8k8TRAaI/AAAAAAAAAOA/nxQOJde44iY/s1600/IMG_2120.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<i>Je me souviens.</i><br />
<br />
"I remember." That's the motto for the province of Quebec, and something that resonates in the hearts and minds of Canadians everywhere. Rightly or wrongly so, Quebec and its people have a strong association with the country's history; they are the proverbial guardians of Canada's French heritage. And whether you see it as a good thing (as a rallying cry to maintain history and culture) or a bad thing (as a means to hold on to old grudges from centuries past), there is no denying that <b>something</b> is being remembered in Quebec City, at all times.<br />
<br />
So when I had the chance to finally visit Quebec City in October 2014 for a family vacation, I was very excited. This was something I had been wanting to do for a very long time. Sure, I had been to Quebec numerous times in the past, growing up - but the last time was over ten years ago, back when I had little respect or appreciation for Canada and its history.<br />
<br />
This time, especially with a secret desire to glean some firsthand knowledge for historical fiction-writing purposes, would be different. This time, I thought, I would be inspired.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l_5qqi_l21k/VLR8oP7ksRI/AAAAAAAAAOI/Lkt8lBJDQ0g/s1600/IMG_1987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l_5qqi_l21k/VLR8oP7ksRI/AAAAAAAAAOI/Lkt8lBJDQ0g/s1600/IMG_1987.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a small bonus: This is the hotel that I stayed at on one of my earlier childhood trips to Quebec. It's right on the edge of the Plains of Abraham.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In the past, I have had some very fruitful "research trips," as I like to call these excursions. I'd been to Boston and London, and while neither was a fully immersive experience, I came home with a deeper sense of the history and culture of these places and the significance they had to the people who lived there. In Boston, walking the Freedom Trail, I could see the birthplace of the American Revolution; meanwhile, in London, I felt myself transported to a different world.<br />
<br />
Quebec, for me, was going to be the mother lode. What else could it be? This was where I wanted my stories to be set. I was a history enthusiast with a mission: to show the world that Canada was - and still is - important. That even two hundred years ago, we were <b>something</b>, and all one had to do was go to Quebec, the pinnacle of Canadian historical preservation, to see it.<br />
<br />
For the most part, I wasn't disappointed. There is, in Vieux-Québec (i.e. the Old City of Quebec), a certain quaintness that I could easily envision working in the 18th century. There were old houses (some dating to the 18th century or even earlier - a rare sight, given the British bombardment of 1759), cobblestone streets, and the same narrow alleys and steep pathways that the city's past inhabitants navigated on a daily basis.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C9FFkl0oyKY/VLR8564agOI/AAAAAAAAAOY/oEe0_mgoKhY/s1600/IMG_2042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C9FFkl0oyKY/VLR8564agOI/AAAAAAAAAOY/oEe0_mgoKhY/s1600/IMG_2042.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0jEhEi_Zvs0/VLR-IdjgR-I/AAAAAAAAAQY/GFfCkW80RlQ/s1600/IMG_2285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0jEhEi_Zvs0/VLR-IdjgR-I/AAAAAAAAAQY/GFfCkW80RlQ/s1600/IMG_2285.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cHb1HgGGwBc/VLR-G3aKLqI/AAAAAAAAAQM/P8hE2bgyqtw/s1600/IMG_2282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cHb1HgGGwBc/VLR-G3aKLqI/AAAAAAAAAQM/P8hE2bgyqtw/s1600/IMG_2282.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iIQ4zDod7tE/VLR9dKf0qQI/AAAAAAAAAPE/-wrSq6xUyLY/s1600/IMG_2028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iIQ4zDod7tE/VLR9dKf0qQI/AAAAAAAAAPE/-wrSq6xUyLY/s1600/IMG_2028.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the several routes connecting the Upper Town and Lower Town. And yes, it is as steep as it looks. That doesn't deter locals, though: I saw a whole group of schoolchildren running down the sidewalk after their classes let out for the day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V2Zvgk2r-UE/VLR-FnYCzfI/AAAAAAAAAQA/4A2WCG8X2mI/s1600/IMG_2264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V2Zvgk2r-UE/VLR-FnYCzfI/AAAAAAAAAQA/4A2WCG8X2mI/s1600/IMG_2264.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the foundations from some of Québec's historic buildings.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Not only that, but if I was willing to look closely, there were some very overt nods to a time gone by. For instance, in the Upper Town, I stumbled across one of Vieux-Québéc's odder landmarks.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ukvsr-ag-vY/VLR9G-zpzJI/AAAAAAAAAOo/mxOLrAL8BV4/s1600/IMG_2000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ukvsr-ag-vY/VLR9G-zpzJI/AAAAAAAAAOo/mxOLrAL8BV4/s1600/IMG_2000.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
This, <i>mes amis</i>, is a cannonball stuck in the roots of a tree in an otherwise unspectacular alleyway. There are two different stories as to how it got there: one is that it was a cannonball left from the British bombardment of Québec during the Siege of 1759 around which the tree grew; the other is that the ball was deliberately placed there when the tree was younger and smaller to discourage vehicular traffic from running over the roots. Both versions of the story are equally plausible - although I am rather romantically inclined to go with the first. After all, that was what I was in Quebec for: to discover some hint of what life was like in the 18th century. And finding an authentic cannonball from the period would certainly help there.<br />
<br />
I also discovered, not surprisingly, that Canada and its government could have a rather biting sense of humour and irony. For evidence of this, I present to you the Duke of Kent House.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2iNeSI_UxbI/VLR9DsW8IuI/AAAAAAAAAOg/VZkZkJcjLW0/s1600/IMG_2186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2iNeSI_UxbI/VLR9DsW8IuI/AAAAAAAAAOg/VZkZkJcjLW0/s1600/IMG_2186.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
This building now houses the French Consulate in the city of Québec. And while it has certainly been expanded from its original 18th century size, this was also the place where the French signed the capitulation documents in September 1759, formally surrendering Québec to the British. Perhaps no offhanded jab was intended in the Duke of Kent House being adopted by the French Consulate, but given that many Québécois still bear resentment towards France for giving them up all those years ago...I can't help but wonder if there was. Either way, this simply could not be coincidence, in my mind, and would be a worthwhile avenue to explore.<br />
<br />
All this being said, given my interest in Quebec during the Seven Years' War - and the 1759 campaign in particular - it's only fair that I really go to the mother ship itself: the Plains of Abraham. Now called Battlefields Park, this area just outside of the city walls has been preserved and is open to the public, serving as a site for many events great and small throughout the year.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fW6170EkNtQ/VLR9iF5GnVI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/0e6NeIiCRQY/s1600/IMG_2216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fW6170EkNtQ/VLR9iF5GnVI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/0e6NeIiCRQY/s1600/IMG_2216.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sculptures of Generals Wolfe and Montcalm - the British and French commanders respectively during the Battle of the Plains of Abraham - on the façade of Québec's parliament building. These were two out of many such sculptures depicting famous figures from the province's history.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
This was not my first visit to the Plains of Abraham. Like many other Canadian schoolchildren, I came here on a trip with my classmates, and took part in a rather half-hearted re-enactment of the battle. So I was definitely looking forward to returning here to get a renewed look at the place.<br />
<br />
And this was when my dream veered sharply off course.<br />
<br />
I've been on a historic battlefield before: Bunker Hill in Boston. There, I remember being able to stand on top of the hill, look down towards the harbour, and have the whole battle just mentally "click" into place. I could envision the British assault, the colonial defence...the actual hushed solemnity that one associates with a site of bloodshed.<br />
<br />
Surely, given my passion for the subject and my strong sense of mission re: Canadian history, this would be almost like a sacred site for me. If I could bring myself to feel for a battle fought on foreign soil - and feel sympathy for the side I was raised to revile - then doubtless I would feel that again here. At home. And many times more.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3uKP6Nf08hE/VLR9uBuJ4AI/AAAAAAAAAPg/s5ZUtdBg8Zg/s1600/IMG_2327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3uKP6Nf08hE/VLR9uBuJ4AI/AAAAAAAAAPg/s5ZUtdBg8Zg/s1600/IMG_2327.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Instead, I felt nothing.<br />
<br />
I can't explain it. Even now, a few months later, I still can't put into words what came over me. When I stepped out from the city walls to look at the Plains, all I saw was a public park. No more, no less.<br />
<br />
I tried to feel more than that. Really, I did. I started walking slowly and determinedly along the edge of the park, staring intently into it, earning strange looks and prodding questions from the others in my party. "Do you want to go down into the park?" they asked. I wanted to. But the slope going down into the field was steep, it was about to rain, and I knew that in everyone else's eyes, this really was just a park. So instead, I kept walking and staring, caught up in my own existential crisis on the Plains of Abraham.<br />
<br />
What sort of a Canadian history buff would I be if I couldn't bring myself to feel? What sort of a <b>Canadian</b> would I be, altogether, if I could feel more for an American battlefield than my own?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ssy9YdNiEg/VLR9wRMIv0I/AAAAAAAAAPo/S5bIoX9-H3o/s1600/IMG_2325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ssy9YdNiEg/VLR9wRMIv0I/AAAAAAAAAPo/S5bIoX9-H3o/s1600/IMG_2325.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I will say, however, that I found myself inexplicably drawn to this copse of trees. Perhaps I subconsciously remembered it from that school re-enactment all those years ago.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I still don't know why I was unable to feel the same sense of transportation into the past that I did at Bunker Hill. Perhaps I was choked by my own expectations - feelings, after all, could not be forced, and if there was one thing I knew, it was that I was forcing them. Perhaps I felt that the site I saw simply could not be what I had had in my imagination. Perhaps, on some subconscious level, I felt that the Plains had been changed, somewhere in the intervening two hundred and fifty years, into a tourist attraction: a place far removed from its bloody beginnings.<br />
<br />
Whatever it was, all I know is this: in the moment when I ought to have felt it most, "<i>Je me souviens</i>" did not happen for me.<br />
<br />
<b>Epilogue</b><br />
<br />
Fortunately for us, the story does not end here. I did find something to honour and remember in the end - just not what I expected. There was, near the Plains of Abraham, a war memorial dedicated to Canadians who had fought and died in the World Wars and the Korean War.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HpcWPDLqPm4/VLSI7w_wFGI/AAAAAAAAARY/KNmbPbIeSNc/s1600/IMG_2198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HpcWPDLqPm4/VLSI7w_wFGI/AAAAAAAAARY/KNmbPbIeSNc/s1600/IMG_2198.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
And there, I saw that it was not just past conflicts, but more recent ones, that Québec was remembering. At the base, I found a bouquet of flowers dedicated to Corporal Nathan Cirillo, a Canadian who, just days earlier, had been killed in a terrorist attack in Ottawa.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0vFUg-EYVgs/VLR80V2UUNI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/4c4JFUrDzE8/s1600/IMG_2202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0vFUg-EYVgs/VLR80V2UUNI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/4c4JFUrDzE8/s1600/IMG_2202.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><i>Je me souviens</i>, indeed.</b><br />
<br />
<u>Image Credits</u><br />
<br />
All photos (c) Kita Inoru<b> </b>Kita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-73895106933812840672015-01-05T21:42:00.003-05:002015-01-06T08:45:43.457-05:00A Canadian's Review of the Canada Pavilion in Disney World's World Showcase<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
It's that time of year again: Christmas has passed, and everyone is getting back into their old grind of school and work. I hope everyone here among my readers has had a safe and enjoyable holiday season - I know I have. And that's why I'm here: to talk about where I was.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NErQG5b0M3o/VKtAUxL-aUI/AAAAAAAAALk/Rj81U6nfQl0/s1600/IMG_3384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NErQG5b0M3o/VKtAUxL-aUI/AAAAAAAAALk/Rj81U6nfQl0/s1600/IMG_3384.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shouldn't take a genius to figure out where I was if I got photos like this!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
From December 22 to 27, 2014, I was on a family vacation to Disney World in Orlando, Florida. That's close to a week, and I still wasn't able to even scratch the surface of what the parks and resorts had to offer. However, I was able to, fortunately, check out my favourite part of the entire complex: the World Showcase in Epcot.<br />
<br />
For those of you who aren't aware, the World Showcase is designed to feel like a one-stop-shop trip around the world. There are areas - called Pavilions - focusing on 11 different countries: Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, the USA, Japan, Morocco, France, the UK, and Canada. Naturally, being a very patriotic Canuck myself, I made a point of paying particularly close attention to the Canadian one.<br />
<br />
It should be very obvious that, with the sheer amount of possibilities inherent in every nation's culture, the representations in the World Showcase are kitschy at best, and downright stereotypical at worst. That still didn't detract from my enjoyment, though - not this time, nor the first time I went back in 2010.<br />
<br />
So...what was it like for this Canadian to see how Disney chose to show my country to the world? Let's find out!<br />
<br />
I ended up approaching the Canada Pavilion from the side of Epcot known as "Future World"; in other words, this was the first "country" I visited in the World Showcase. However, before I even got into the Pavilion proper, there were already clues that I was in "kitschy Canada":<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BmN5MY4QgZ0/VKtA-raj0aI/AAAAAAAAALs/mlXLgaK-YIM/s1600/IMG_2420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BmN5MY4QgZ0/VKtA-raj0aI/AAAAAAAAALs/mlXLgaK-YIM/s1600/IMG_2420.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
See those? They were in a kiosk promoting the Disney Vacation Club, and the first thing I saw entering the World Showcase. If you think those look an awful lot of Northwest Coast First Nations art, you'd be correct. In fact, that was a running theme throughout the Canada Pavilion: just like any proper souvenir shop back home, you can't say "Canada" without some nod to our First Nations, particularly those from British Columbia. Take a look at some of these other examples - this time from the actual Pavilion:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HS0kkN7saX0/VKs-aJjIDXI/AAAAAAAAALY/-NPgIpTk9_I/s1600/IMG_2424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HS0kkN7saX0/VKs-aJjIDXI/AAAAAAAAALY/-NPgIpTk9_I/s1600/IMG_2424.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Nations totem pole and a Haida house as a storefront.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j1A0Xq0OE4Y/VKtBk1IX1eI/AAAAAAAAAL0/3k8BrE7Kg6E/s1600/IMG_2431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j1A0Xq0OE4Y/VKtBk1IX1eI/AAAAAAAAAL0/3k8BrE7Kg6E/s1600/IMG_2431.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not only does this give a good view of the wall artwork in the gift shop, but you can also see how the staff at the Canada Pavilion were dressed. The cashier is wearing a white shirt, a leather fringed vest, and a red plaid skirt. Guys word red flannel plaid "lumberjack" shirts.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZLkZ9LdiUQ/VKtBr0l2zGI/AAAAAAAAAL8/kJEYB7eMegA/s1600/IMG_2433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZLkZ9LdiUQ/VKtBr0l2zGI/AAAAAAAAAL8/kJEYB7eMegA/s1600/IMG_2433.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carving on the front door to the gift shop.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The shop that these photos is from is also worth mentioning. Oftentimes in the World Showcase, the stores for each "country" are connected internally: you walk through them as one cohesive unit, but there are various different storefronts on the outside all along the way. The one for the Canada Pavilion, for instance, was made up like an old fur trade post in one part, and a Haida house (see above) in another.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pisoQfUqLjU/VKtCPABI-HI/AAAAAAAAAME/GuSotNVnbOU/s1600/IMG_2425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pisoQfUqLjU/VKtCPABI-HI/AAAAAAAAAME/GuSotNVnbOU/s1600/IMG_2425.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
Inside these stores, there are many souvenirs that are meant to be reminiscent of the nation being represented (although, with the recent boom over <i>Frozen</i>, "Norway"'s shops seem to have lost some of that in favour of being Disney's latest place for more Arendelle-related merchandise). And the Canada Pavilion is no different. Here, I found more than my fair share of maple-related goods, hockey paraphernalia, etc.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5MtykwoJkvw/VKtDFXIH4tI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/UCzofawegU8/s1600/IMG_2426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5MtykwoJkvw/VKtDFXIH4tI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/UCzofawegU8/s1600/IMG_2426.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maple-flavoured goodies - Yum!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qNr3aA3v36U/VKtDNFWDkgI/AAAAAAAAAMY/wWI2bTWHVUU/s1600/IMG_2428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qNr3aA3v36U/VKtDNFWDkgI/AAAAAAAAAMY/wWI2bTWHVUU/s1600/IMG_2428.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winnipeg Jets gear for sale in the gift shop. There were shelves like this for all of Canada's NHL teams (the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets - shown here - Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Montreal Canadiens). This is my nod to Canada's newest :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Also, because it was the Christmas season, the entire store was also decked out with holiday gear: wreaths, garlands, snowshoes....Yep, there were snowshoes worked into the garlands here.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WB_SD_k5UdQ/VKtDiwlhy_I/AAAAAAAAAMg/d5iaYAKPL5M/s1600/IMG_2429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WB_SD_k5UdQ/VKtDiwlhy_I/AAAAAAAAAMg/d5iaYAKPL5M/s1600/IMG_2429.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
Perhaps I really shouldn't be so sardonic about all of this. In all honesty, I really liked what Disney did in this Pavilion, and I get a good laugh out of it every single time. But, let's be honest: no Canadian I know works snowshoes into their Christmas decor. Then Again, "We Are Winter" (Team Canada slogan and all that), so I suppose it only makes sense that we'd be associated with ice and snow all the time.<br />
<br />
Speaking of snow, nature in general is a huge running theme in the Canada Pavilion, at all times of year. And it makes me really proud to see my country being associated with such gorgeous (albeit man-made) vistas as this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ETf138ZTb-k/VKtEMdNcuXI/AAAAAAAAAMo/6skUIFMa5tk/s1600/IMG_2439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ETf138ZTb-k/VKtEMdNcuXI/AAAAAAAAAMo/6skUIFMa5tk/s1600/IMG_2439.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
That, <i>mes amis</i>, is an artificial mountain formation that acts as a backdrop for the entire Canada Pavilion. It is absolutely stunning to see in person - and very easy to forget that it's all man-made. I am very, very glad that Disney decided to think of "wilderness" when they thought of "Canada", because that is something many Canadians, too, are proud of. Yes, the wilderness is tough, and winters are tough, and we gripe about them all the time. But, all the same, we Canucks won't have it any other way.<br />
<br />
There is also a nod to one of Canada's most well-known man-made landscapes. Victoria Gardens, as this area is called in Epcot, is directly inspired by the very real (and very famous) Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hhj87o2MRsM/VKtE9diJErI/AAAAAAAAAMw/a657hwi7E_4/s1600/IMG_2448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hhj87o2MRsM/VKtE9diJErI/AAAAAAAAAMw/a657hwi7E_4/s1600/IMG_2448.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
Now, Canada is not just about the First Nations, hockey, and nature. There has also been a long history of European (predominantly French and English) settlement, and that is marked in some of the architecture here as well, inspired by buildings seen in Ottawa and Quebec.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wijoxO9v0i8/VKtFyaphy6I/AAAAAAAAAM8/HBzYlhg180I/s1600/IMG_2436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wijoxO9v0i8/VKtFyaphy6I/AAAAAAAAAM8/HBzYlhg180I/s1600/IMG_2436.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reminds me of the houses I saw in Quebec City</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BM2zOW6Cwig/VKtF5URPE2I/AAAAAAAAANE/EwSZrXYPJpY/s1600/IMG_2442.JPG" height="640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This building is inspired by the Château Laurier hotel in Ottawa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So...are there any rides in the Canada Pavilion? No. However, there is, if you ask me, one heck of a good show: "O Canada". It's a Circle-vision movie, meaning that you stand in the centre of a room and images are projected on a screen that wraps all the way around you, and shows a lot of what Canada has to offer, narrated by one of our many comedians: Martin Short.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And, perhaps as a nod to how Canada's economy relies predominantly on its natural resources, the theatre is inside an old mine: </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4jUfcq-lecw/VKtGa1K_k6I/AAAAAAAAANY/ibZeyyMZfcQ/s1600/IMG_2444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4jUfcq-lecw/VKtGa1K_k6I/AAAAAAAAANY/ibZeyyMZfcQ/s1600/IMG_2444.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Just how good is this movie? Well, it can be a bit disappointing, after spending a long day walking, to discover that it's just standing-room only in the theatre. However, everyone in my family thought it was great, and that our country was certainly worth "standing on guard" for. (And, yes, that's a very lame attempt to work the actual "O Canada" into this!)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So what's my overall verdict? As a Canadian, I could see this pavilion for being the mishmash of stereotypes it is - more so than I could have for any other Pavilion in the World Showcase. However, I do commend Disney for choosing the particular set of stereotypes it did: these are all things that many Canadians, myself included, do feel proud about, and I, at least, am more than happy to use them as markers of our distinctiveness as a nation.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Bonus</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Just for the record: the question of "Where are you visiting from?" is a huge icebreaker while you're in Disney World. Everyone asks it of everyone else: characters during autograph sessions, other visitors whilst you're in line, the cashiers in the stores. Naturally, I joined in the fun, and had some great conversations this way. Here are my top picks for "I'm a Canadian!" moments at Disney.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b> </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
1. Waiting in line for Winnie the Pooh's autograph in the United Kingdom Pavilion, I started chatting with the family in front of me in line. It turns out they're from Winnipeg, Manitoba, and were happy to have a fellow Canuck in their midst. As we waited, we remarked on the irony that Winnie the Pooh was considered a British character by Disney when Winnie, the actual bear that inspired the story, was Canadian and named for Winnipeg. Seriously - look it up. Granted, A. A. Milne was British, and he saw Winnie at the London Zoo, but, well, the Canada Pavilion has no character greetings, and the UK already has Alice in Wonderland and Mary Poppins - let us join in the fun, why don't you, Disney?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
2. The first thing I did when I arrived at Disney World was buy an autograph book at the gift shop in my hotel (the All Star Sports Resort). Every single time I buy something in the States, I have to wrap my head around all the bills looking almost exactly the same. I told the cashier as such, and he asked me where I was from. I answered, "Toronto, Canada. I'm used to the technicolor money we have there." He thought that was funny, and it did break the ice a bit.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HXZQjyEDANc/VKtLHYnHBDI/AAAAAAAAANs/K4npNC4V8dA/s1600/IMG_2573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HXZQjyEDANc/VKtLHYnHBDI/AAAAAAAAANs/K4npNC4V8dA/s1600/IMG_2573.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Speaking of "ice", here's a very famous Canadian whose photo was featured on a "Wall of Fame" in the hotel: Wayne Gretzky, NHL hockey player from the Edmonton Oilers (aka "The Great One").</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
3. Meeting Elsa from "Frozen" at the Magic Kingdom Park. Yes, I was one of those who got the coveted Fastpass+ to see her (book early, guys, or you'll be in line for HOURS). She asked me, while signing my book, where I was from, to which I answered that I was from Canada. She then said, "I've never been to the Kingdom of Canada before," and then said that she'd like to go because of all the ice and snow. Actually, both she and Anna remarked on how cold it must be there. I deigned from telling Elsa, however, about how Toronto quite literally froze over last winter; don't know how she would have reacted if I did.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Edit: I've been notified via e-mail by a reader that I accidentally left out the Ottawa Senators from my list of Canadian NHL hockey teams. That's been fixed, and I apologize - no offense was intended to the Sens or their fans.</b> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<u>Image Credits</u></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
All photos (c) Kita Inoru</div>
Kita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-28291831171107442322014-12-08T12:58:00.002-05:002014-12-08T12:58:23.445-05:00The Kamloops Kid and Honda-San: Japanese Soldiers in Hong KongEarlier in this blog, I'd written about how the <a href="http://kitainoru.blogspot.ca/2014/11/the-canadians-in-hong-kong-giving-me-my.html">Canadians fighting in Hong Kong in WWII</a> led to my reaching a greater awareness of Remembrance Day and its significance.<br />
<br />
December 7, 1941, is a date that many of my readers would recognize: it was the day that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, officially launching the United States into WWII. However, this was not a singular attack. Pearl Harbor was part of a co-ordinated series of Japanese military assaults throughout the Pacific Theatre, including the British colony of Hong Kong. Due to time zone differences, the attack on Hong Kong is recorded as having started in the early hours of December 8, 1941; hard fighting for the colony ensued between the Japanese and the defenders (made up of British, Indian, Canadian and native soldiers, at least) until the surrender on December 25, 1941. The surviving Allied soldiers were held as Prisoners of War until the end of WWII in 1945, and the story of these POWs is what often comes to Canadians' minds when they think of Hong Kong at the time.<br />
<br />
But my focus here is not on the Canadian soldiers just yet. With all these anniversaries coming around at this time of year, I feel that focusing too strongly on that can stir up old conflicts and resentments towards Japan and its people. Sounds far-fetched? Maybe. But I have seen and heard such comments in person in the past (including claims that Japan deserved the 2011 Tsunami due to the Imperial Japanese Army's actions in WWII) to know not to bring that up. Rather, I want to encourage you, my readers, to step back and look at the Japanese involved in this conflict as people. Who were they, and how did this affect their actions?<br />
<br />
Fortunately, my examination of the Canadian role in Hong Kong during WWII has managed to unearth accounts of (at least) two very different cases: one that falls into the common image of Japanese atrocities, and one that completely contradicts it. Both men are still shrouded in mystery, but please allow me to share what I have found thus far.<br />
<br />
<b>Kanao Inouye: the "Kamloops Kid"</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.ww2incolor.com/d/660143-3/Kamloops+Kid" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.ww2incolor.com/d/660143-3/Kamloops+Kid" /></a></div>
<b> </b><br />
Kanao Inouye was commonly known as the "Kamloops Kid" due to his being, in fact, a second-generation Japanese-Canadian<b> </b>born in Kamloops, British Columbia. He appears in a number of Canadian POWs' accounts of their imprisonment as an interpreter with a sadistic streak. One interview recalls him giving a POW a severe beating for pointing out poor medical facilities in the camp to a Red Cross worker, while other accounts point at Inouye's taunts, prophesying a Japanese takeover of Canada, and threatening harm to the Canadian POWs' families in that event. After the war, he was identified by POWs in Hong Kong, and was ultimately tried and executed for treason.<br />
<br />
Something like this would correlate with many accounts of Japanese atrocities committed during WWII. However, there is more to Kanao Inouye than initially meets the eye, and much of this depth lies upon his being a Canadian citizen at the time. Like the United States, Canada and its government took preemptive measures to prevent traitorous behaviour from its Japanese immigrant population by confining many of them to internment camps well away from the Pacific coast. This is a dark spot on Canadian history, as at the time, Japanese-Canadians had not shown any indication of disloyalty to Canada, and, like their American counterparts, often worked to actively show their loyalty to the Canadian government during this time. So the "Kamloops Kid", then, was an exception instead of an indication of the norm.<br />
<br />
So why did he behave this way if he was a Canadian citizen? As it turns out, anti-Asian sentiment was not new to Canada, and Inouye believed himself to have been a victim of bullying during his childhood in Kamloops, British Columbia. Although it was circumstances that led to his being conscripted into the Imperial Japanese Army - he had been studying abroad in Japan there when war broke out - his post near a large group of Canadian POWs prompted a spirit of vengeance. The Canadians in Hong Kong confirm this, noting that Inouye would, in the midst of his harsh treatment of the POWs, make remarks such as, "Now where is your superiority, you dirty scum?"<br />
<br />
In other words, Kanao Inouye cannot simply be taken as an example of Japanese soldiers acting cruelly during WWII. His story is also a warning to Canadians and Americans in the present day of the dangerous consequences of racism: in short, racism breeds more racism.<br />
<br />
<b>Honda-san: The Mystery Good Samaritan</b><br />
<br />
There is less out there on this man, from what I have seen. I have found several accounts of a Japanese officer and interpreter with the surname Honda who seemed to treat POWs more kindly and humanely than many of his fellows, but, in fact, I do not even know if these accounts point at one man or two. So for our intents and purposes, I will simply call him "Honda-san" ("Mr. Honda" in Japanese).<br />
<b> </b><br />
One account comes from a Canadian officer, Captain S. Martin Banfill, who was captured during a Japanese attack on the Salesian Mission in Hong Kong on December 19, 1941. Prior to the surrender, many POWs were summarily executed, but Banfill was singled out from his men and spared, ending up at a POW camp at the instigation of Honda-san. Had it not been for this, it is likely that Banfill would have died. Attempts to find this mysterious Japanese officer after the war proved futile; a man fitting his description was seen in Nagasaki when the atomic bomb fell on August 9, 1945, but there is no way of knowing if this truly was him or, if so, whether he survived the blast.<br />
<br />
A second account comes from Lieutenant C. Douglas Johnston, who was sent to a POW camp after the surrender of December 25. The account of his imprisonment, in full, can be found <a href="http://www.hkvca.ca/historical/accounts/Douglas%20Johnston/index.htm">here.</a> In this, he makes several references to a Sergeant-Major or Warrant Officer, also with the surname Honda, who he describes as "a real gentleman". This was someone who, although known for strict discipline, also engaged with the POWs in conversation and seemed to show genuine interest in them. After the events of the war, Johnston recalls that the Canadian POWs sought to protect him in particular, allowing him to stay at Hong Kong's Peninsula Hotel to keep him safe from any generic reprisals against the Japanese.<br />
<br />
Are these two accounts speaking of the same man? It is hard to say based on such little evidence (note that Honda is not an uncommon surname in Japan). But, in my opinion, there is a part of me that would rather these be two different people and two completely separate stories of human decency in the chaos of war. Just like a bad apple could spoil the bunch, particularly good ones can leave behind a very positive impression.<br />
<br />
<u>Sources</u><br />
<br />
"C. Douglas Johnston's Story." <i>Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Association</i>. n.d. Web. 8 Dec 2014.<br />
<br />
"Kanao Inouye." <i>Wikipedia</i>. 12 Jan 2014. Web. 8 Dec 2014.<br />
<br />
"Remembering the Kamloops Kid." <i>Veteran Affairs Canada</i>. Government of Canada. 19 Nov 2014. Web. 8 Dec 2014. <br />
<br />
Roland, Charles G. "Massacre and Rape in Hong Kong: Two Case Studies Involving Medical Personnel and Patients." <i>Journal of Contemporary History</i>. 32.1 (1997): 43-61. Print.<br />
<br />
"The Kamloops Kid." <i>WWII in Color</i>. n.d. Web. 8 Dec 2014.<br />
<br />
<u>Image Credits</u><br />
<br />
Photo (c) WWII in ColorKita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-51622892234914830022014-12-06T13:57:00.001-05:002014-12-06T13:58:35.032-05:00December 6: A Dark Day in Canadian HistoryEvery nation has one: a date that looms large in the national consciousness as the anniversary of some disaster or tragedy. Oftentimes, there's no need to provide details; those in the know will recognize what happened just by the date. For example, think of how easily we recognize 9/11: no-one needs to explain what took place or why it's important, as it is now simply a part of our culture.<br />
<br />
Because of Canada's more behind-the-scenes role in world history, I don't think we have anything that resonates quite so much as 9/11. However, I do believe that Canadians have their own "dark day": December 6.<br />
<br />
Not many people talk about it (compared to 9/11 at least), not even in Canada itself. But I would posit this as a suitable candidate for one of the darkest days in Canadian history. Why? Because not one, but TWO tragedies took place on December 6.<br />
<br />
<b>December 6, 1917: The Halifax Explosion</b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://data2.archives.ca/ap/c/c001833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://data2.archives.ca/ap/c/c001833.jpg" height="211" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aftermath after the Halifax Explosion (Image (c) Library and Archives Canada; Photographer unknown)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was, for many Haligonians (i.e. residents of Halifax, Nova Scotia), just a normal day. Yes, Canada was fighting the Great War (aka WWI), and Halifax was a major port city at the time, ferrying supplies and soldiers to and from Canada and Europe.<br />
<br />
With such a bustling harbour, perhaps it was only a matter of time before something went wrong. On the morning of Dec. 6, 1917, a Norwegian ship, the <i>S.S. Imo</i>, was scheduled to leave Halifax after spending several days refuelling before heading on to New York. She had originally been scheduled for a Dec. 5 departure, but had been delayed due to anti-submarine nets being placed in the Halifax harbour in the evening. So, by the next morning, she was eager to be underway.<br />
<br />
In order to do so, however, she must pass through a channel known as the Narrows. Harbour protocol dictated that ships were supposed to pass each other port-to-port, each taking the starboard side of the channel in order to keep traffic running smoothly. However, to avoid collision with a tug-boat coming into the harbour at the time, the <i>Imo </i>swerved and overshot her turn into the Narrows, ending up closer to the port side than was safe. This combined with her going above the proper speed limit sent her straight into the path of the French ship <i>SS Mont-Blanc</i> that was entering the harbour at the same time.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.halifaxexplosion.org/images/shipsanchor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.halifaxexplosion.org/images/shipsanchor.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of Halifax Harbour on the morning of Dec. 6, 1917, showing the <i>Imo</i> and <i>Mont-Blanc</i> in their original positions before the <i>Imo</i> began her exit and the <i>Mont-Blanc</i> her entrance. (Image (c) www.halifaxexplosion.org)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
At 8:45 a.m., the two ships collided.<br />
<br />
For all intents and purposes, the collision should have been a mild one. Both ships were travelling at low speed, and had already stopped their engines: it was their continued momentum in the time it took to stop that caused the accident. However, disaster was imminent due to two factors: the collision had caused a fire on the <i>Mont-Blanc</i>, and, being a cargo ship on her way to the European front, she was stocked full of explosives.<br />
<br />
The <i>Mont-Blanc</i>'s crew fled the ship, but the scene drew a crowd of spectators. It is understandable: on what was just a normal school and working day, a ship caught fire in the Halifax Harbour. It's the same sort of human behaviour that makes motorists slow down upon coming across an accident scene. So many Haligonians stopped what they were doing to go out to the harbour to watch, oblivious to the <i>Mont-Blanc</i>'s cargo and what it meant. Even when the <i>Mont-Blanc</i>'s crew tried to warn their rescuers about the imminent danger, they were not heard in the confusion.<br />
<br />
At 9:04 a.m., the <i>Mont-Blanc</i> exploded, sending white-hot metal debris flying almost 300 metres into the air, which rained down on the city and its inhabitants. The shockwave destroyed the buildings within a 2.6 kilometre radius, but damage stretched far further to nearby communities and was felt in the other maritime provinces. On top of this, the explosion vaporized most of the water in the harbour, and the seawater rushing in to replace it swelled into a tsunami wave 16 metres high.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Halifax_Explosion_-_harbour_view_-_restored.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Halifax_Explosion_-_harbour_view_-_restored.jpg" height="253" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Halifax two days after the Explosion (Image in Public Domain, found via Wikimedia Commons)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
All things told, 1,600 people were killed and 9,000 injured. Not only did this include dockworkers and sailors, but many civilians as well. Particularly horrific in hindsight is the fate of those who watched the <i>Mont-Blanc</i>'s fire from their windows as the force of the explosion shattered the glass, blinding many people. The Halifax Explosion was the largest artificial explosion at the time, and would remain so until WWII and the development of nuclear technology. While Halifax has rebuilt itself since then and is now once again a major maritime city, the Halifax Explosion is still a major component of Canada's history: wartime and otherwise.<br />
<br />
<b>December 6, 1989: The École Polytechnique Massacre</b><br />
<br />
Chances are, if there's one major Canadian disaster that took place on Dec. 6 that you'll be hearing about on the news, it's this one. Why? Because the events of the École Polytechnique Massacre<b> </b>led to December 6 now being memorialized in Canada as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Perhaps that name alone suggests where this is going, but in short: this is the deadliest school shooting in Canadian history.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Exterior_of_Ecole_Polytechnique_de_Montreal.jpg/800px-Exterior_of_Ecole_Polytechnique_de_Montreal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Exterior_of_Ecole_Polytechnique_de_Montreal.jpg/800px-Exterior_of_Ecole_Polytechnique_de_Montreal.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The École Polytechnique in Montreal, Quebec, as it appears today. (Photograph by MyName(Slp1) on Wikimedia Commons, Image used according to Creative Commons 3.0)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So what does a school shooting have to do with violence against women? It comes down to the shooter and his actions. On Dec. 6, 1989, Marc Lépine, aged 25, made his way to École Polytechnique, a post-secondary engineering school affiliated with the University of Montreal. There, he entered a classroom filled with approximately 60 students where a mechanical engineering class was in progress. This is where the violence against women aspect becomes apparent. After gaining control of the classroom, he ordered male and female students to opposite sides of the room. Then, after ordering the male students out of the room, he opened fire on the remaining 9 women, saying, "You're women, you're going to be engineers. You're all a bunch of feminists. I hate feminists." Of his victims in that classroom, 6 were killed and the 3 others wounded.<br />
<br />
After this, Lépine continued on through the school, aiming his attacks at classrooms, students in the corridors, and a cafeteria, before shooting himself in the head. In total, 14 women (13 students and one employee) were dead, and another 14 people (including 4 men) were injured.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Mtl_dec6_plaque.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Mtl_dec6_plaque.jpg" height="400" width="373" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Commemorative
Plaque at École Polytechnique listing the names of the deceased. (Image
in Public Domain, found via Wikimedia Commons)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In the aftermath of the massacre, a suicide note was found in which Lépine reiterated his anti-feminist rhetoric. His view was that through feminism, women would retain their existing benefits from society and the government as well as claiming those that also belonged to men. In other words, and in my opinion, he confused feminism with misandry, and felt that any woman who sought a higher education (such as these students) or a career outside of what was traditionally feminine was a radical feminist and would ruin his own opportunities in life.<br />
<br />
It's no wonder then that the anniversary of the École Polytechnique Massacre has become a day for remembrance, then, as Canadians continue to raise awareness of violent acts against women in general. However, I wonder if Lépine realized the coincidence his choice of date was creating. December 6 was already an infamous day in Canada - and he made it even more so.<br />
<br />
<u>Resources</u><br />
<br />
"École Polytechnique Massacre." <i>Wikipedia</i>. 6 Dec 2014.<br />
<br />
"Halifax Explosion." <i>Wikipedia</i>. 6 Dec. 2014.<br />
<br />
<i>HalifaxExplosion.org</i>. 6 Dec. 2014.<br />
<br />
<u>Images</u><br />
<br />
All images used under Creative Commons 3.0, individual credits in the captionsKita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-49240624521048898332014-12-02T19:55:00.002-05:002014-12-02T20:02:16.648-05:00Six Months In: Things I've Learned as a Gallery Interpreter at the Royal Ontario MuseumIn terms of my volunteer work at the Royal Ontario Museum, I have recently hit a personal milestone: I have completed my time as what's called a provisional Gallery Interpreter (i.e. a trainee volunteer) and am now officially an active member of the ROM's Department of Museum Volunteers. I do get some perks from this: best one being my own ID badge/key card so I don't need to trouble fellow volunteers to let me in each time I show up for a shift.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vxMnnw3hjwA/VH5S2BsIzBI/AAAAAAAAAKA/K4QPKg9UETU/s1600/IMG_7491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vxMnnw3hjwA/VH5S2BsIzBI/AAAAAAAAAKA/K4QPKg9UETU/s1600/IMG_7491.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ROM's famous Rotunda Ceiling mosaic. The text reads: THAT ALL MEN MAY KNOW HIS WORK</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So what's a Gallery Interpreter, you ask? What we do is go out into the galleries with a small specimen or artifact that visitors could interact with. Engagements take the form of a short Q&A session, where we use guiding questions to offer information about both the object(s) we have, and the surrounding relevant museum displays. I myself spend most of my time in the two Canadian galleries at the ROM - the Daphne Cockwell Gallery of Canada: First Peoples; and the Sigmund Samuel Gallery of Canada - with one specimen each: a miniature replica birchbark canoe in the first, and a late 19th-century French-Canadian maple sugar mould in the latter.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zKPCoGgfEGE/VH5dgQ-uJSI/AAAAAAAAAKw/Gzj8D5ntFNs/s1600/IMG_9055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zKPCoGgfEGE/VH5dgQ-uJSI/AAAAAAAAAKw/Gzj8D5ntFNs/s1600/IMG_9055.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A "period room" set up in the style of 16th century England in the Samuel European Galleries at the ROM. This is an example of one of my favourite parts of the museum, albeit not where I actually work.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Officially, I have only been a Gallery Interpreter since this past July, but before that, there had been more rigorous training where I had gone out into the galleries accompanied by a more experienced GI (as we're called for short), meaning that I have been out and about in those galleries for approximately half a year by this point. And in this half a year, I have learned a lot of valuable lessons along the way: things that I am sharing with you now as some of my favourite highlights thus far in my life as a Gallery Interpreter at the ROM.<br />
<br />
<b>1. Nothing quite beats working with historical objects.</b><br />
<br />
Especially when said objects just happen to be particularly old, or beautiful, or relevant to your field of interest. I still remember when, in the early stages of my training (i.e. before I was even in the galleries), I was given a demo from an instructor on how one of these Q&A sessions would work. The gentleman had a piece of mosaic with him, and I was to pose as the "visitor". I knew going into the dialogue that the mosaic was used in the ROM's Ancient Roman gallery, but imagine my surprise when I discovered that the fragment I was handling was actually 2,000 years old, and a genuine artifact! And since our initial training included objects from both the ROM's Natural History and World Culture collections, I'm sure that's not even the oldest thing I handled by the time I was done.<br />
<br />
<b>2. The fascination applies to visitors as well.</b><br />
<br />
I daresay some of the giddiness that comes from working with historical artifacts might seem to come just from my being somewhat of a history enthusiast. However, it's not just me or fellow museum volunteers and employers who get like that: the visitors do, too. For instance, while the miniature birchbark canoe I work with is a replica, I stand near some First Nations birchbark canoes that are well over a hundred years old. And people love it when I point that out!<br />
<b> </b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w0Bo1RI4U5I/VH5Vqk5YRMI/AAAAAAAAAKU/NHPsmJWswPg/s1600/IMG_7230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w0Bo1RI4U5I/VH5Vqk5YRMI/AAAAAAAAAKU/NHPsmJWswPg/s1600/IMG_7230.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the original First Nations birchbark canoes at the ROM. I work with a smaller, miniature version when I chat with visitors.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The same sort of thing happens with the maple sugar mould as well. Many visitors are fascinated by the fact that not only am I holding an artifact from the late 19th century, but that (with gloves and my supervision) they are welcome to touch it as well. GIs are trained to make sure that artifacts are handled with care at all times (for example: cupping our hands below the visitor's to catch any objects that might fall), so it's a fun and safe experience for everyone involved.<br />
<br />
<b>3. Some people just want to be taught.</b><br />
<br />
I've seen this a number of times already in the past six months. The intent for the GIs is to engage with visitors in a conversation, and the Q&A idea stems from that. However, I have had several instances where visitors who are interested don't want the preamble. They'll come right up to me, point at what I'm holding, and ask, "What is that?" Depending on the overall tone of the conversation so far, I sometimes respond by asking for guesses, but it certainly has happened where I end up just telling them directly, and the visitor is very appreciative for the information. This happens a lot with the maple sugar mould in particular, since it's not as immediately recognizable an object as the birchbark canoe. I can see how trying to guess what it is can be rather intimidating, actually.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OC0CEmKki_M/VH5XTjYT4kI/AAAAAAAAAKg/sqrUHk_crGo/s1600/IMG_1534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OC0CEmKki_M/VH5XTjYT4kI/AAAAAAAAAKg/sqrUHk_crGo/s1600/IMG_1534.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">19th-century French-Canadian maple sugar moulds at the ROM.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b> </b><br />
<b> 4. Sometimes, I am the one who gets taught - and that's even better.</b><br />
<br />
Just about every single GI has had an encounter like this: a visitor comes by who turns out to be an expert in the field relating to the object in question. I hear a lot of these stories coming from the Natural History sections of the ROM in particular, especially relating to children who are currently in their dinosaur/animal enthusiast stage.<b> </b><br />
<br />
I myself have had a similar experience with the miniature birchbark canoe. One woman I met turned out, in fact, to be First Nations herself (specifically Ojibway) and made similar miniature canoes as a hobby. So she was the one telling me a lot about the process she used: soaking the birchbark to make it pliable, sewing it with sinew (the ROM's replica uses thread), and even beading her canoes for decoration. That was definitely a rewarding experience, and I hope to have more in the future! <br />
<br />
<b>5. Being a GI can be a great chance for cultural exchange.</b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nz22ayOAun0/VH5d4YNdckI/AAAAAAAAALA/gzJWGxBhYeE/s1600/IMG_1357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nz22ayOAun0/VH5d4YNdckI/AAAAAAAAALA/gzJWGxBhYeE/s1600/IMG_1357.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Folk musicians from the ROM's Polish Heritage Day in the summer of 2014, one of many such Heritage Days devoted to Canada's many ethnic communities as part of the ROM's summer activities.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b> </b>The ROM receives visitors from all over the world - and even if it didn't, Canada is a sufficiently multicultural nation for us to meet visitors from all sorts of ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. What this means is that some of the conversations I have had as a GI focus around comparisons between cultures: Canadian and the visitor's culture of origin.<br />
<b> </b><br />
Some such instances that come to my mind right now include a Swedish visitor talking about woodworking techniques while looking at the birchbark canoes, an East Asian family comparing the qualities of birchbark as a construction material compared to bamboo, a Brazilian family comparing the handiwork of Canada's First Nations peoples with their own indigenous crafts, yet another Brazilian visitor telling me about how rubber is made from tree sap harvested like Canada's maple sap is, and visitors from maple-producing parts of the United States giving me tips and pointers on some of the inner workings of the business.<br />
<br />
And that's just scratching the surface!<br />
<br />
<b>6. Sometimes, the visitor's more interested in me than in the objects.</b><br />
<br />
I've had cases where overseas tourists are more interested in sharing to me about their thoughts on their trip to Canada thus far than anything directly related to the objects I'm working with. And that's fine - if everyone is comfortable and at ease, I am more than willing to listen and, hopefully, provide further positive memories for them to bring home.<br />
<br />
There's also been one occasion where I was in the First Peoples gallery with the birchbark canoe, and a visitor asked me if I was First Nations myself. I told him that no, I wasn't; I'm actually Chinese. He was surprised, since he thought that if I was working in a First Nations-related gallery, I would likely have to be First Nations myself. That's the sort of question that gave me pause to think for quite a long time afterwards.<br />
<br />
<b>7. Because, like it or not, politics does get involved sometimes.</b><br />
<br />
Perhaps this is a lesson that's rather gallery-specific, as I have only had this sort of thing happen to me when I'm in the First Peoples gallery. Many visitors are genuinely curious about the place that the First Peoples have in Canada, and I, being a visible ROM worker, naturally become a magnet for those questions.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6R7ZzCYKfZ0/VH5eKzx2P3I/AAAAAAAAALI/SVFQ_FSqU0Y/s1600/IMG_1670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6R7ZzCYKfZ0/VH5eKzx2P3I/AAAAAAAAALI/SVFQ_FSqU0Y/s1600/IMG_1670.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Modern-art sculpture inspired by the traditional Plains First Nations eagle feather headdress: the wapaha.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This is especially the case since the history of Canada's First Peoples is a painful one: one that is based on what once was a form of cooperation between Native Peoples and Europeans, but that degenerated into oppression and discrimination before now steadily working towards some form of reconciliation and recognition. So it's understandable that some visitors are concerned, for instance, that the ROM is presenting a colonialist view on the history - particularly since so many of our artifacts come from 19th and early 20th century European donors. Other times, however, I am met with surprise that the First Peoples and their cultures have survived through the tribulation into the present day: their view was that this had all been in the past, but the ROM is careful to show the First Peoples in the present as well.<br />
<b> </b><br />
In both cases, I respond the same way: acknowledge the questions and comments, but encourage the visitors to direct them to the actual ROM curators, who could give more thorough answers than me. Particularly in the former case, things can get very touchy, very fast; and as a GI, I'm not in the position to actually discuss the ROM's political stance. So I pass it on, and hope for the best.<br />
<br />
I will, however, reveal this much: the First Peoples gallery at the ROM was designed with the input of many First Nations advisers, and the ROM has been careful to make sure that all the current interpretations and commentaries shown are actually from a Native perspective.<br />
<br />
<b>Six months in, and I've already learned so much. Who knows where I'll be after another six!</b><br />
<br />
<u>Images</u><br />
<br />
All photographs from the Royal Ontario Museum, taken by Kita InoruKita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-19888526067957769302014-11-11T13:55:00.003-05:002014-11-11T14:10:23.620-05:00The Canadians in Hong Kong: Giving Me My Remembrance Day<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/vo11/no4/images/Perras_3---CWM-19700036-024-Poster-Remember-Hong-Kong2011-09-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/vo11/no4/images/Perras_3---CWM-19700036-024-Poster-Remember-Hong-Kong2011-09-30.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WWII Canadian Recruiting Poster referencing Hong Kong</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When I was a kid, I didn't care about Remembrance Day.<br />
<br />
Sure, in my head, I knew what it was about: every year, November 11 was set aside for Canadians to remember those who had given their lives for the country in WWI, WWII, and subsequent wars since. I'd attend the ceremonies, I'd wear the poppy, I'd recite <i>In Flanders Fields</i>, I'd observe the moment of silence.<br />
<br />
But in my heart, I felt nothing.<br />
<br />
Perhaps, if you understood where I was coming from, I would not seem so callous. It's not that I didn't appreciate the sacrifices made by our armed forces. I knew what they were fighting for, and supported it as wholeheartedly as the next kid in the classroom. My indifference to Remembrance Day didn't come from some overarching anti-war sentiment. It wasn't anything that noble. No. Little elementary-school-aged me simply thought there was nothing in Remembrance Day to remember. I wasn't born in Canada. My parents weren't born in Canada. I was just a little Chinese immigrant girl from Hong Kong who thought that this was all "white people's stuff".<br />
<br />
You could, I suppose, pin some blame on the educational system for this. Because I know now that Canada's military history is, in fact, my military history. Not just because my views have become broader (although they have), but because of something that my school teachers had neglected to tell me: <b>Not only was Hong Kong involved in the World Wars, but Canadians fought there, too.</b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/vo11/no4/images/Perras_4---LAC_C-049742-Troops-of-C-Force-en-route-to-Sham-Shul-Po-Barracks-Hong-Kong2011-09-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/vo11/no4/images/Perras_4---LAC_C-049742-Troops-of-C-Force-en-route-to-Sham-Shul-Po-Barracks-Hong-Kong2011-09-30.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Troops of C Force en route to Sham Shul Po Barracks, Hong Kong, 16 November 1941.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
So how did I find out about this? I did so on my own, seemingly by chance. During an eighth-grade school trip (the same one to Quebec City I'd mentioned in previous blog posts), we had made a stopover in Ottawa before moving on to Quebec. One of our destinations was the Canadian War Museum, where we were given some time to explore at will. I don't remember how I'd wound up separated from the group of classmates I was with when we were in the section devoted to WWII (although I do remember something about them looking at Hitler's car). But regardless of how it happened, I was, for several minutes, alone, having gone deeper into the exhibition hall than anyone else.<br />
<br />
And that's when I saw him.<br />
<br />
Sounds creepy, yes, but in fact, it was. I've become quite used to seeing models and mannequins in museums by this point, but back then, aged 14, I wasn't. Besides, I was on my own in a museum exhibition about the Canadians in WWII: it was dim, quiet, and just a bit eerie to begin with. The last thing I was expecting to see out of the corner of my eye was the figure of a tall, dirty, Caucasian man, shirtless and clad only in a pair of ragged khaki shorts, standing with his head bowed and his hands stretched out in front, holding a small bowl.<br />
<br />
Again, in my head, I must have known that this was simply a model, but that didn't stop me from both being scared out of my wits, and inexorably drawn to him. I knew that I shouldn't be going deeper into the exhibition - I'd get in a good deal of trouble if it was discovered that I was alone, separated from the group and unsupervised. But I did anyway. I wanted to find out who this man was, and why he looked the way he did. After all, I was expecting to see figures of men in uniform, not something so pathetic as this.<br />
<br />
And it's at this moment when Remembrance Day for me changed forever. I couldn't bring myself to look at the man directly for very long, but I gleaned enough to discover that he was a representation of the Canadian POWs who had been captured after losing to the Japanese in Hong Kong in December 1941. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/vo11/no4/images/Perras_12---LAC_PA-145983-Canadian-and-Brithish-prisoners-of-war-lieberated-by-the-boarding-party-from-HMCS2011-09-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/vo11/no4/images/Perras_12---LAC_PA-145983-Canadian-and-Brithish-prisoners-of-war-lieberated-by-the-boarding-party-from-HMCS2011-09-30.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canadian and British prisoners-of-war liberated by the boarding party from <abbr title="Her Majesty's Courts Service">HMCS</abbr> Prince Robert, Hong Kong, August 1945.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was years later before I tried to look up the events in any amount of detail, and perhaps that is a story best saved for another day. In short, Canadian troops were sent to defend Hong Kong, a British colony at the time, from the encroaching Imperial Japanese Army. On December 8, 1941, at the same time as the attack on Pearl Harbor (on December 7, 1941 - timezone differences), the Japanese began their offensive against Hong Kong in earnest. Along with other British Commonwealth troops, the Canadians tried to push them back, but ultimately conceded defeat and surrendered on December 25, 1941.<br />
<br />
If anyone here is surprised to find out that either Hong Kong or Canada were involved in the Pacific Theatre in WWII, I don't blame you. That is, after all, what I thought until I was 14. Since then, I've both come to a better understanding of what Canada's forces did all over the world, not just in Hong Kong, and Remembrance Day has become closer to my heart in more ways than one. Perhaps too close, and not always in ways relating to the military, but still: close.<br />
<br />
So today, on November 11, 2014, I want to say this to those Canadian soldiers who fought in Hong Kong all those years ago, and their descendents: <b>Thank you. Not only did you do your utmost to defend my land and my people, but you have also helped to shape me into the Canadian that I am today, over 70 years later.</b><br />
<br />
<u>Image Credit</u><br />
<br />
WWII Poster (c) Canadian War Museum<br />
<br />
Photographs (c) Library and Archives CanadaKita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-76320152633121795372014-11-02T17:30:00.000-05:002014-11-03T06:09:45.553-05:00Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Walker at the Château Ramezay, MontrealAs a volunteer at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, I know that sometimes, finding out the true information about an artifact is easier said than done. This is particularly the case once the curators start working with donated items: things that sometimes come with stories attached to them which might be intriguing - and sound very, very cool! - but might not actually be the historical reality. Family heirlooms, objects acquired by collectors who lived and died centuries before the date of acquisition (and oftentimes with shoddy record-keeping habits)...all of these could potentially lead historians to come away with more questions than answers.<br />
<br />
The story I'm about to tell you is a long one, with considerable historical background needing to be explained beforehand, so please bear with me. It is also, in fact, not from the Royal Ontario Museum. Instead, it features a little historical mystery that I've recently come across on a recent trip to Montreal and Quebec City. (Yes, the so-long-desired research trip that <a href="http://kitainoru.blogspot.ca/2014/09/the-story-in-my-mind-research-trips.html">I'd talked about in an earlier post</a> has finally come.) While I was in Montreal, I had the opportunity to visit the Château Ramezay in the historic part of the city.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hJiOIo2MAqc/VFaj2XZEyqI/AAAAAAAAAHo/ObRMqFv9P2A/s1600/IMG_1247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hJiOIo2MAqc/VFaj2XZEyqI/AAAAAAAAAHo/ObRMqFv9P2A/s1600/IMG_1247.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the Chàteau Ramezay from across the street</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Château Ramezay (lit. "Castle Ramezay" in French) does not look like a very grand, imposing building - at least not when compared to similar "castles" elsewhere in the world. But in terms of French Canada, a place like this was already quite luxurious. The property was first owned by the Ramezay family, who were part of the colonial administration in 18th-century Montreal during the French regime; they were, in other words, part of the elite. After this, the building was occupied by a trading company, before becoming the official residence for the British Governor of Quebec whenever he was in the city.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oPeHZcTfmbs/VFalIg5MruI/AAAAAAAAAII/1v5q0BJGkeg/s1600/IMG_1251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oPeHZcTfmbs/VFalIg5MruI/AAAAAAAAAII/1v5q0BJGkeg/s1600/IMG_1251.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Occupants of the Château Ramezay over the years; immediately relevant to us are the first four entries.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But it is the fourth entry, "Armée des États-Unis 1775-1776" that I am going to focus on here. From the fall of 1775 until the fall of 1776, the Continental Army in what is now the United States attempted to invade Quebec. The details of that campaign and how they played out would be better saved for another day, but for our intents and purposes, the Americans successfully took and occupied the city of Montreal from November 1775 to June 1776, when the British finally drove them back.<br />
<br />
During this occupation, there was, in fact, a delegation sent to Montreal from the Continental Congress. Their hope was to be able to draw up support for their cause from the local French-Canadian population, but by the time they arrived on April 29, 1776, a winter's worth of increasingly sour relations between the French-Canadians and their (mostly) English-American occupiers meant that this attempt was doomed from the beginning. By the end of May, the entire delegation (and then some) had left Montreal for the American colonies to continue their efforts elsewhere - and ultimately help pave the way towards the Declaration of Independence in July that same year.<br />
<br />
So where do "Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Walker" come into all of this? A lot of it can be seen in this document held at the Château Ramezay, which served as the Continental Army's headquarters during the occupation:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vt_N7AozcnQ/VFaj7jWkkHI/AAAAAAAAAHw/24q5kk2kCnM/s1600/IMG_1305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vt_N7AozcnQ/VFaj7jWkkHI/AAAAAAAAAHw/24q5kk2kCnM/s1600/IMG_1305.JPG" height="640" width="522" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Letter dated to May 11, 1776, at the Château Ramezay, written by delegates to Montreal from the Continental Congress</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The text may be hard to decipher, but fortunately, the curators at the Château Ramezay included a transcription in the display:<br />
<br />
<i>Montreal, 11th May 1776</i><br />
<br />
<i>Dear Sir,</i><br />
<br />
<i>We desire that you will shew to Mrs Walker every civility in your power and facilitate her on her way to Philadelphia, the fear of cruel treatment from the enemy on account of the strong attachement to, and zeal of her husband in the cause of the united Colonies induces her to depart precipitately from her home; & to undergo the fatigues of a long and hazardous journey. We are sorry for the occasion of writing this letter & beg your attention to alleviate her distress; your known politeness and humanity, we are sensible, without this recommendation from us, would prompt you to perform the friendly office. We are with great esteem & sincere regard for yourself & family.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Your affectionate hum. Servts,</i><br />
<br />
<i>Samuel Chase</i><br />
<i>Charles Carroll of Carrollton</i><br />
<i>B. Franklin</i><br />
<br />
(And, if anyone is wondering, yes, "B. Franklin" is who you think he is! Chalk that up for something cool: a 1776 document written by Benjamin Franklin held in Montreal - and I saw it firsthand.)<br />
<br />
Now, safe passage, as this document asks for on behalf of Mrs. Walker, was certainly needed. As implied, Thomas Walker had been, ever since he first arrived in Montreal from Boston in 1763, a strong supporter of what he held to be the proper rights of British subjects. What this meant is that he was an advocate for the presence of elected government and other benefits that many American colonists had become accustomed to by the 1760s. Ultimately, this led to considerable friction between Walker and the British colonial administration: Walker was strongly opposed to the Quebec Act in 1774 (which, while granting a variety of civil liberties to the Catholic French-Canadians, also firmly denied the request of English-Canadian merchants like Walker for an elected assembly) and, by 1775, was openly in favour of the Patriots fighting in the Thirteen Colonies. He was not only vocal in his opinions, but took various modes of action: meeting with other American sympathizers in the city, urging Canada to join in the Continental Congress, and ultimately recruiting members of the local population to fight for the Patriots against the British. It was Thomas Walker, in fact, who hosted the delegation from Congress in his house during their stay in the spring of 1776, and he left along with them - the reason why the letter speaks of Mrs. Walker specifically is because Mr. had already gone the night before!<br />
<br />
With such a fascinating story to tell (just the idea that Canada was, in some way, involved in the American Revolution might be news to some), it's no wonder that, in 1905, the Château Ramezay received a pair of portraits from a donor who believed them to be depictions of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Walker.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OnYDc4BIux0/VFakCiHxd7I/AAAAAAAAAH8/A_F8bP0t1hI/s1600/IMG_1308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OnYDc4BIux0/VFakCiHxd7I/AAAAAAAAAH8/A_F8bP0t1hI/s1600/IMG_1308.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FOqjBBURorM/VFakCc7hLII/AAAAAAAAAH4/i1U636NWSUQ/s1600/IMG_1309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FOqjBBURorM/VFakCc7hLII/AAAAAAAAAH4/i1U636NWSUQ/s1600/IMG_1309.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
That's all fine and dandy - and, again, it makes for a great story - but when I saw these two portraits together with a placard giving a short spiel about Thomas Walker's involvement in the American Revolution, I was skeptical. Unconvinced, if you will. I don't doubt the veracity of the historical events described - I had seen them in enough sources whilst working on my <i>Hetalia</i> fanfiction years ago to know they were true - but I'm not convinced these two portraits are of the Walkers at all. Or, at least, not the Walkers the Château Ramezay wanted.<br />
<br />
There area few reasons for my skepticism. First of all, the Château Ramezay said that Thomas Walker lived from 1717 to 1788, although it did not offer any such dates for Mrs. Walker (née Jane Hughes, by the way). Even allowing for a slight margin of error on the date of birth, this means that by 1775/1776, we would be dealing with a man well into middle age, at least. Of course, these portraits could be of the Walkers in their youth, but that leads to an even greater problem, as far as I am concerned. From everything that I could see - the style of painting, the subjects' appearances (dress, hairstyle, etc.) - these two portraits look to me to be from the early 19th century instead of the mid- to late 18th.<br />
<br />
All this means that this one small corner of the Château Ramezay left me with far more questions than answers. Are these posthumous portraits? That's certainly plausible. I could imagine, say, a descendant wanting an image of his/her ancestors several decades down the road. But if not, then who are this couple - and how did the donor of these paintings come to not only believe they are Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Walker, and how did he convince the curators of the Château Ramezay of such?<br />
<br />
The thing I love about historical mysteries is that they can be a lot of fun to pursue. If the time and opportunity arose for me to do that with these two paintings, I certainly would. In the meantime, if anyone reading this is interested, perhaps you'd like to let me know some of your ideas. Who knows? Maybe you'll have the answers after all!<br />
<br />
<u>Image Credits</u><br />
<br />
All photographs (c) Kita InoruKita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-20209864355878813052014-09-21T14:33:00.000-04:002014-09-21T14:33:01.501-04:00The Story in My Mind - "Research" Trips<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xrg5L5fgVEo/VB8QKpnY0DI/AAAAAAAAAGY/WTljmSjNgw8/s1600/IMG_6907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xrg5L5fgVEo/VB8QKpnY0DI/AAAAAAAAAGY/WTljmSjNgw8/s1600/IMG_6907.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me on Bunker Hill looking down towards Charlestown during a "research" trip to Boston in October 2011.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Wow...it's been a long time since I've posted anything to this blog. You can all blame real life for that. Know that I *am* currently working on something that would be a bit more educational in nature and hope to have that posted soon, circumstances permitting.<br />
<br />
But in the meantime, how about something a bit more fun and lighthearted? I'd mentioned in one of my earlier blog posts that I would like to foray into historical fiction writing someday and am already brainstorming/researching for character and plot ideas. Given that, I thought I'd take this time to share a bit about something that, time and finances permitting, I like to do with my story-writing projects: <b>"research" trips</b>.<br />
<br />
Note the quotation marks. See, I seldom have the luxury or the connections that would permit me to go someplace to really formally research: accessing archives, academic sources, etc. Most of the "research" trips I've taken in the past have, in fact, just my taking advantage of any existent family vacations to glean what little I can that would be useful for my writing. What that means is that I very rarely ask that we go somewhere directly relevant to my story development - the onus is not on the rest of the party (who may or may not actually be interested in what I want to do) to accommodate me, but on me to keep my eyes and ears open anywhere we go. Vacations are a lot more enjoyable that way, I've found ;)<br />
<br />
Since I've started dabbling in historical fiction writing - <i>Hetalia</i> fanfiction and otherwise - I've really only gone on two real "research" trips so far. (I've gone on more family trips than that, but not necessarily to places that'd be directly relevant to what I want to write.)<br />
<br />
The first was in October 2011 to Boston, Massachusetts; at the time, I was working on my<i> Hetalia</i> piece <i>Brother of Absalom</i>, which was set before and during the American Revolutionary War. While my immediate focus was on Canadian history - and the Continental Army's invasion of Quebec from 1775-1776 in particular - I really wanted to milk an already-planned trip to Boston for all its worth.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P24IkXNu8zk/VB8SSoIK6sI/AAAAAAAAAGg/INkCW0shJdY/s1600/IMG_6784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P24IkXNu8zk/VB8SSoIK6sI/AAAAAAAAAGg/INkCW0shJdY/s1600/IMG_6784.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A historical interpreter/tour guide dressed as a British soldier on the Freedom Trail in Boston; photo taken in October 2011 during a "research" trip.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The only time that I overtly looked at and did stuff for my writing was walking Boston's famous Freedom Trail, which took me to sites like Bunker Hill (pictured above), Paul Revere's house, and the site of the Boston Massacre. Otherwise, I made do with taking pictures of relevant art and artifacts in the museums, and dogging my hosts in Arlington (a suburb of Boston) for historical information about the neighbourhood. (That's how I found out, for instance, that the British had passed through where I was staying on their way to Lexington and Concord that fated April 19, 1775.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EIDBMMAlOoU/VB8TMfJW4QI/AAAAAAAAAGo/HUVHuNLDdNQ/s1600/IMG_1996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EIDBMMAlOoU/VB8TMfJW4QI/AAAAAAAAAGo/HUVHuNLDdNQ/s1600/IMG_1996.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Historical buildings near Covent Garden, London; photo taken during a "research" trip in May 2014.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
More recently, I had the chance to go to London earlier this year - and for this trip, I was definitely very excited. My re-working of my older <i>Hetalia</i> stories to suit a broader historical fiction context meant that I had to do more involving 18th century London than ever before. So I was definitely looking forward to seeing what I could. This time around, to be honest, I didn't get to do or experience everything that I would have wanted - I had originally planned to visit the Handel House Museum to be able to get a glimpse inside a middle-class mid-18th century residence, for example, but ran out of time. However, the trip was by no means not a waste. It was amazing to see what I did manage to see - and experience what I got to experience.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C6ErdzvDGMY/VB8W-xplT8I/AAAAAAAAAGw/3u9WjkytnKk/s1600/IMG_1942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C6ErdzvDGMY/VB8W-xplT8I/AAAAAAAAAGw/3u9WjkytnKk/s1600/IMG_1942.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1727-1728 Period room reproduction at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London; photo taken during a "research" trip in May 2014.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For instance: I broke one of the biggest "tourist" rules in the book and opted not to wear my very comfortable running shoes whilst out and about. Instead, I opted for a pair of black leather shoes with a chunky low heel. Those of you who are familiar with historical footwear should get where I'm going with this; for everyone else, know that I often try to - safely! - simulate as much as I could of what my characters might end up going through in order to write them properly. Now, I want to say that usually, those black shoes are very comfortable: they're my favourite for work/school wear, for instance. However, my relatively sedentary 21st century self was NOT prepared for the amount of beating they'd take on London's streets - especially any part of the streets and sideways were made up of cobblestones! So every night, I'd get back to the hotel nearly limping and with callouses developing on the soles of my feet, go to bed asking why I'd put myself through something like this...and then, upon looking at those black shoes up next to my running shoes the next morning, put them on again anyway. Lesson learned? My characters must have been many times tougher than me!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jP6ydz3sFPo/VB8YT0M04YI/AAAAAAAAAG4/8Kf9XCBcwpc/s1600/IMG_8810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jP6ydz3sFPo/VB8YT0M04YI/AAAAAAAAAG4/8Kf9XCBcwpc/s1600/IMG_8810.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Historical interpreters drilling at Fort Henry, Kingston, Ontario in May 2013. Not an official "research" trip, as they were 19th century interpreters, but I did get the chance to hold one of their replica 1867 rifles afterwards and get a feel for its weight.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've built up a good deal more anecdotes than what I've already shared: both from my two "official" "research" trips, and from countless others where little gems pop up along the way (one instance pictured above). So what's next for me? Lord willing, Quebec City. This, more than any other place on the planet, is the central locus of my writing. Given that, it's hard to believe that, since this whole process started, I have not been there even once. I did go to Quebec City as a small child, and once on an eighth-grade school trip, but those times were different. Case in point, here's an excerpt from a travelogue I kept on the latter trip - and you'll see how it was anything<b> but</b> a research trip:<br />
<br /><i>We were pretty much dead on our feet by the time we rendezvoused at the gate. That's when they told us: we were going to La Citadelle, which meant a whole ton more walking! Well, we got there, we were divided by our buses again, and were taken on a tour. It was really kind of boring. They kept on mentioning the Battle on the Plains of Abraham. I was really finding this annoying, and besides, who brags about LOSING?!?!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Um...yeah. Forgive me if I end up cringing whenever I think back to how flippant I was about my own country's history as a 14-year-old. Said teenaged self would probably have never imagined that I'd be where I am now: completely fascinated by the events of 1759 and desperately wanting to go back to Quebec City for a proper "research" trip. It's about time I did it justice, after all!<br />
<br />
<u>Image Credits</u><br />
<br />
All photos (c) Kita InoruKita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-79820550506816294162014-08-15T21:05:00.000-04:002014-08-15T21:10:58.450-04:00Book Review: Savages within the Empire: Representations of American Indians in Eighteenth-Century Britain by Troy Bickham<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Note:
This is an edited version of a piece I wrote early in 2014,
under a different name, as a course assignment where I was to read and review a book that focused on Western social and political thought on race and/or empire. I hope, since I am the author of this, that it does not go against any rules of academic ethical conduct for me to post this here, seeing as I did not intend to actually submit this for formal publication. <b>Also, I am very well aware that "American Indian" is an offensive term in reference to the First Nations nowadays in Canada, but both Bickham and I are using it as a part of the historical context, and no offense is intended.</b></i></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51uxZgz71oL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51uxZgz71oL.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-CA</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.45pt;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">With
the outbreak of violence in 1754 that led to the Seven Years' War, the British
Empire’s attention has been on the state of affairs in North America where it
remained until the culmination of the American Revolutionary War in 1783. While
a significant amount of that focus was on the French and English colonists
themselves, there was also a focus on the American Indians<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5489400478668921981#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""></a> in
the public discourse of the period. In his book, Bickham seeks to lay out an
account of the American Indians within the British colonial context of the
latter half of the 18<sup>th</sup> century.</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> This is not a strict historical
survey of events, but focuses more on how the Indians were represented to, and
perceived by, the metropolitan British in Europe. The result, therefore, is a
claim that the British primarily viewed the American Indians in terms of their
effects on colonial policy of the period; and any significant encounters and
dealings with the Indians also took place within a broader context of British
colonial interests. The American Indians, Bickham argues, went from being seen
as an exotic Other in the beginning of the 18<sup>th</sup> century to a symbol
of barbarism and brutality by the end. In addition, he holds that any
concessions made by the British government to the American Indians, such as the
1763 Proclamation or the 1774 Quebec Act, had as their primary objective the
cementing of Crown control in the colonies and were not, in fact, born of
humanitarian motives.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.45pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Bickham’s
book is divided into four main parts, each of which is broken down further into
chapters. While the parts are arranged in some semblance of chronological order,
there is also a notable thematic distinction between them. Part One gives an
overview of the ways in which Britons engaged with American Indian cultures
during the 18<sup>th</sup> century, with an emphasis on the period prior to and
during the Seven Years War. The first chapter here focuses on visible and
physical encounters, including visiting delegations from the Thirteen Colonies
as well as the collection and trade of cultural artifacts in museums and
auction houses throughout the country. The second chapter shifts gears to look
specifically at print descriptions of the American Indians, and it is here that
Bickham’s preference for newspapers and periodicals over other written sources
first becomes apparent. Having established this, in Part Two, Bickham continues
his historical survey. The book’s third chapter examines how British policy
towards the American Indians was affected by the events of the Seven Years War,
while the fourth continues with an analysis of the specific implementation and
implications of a new colonial policy that took Britain’s expanded territory
into account. After this, in Part Three, Bickham shifts his focus to some of
the significant intellectual movements of the 18<sup>th</sup> century. The
fifth chapter, then, addresses the Scottish Enlightenment, examining how the
thinkers therein perceived the American Indians in light of their own theories
and conjectural histories. Following this, the sixth chapter looks at Anglican
missionary efforts among the American Indians, noting especially a relative pessimism
that led to many missionaries shifting their focus to the English colonists.
Finally, Part Four consists of a single, final chapter that emphasizes the
British perception of American Indians during the American Revolutionary War,
and it is at this point that the full evolution is now clear.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.45pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">To
conduct his historical survey and analysis in this book, Bickham draws upon a
wide variety of sources, with a preference for primary documents. Over the
course of his research, Bickham has used newspaper and periodical articles,
official and private correspondence, and travelogues and memoirs in order to
access the ways in which 18<sup>th</sup> century Britons came across
descriptions of the American Indians. His primary objective here has been to
utilize as wide a variety of sources as possible: “</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">After
all, few, if any, Britons relied on just one account to form their views of
Indians; in fact, to do so would have been rather difficult” (64). This is a
commendable choice and rationale; as a reader, I am given the impression that
Bickham’s analysis will be thorough and will not deviate from what is readily
apparent in the primary source evidence. From either the stance of historical
analysis or socio-political thought, it is appropriate to draw on period
documents to allow the evidence to speak for itself within its original
context.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.45pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Not only
does he favour primary sources in his research, but Bickham also endeavours to
pinpoint which types of sources played a more significant role in the formation
of a public image of the American Indians. As far as this study is concerned,
Bickham sets himself apart as from his fellow historians, and is, in fact, very
critical of their approach. For example, he notes that a number of earlier
studies on the subject of the American Indians in the 18<sup>th</sup> century
relied heavily on memoirs written by traders and white colonists who had
survived Indian captivity. These accounts, he says, should not be used as the
main source of information due to what he has found to be the memoirs’
relatively small influence on the lives of ordinary Britons (59). Instead,
Bickham is a vocal advocate of the newspaper and periodical press, using as the
basis for his claim the fact that, from a statistical perspective, more people
in Britain had access to the newspapers than books, memoirs, museums, and
public displays of visiting Indians (68). While I cannot fault him for the
rationale behind this choice, I find some of his remarks relating to his fellow
historians to be excessively antagonistic: </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 35.45pt; margin-right: 35.65pt; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Despite historians’ tendencies to rely on these
texts for insights into British perceptions of Indians, the case for treating
such specialized works as representative of wider eighteenth-century British
attitudes towards American Indians is not a good one. (57)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Bickham himself writes that a
wide variety of sources and contexts would more accurately reflect the diverse
range of sources actually available to 18<sup>th</sup> century urban Britons
(64). Given this, while a preference for some media over others is
understandable, particularly when it is supported with statistical evidence, it
is contradictory on Bickham’s part to discount any particular type of primary
evidence as insignificant in light of the nature of his study.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.45pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">In
its entirety, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Savages within the Empire</i>
is a very thorough account of the developing image of American Indians in the
public consciousness of 18<sup>th</sup> century Britain. Bickham tries to cover
a wide variety of historical contexts in his work, and also succinctly supports
his arguments with examples from his primary sources. By presenting his ideas
in a generally chronological order, he is able to show a steady evolution of
the popular perceptions of American Indians. For example, he begins with the
exoticized displays of visiting Indian delegations in the early 18<sup>th</sup>
century, where a number of them were initially shown as being equivalent in
culture and appearance as peoples from the Middle East (26-27), and then shows
a shift in the mid-18<sup>th</sup> century to a more authentic and accurate
representation of later delegations in terms of cultural symbols and modes of
dress (31). By the time I have finished reading the book with its culmination
in the fear the Britons had of the American Indians during the time of the
American Revolutionary War, the impression has undergone a series of ups and
downs: sometimes improving, sometimes souring. This would not have been as
readily apparent in the use of any other order or organization, and thus
substantially helps Bickham to convey his main argument to the reader.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.45pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">However,
thorough as this book is, it comes across to me as more a historical survey
than a seminal text on socio-political thought of the period. While there is no
doubt that Bickham’s goal has been to describe the evolution of perceptions of
American Indians rather than to chart a series of historical events, there is
little here that actually grounds his arguments in the existing socio-political
thought on race and colonialism of the period. This can be attributed in part
to an assumption on his part that the reader would already be well-read in 18<sup>th</sup>
century colonial philosophy. For instance, he makes a passing reference to
Locke: “</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Neither
the British public, nor the government for that matter, took much interest in
the Lockean position that Indians’ failure to adequately ‘improve’ their lands
through European-style agriculture precluded them from claiming legitimate
ownership” (88). Bickham simply refers to the idea as the “Lockean position”;
although he does offer a brief reiteration of Locke’s idea, it appears that
this note was meant more as a reminder than an explanation. The reader is meant
to recognize, upon reading the words “Lockean position”, what is meant by Locke
and his ideas. For scholars in socio-political thought, or even in the 18<sup>th</sup>
century Enlightenment, this is an appropriate assumption to make. However, for
those who are reading this text out of an interest specifically in British
colonial history or the American Indians in particular, a more thorough
reiteration of Locke’s core ideas would be helpful.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.45pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Later, he
also utilizes Rousseau’s conception of the noble savage. The concept of the
noble savage, in fact, predates Rousseau. Bickham traces it back to Tacitus’
description of the Germanic tribesmen in the Roman Empire, but does concede
that it is Rousseau’s definition that had the greatest influence in the 18<sup>th</sup>
century (93). However, he argues that this did not feature prominently, and was
even publically dismissed, by the 1760s due to the events of the Seven Years
War (93). There is substantial historical evidence to suggest this, which
Bickham lays out in detail in his text, suggesting that the Britons’ conception
of American Indians as romanticized Others with inherently noble
characteristics changed dramatically once news of their violent tactics in
warfare against British regular soldiers and American colonists reached Britain
itself (93). This, he argues, is related to the fact that portraying the
American Indians, many of whom were allied with the French against the British,
as villainous savages was useful in generating patriotic fervour and enthusiasm
in the Seven Years War, and it is an attitude that persists throughout the rest
of the 18<sup>th</sup> century. Because of this historical pattern, Bickham
downplays Rousseau’s theory of the noble savage, preferring instead to examine
the role that British colonial policy had to play in representations of the
American Indians. These two instances – the incorporation of Locke and Rousseau
into his argument – serve as clear indications that Bickham is writing for an
audience that would already be familiar with socio-political thought of the 18<sup>th</sup>
century. Yet they are two of only a few instances where Bickham directly
mentions the socio-political theorists that form the foundation for his study.
As previously stated, the tone and approach in his study lean more towards a
historical survey of the description of the developments in Britons’
perceptions of the American Indians. </span></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.45pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">However,
there is a key exception to this pattern: Part Three of the book, where Bickham
directly addresses the Scottish Enlightenment and the implications that the
American Indians’ situation had on the thinkers of the movement. Given this, he
is very thorough in his explanation of the significant ideas from the Scottish
Enlightenment, with a focus on conjectural history. For example, Bickham notes
that unlike “Locke, Hobbes, and Rousseau, who all started their examinations of
society with the ‘condition of nature’”, the Scots began with a primitive
version of man that already had the beginnings of a social structure (178). By
using this as the beginning of their progressive model, the Scottish
Enlightenment thinkers situated the American Indians at a similar point in
temporal space to the Ancient Celts that were their own ancestors (185). Bickham
expresses concern at the implications of this outcome, reflecting that even if
the Scots themselves did not espouse racist ideologies – “the association of
these works with any sort of proto-racism in the modern sense is tenuous at
best” – their ideas could easily be used for such ends by others (197-198).
Granted, in his analysis of the Scottish Enlightenment, Bickham acknowledges
that ideas that would now be called racist did exist at the time, and that the
Scottish Enlightenment had its own responsibility for portraying the American
Indians as living in an earlier stage of human development (199). More
importantly, he points out that an unfortunate implication of this mode of
thinking has been the assumption that the American Indians were already so far
behind Europeans in their development that no feasible means of closing the gap
through civilizing means could be found (200).</span></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 35.45pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Note,
however, that in spite of this implication in the Scottish Enlightenment
philosophies, Bickham argues against labelling the movement itself as “proto-racism”,
as he terms it. Writing from a 21<sup>st</sup> century perspective in a
post-colonial time, it is certainly tempting to portray European thinkers from
the time of British imperialism as backward racists who called for the
wholesale appropriation of indigenous land. In contrast, Bickham is able to see
the risks in viewing 18<sup>th</sup> century philosophies through solely 21<sup>st</sup>
century eyes that have been influenced by political correctness and
post-colonialism. It is clear in his style and manner of prose that Bickham is
attempting to maintain a neutral stance on this particular subject. In his
descriptions of Enlightenment thinkers’ thoughts on American Indians’ place in
human civilization and development, for example, he adopts a matter-of-fact
tone that befits his handling of an unpleasant and potentially controversial
subject. He does not shy away from the fact that these ideas placed the
American Indians at a distinct disadvantage compared to their European counterparts,
forever relegating them to the realm of primitive savagery. In fact, Bickham is
cautious about stepping too far into presenting the American Indians in terms
of the relatively positive and sympathetic stereotype of the noble savage,
criticizing those other scholars who adopt this route: </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 35.45pt; margin-right: 35.65pt; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Unfortunately scholars have exaggerated
eighteenth-century attempts to portray Indians either as noble savages or at
least sympathetically. This has resulted primarily from their tendency to
concentrate on a narrow range of travel accounts and novels, in which Indians
are often treated positively, as representative of British sentiments as a
whole. (92)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: .2pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The
reason for this stance on more sympathetic interpretations of 18<sup>th</sup>
century thinkers is that Bickham holds that they would not fit into the
historical context with which he is working (197). </span></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: .2pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">There is,
in Bickham’s argument, no denying that the British policy towards the American
Indians rested entirely upon their role in the political and military stability
of the Empire. The ideology behind colonial policy of the 18<sup>th</sup>
century, therefore, lies not in grandiose ideas about race, but in the
usefulness either sympathy with or hostility towards the colonized peoples had
in serving the needs of the imperial powers that be at home. However, this is
not to say that Bickham discounts racial difference entirely in his argument:
it does appear in his approach, but in a subtle way that hints at a greater
complexity. For instance, in his discussion of the British perceptions of
American Indians during the American Revolutionary War, Bickham provides
evidence that, compared to the Seven Years War twenty years prior, the British
public was reluctant to see their government deploy Indian allies against the
rebels (258). This he attributes to feelings of sameness and otherness in the
Britons’ perspective, with the American rebels being more similar to themselves
than any of Britain’s traditional rivals from the Seven Years War (271).
Because of this feeling of similarity, the British public held the use of
Indian modes of warfare, already linked with indiscriminate violence against
soldier and civilian alike in their minds, upon those who would fight against
the Empire from within. It is a break from Bickham’s previous argument focused
on imperial efficiency and expediency, but serves to further highlight the
negative turn opinions on the American Indians had taken since the days of
their depiction as noble savages in the early 18<sup>th</sup> century.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: .2pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Overall, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Savages within the Empire</i> by Bickham is
a fitting example of an in-depth examination of the development of an imperial
society’s views of the Other. His argument and explanation is conducted using
clear language, with many examples to support his ideas. In addition, his
strong emphasis on and firm foundation in primary sources can only help his
argument. Each time he uses examples, he is sure to provide a thorough
analysis, and his reasoning does not seem exaggerated or far-fetched. While his
insistence on favouring newspaper and periodical evidence over memoirs, novels,
travelogues, and museum and private collections can come across as
unnecessarily pedantic – and even unscholarly – to some readers, it does offer
him the opportunity to utilize less conventional avenues for his evidence.
This, in terms of the broader field of the study of American Indians and
British colonization of North America, is a fruitful endeavour that can
potentially offer a broader perspective through its use of a more widely
prevalent source of information.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: .2pt; text-indent: 35.45pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">However,
as a text for those interested in socio-political thought and philosophy,
Bickham falls short in his portrayal of the ideas prevalent in the 18<sup>th</sup>
century. It is my impression, having read this text, that a theoretical
analysis is not his primary objective. Instead, Bickham chooses to operate on
the assumption that his readers would already be familiar with the ideas of
philosophers such as Locke, Rousseau, and the Scottish Enlightenment thinkers.
In addition, the majority of his book is not focused on socio-political thought
in and of itself, but on the depictions and representations of American Indians
in 18<sup>th</sup> century Britain from which such philosophies could be
inferred by those knowledgeable in the intellectual movements of the era. The
information and data are provided in very clear detail, but the reader is left
to ask themselves how 18<sup>th</sup> century philosophies figured in popular
perceptions, if at all.</span></span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Sources</u></span><br />
<br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Bickham, Troy. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Savages within the Empire: Representations of American Indians in
Eighteenth-Century Britain</i>. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006. Print</span> </span></div>
</div>
</div>
Kita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-90082537557693328262014-08-04T18:37:00.003-04:002014-08-04T18:39:24.071-04:00John Graves Simcoe: The Man Behind Toronto's Simcoe Day<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/John_Graves_Simcoe.jpg/469px-John_Graves_Simcoe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/John_Graves_Simcoe.jpg/469px-John_Graves_Simcoe.jpg" height="640" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Portrait of Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe" by Anonymous (c. 1796)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Today, Monday, August 4, 2014, is what is known across Canada as Civic Holiday. It's a public holiday on a similar level as the bank holidays in the UK: times when government offices, banks, and many businesses are closed to give workers a day off. That said, Civic Holiday is one of the more complex Canadian holidays out there, because it varies substantially across the country: some provinces and territories give it statuary status (ex. in Prince Edward Island), while some others don't celebrate it at all (ex. Quebec). And, of those places that do celebrate it, many localities opt for names other than Civic Holiday: British Columbia Day, Saskatchewan Day, Heritage Day (in Alberta), etc.<br />
<br />
And then there's Ontario: my home province. Here, the name varies from one municipality to the next - which brings us to the title of this post. In Toronto, the provincial capital and my home city, the Civic Holiday is officially called Simcoe Day. (Note: There have been attempts made to have the name Simcoe Day be applied all across Ontario, but no dice.)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/John_Graves_Simcoe_Signature.svg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/John_Graves_Simcoe_Signature.svg" height="112" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Graves Simcoe's signature.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Why all this fuss over names? While I do not personally know the official story here, my hypothesis is that with any public holiday, people want to have a reason to celebrate. Of course, getting a day off work to spend relaxing with family and friends is an awesome reason in and of itself. But once politics and governments get involved, there is often a drive for the holiday to commemorate something. Or, in Toronto's case, someone.<br />
<br />
So who is the "Simcoe" in Simcoe Day, and why would Toronto's government choose to name the holiday after him in the first place? His full name is John Graves Simcoe (1752-1806) - and people who are in the loop re: current period dramas ought to find the name familiar as he is one of the historical figures featured in AMC's drama <i>TURN</i>, which is set during the American Revolutionary War.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.amcnetworks.com/amctv.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/tu-s1-simcoe-590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://images.amcnetworks.com/amctv.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/tu-s1-simcoe-590.jpg" height="254" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Graves Simcoe as played by Samuel Roukin in <i>TURN</i> (Photo (c) AMC)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Enthusiasts of the American Revolutionary War would know Simcoe as the man in charge of the Queen's Rangers: a corps composed primarily of Loyalists and American deserters, and through which he gained a reputation as a tactician. For example, the Queens Rangers were deployed on reconnaissance missions during the war, including working alongside Benedict Arnold (yes, <i>that</i> Benedict Arnold - you see where this is going?) on his campaign in Virginia: the same campaign that led to the British occupation that's re-enacted annually at Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, as Under the Redcoat.<br />
<br />
Given all this, it comes as no real surprise that Simcoe bears a rather negative reputation in the US - and Benedict Arnold, at least, is a pariah in Canada as well due to his known switching of allegiances in the middle of the Revolution. So why would Toronto want to commemorate Simcoe with his own holiday?<br />
<br />
Well, Canada is not the United States. And Toronto, especially, has a very different conception of John Graves Simcoe. Here, Simcoe is remembered as the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, a British colony founded in 1791 for the main purpose of accommodating United Empire Loyalists who had taken shelter in Quebec during and after the American Revolutionary War. Not only that, but it was Simcoe and the Queen's Rangers who first began work in 1793 on the colonial capital city of York. If this does not ring a bell, note that York is now known by a different name: TORONTO.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Queen%27s_Rangers_under_Lieutenant_Governor_John_Graves_Simcoe_cutting_out_Yonge_Street_1795.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Queen's_Rangers_under_Lieutenant_Governor_John_Graves_Simcoe_cutting_out_Yonge_Street_1795.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Graves Simcoe and Augustus Jones, supervising the Queen's Rangers
of York cutting trees during the construction of Yonge Street, 1795. Image by Charles William Jeffreys (c. 1795)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And there lies the crux of the question of why Simcoe Day got the name it did in Toronto, and only Toronto. John Graves Simcoe's historical significance here goes beyond what he is known for anywhere else in the province - my guess is that that's why the idea of naming Ontario's Civic Holiday after him didn't pan out. The government of Upper Canada, including the seat of the Lieutenant Governor, is in Toronto; and the first Lieutenant Governor was also the founder of said city.<br />
<br />
What this says overall is that the same person can have very different reputations and stigmas attached to them historically depending on who is telling the story. And while <i>TURN</i>'s Simcoe can at times be a right regular bastard, the Simcoe that Torontonians know and remember is very different man. Hero or villain? The truth is quite likely somewhere between the two.<br />
<br />
<u>Sources</u><br />
<br />
Mealing, S. R. "SIMCOE, JOHN GRAVES." <i>Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online</i>. University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003. Web. 4 Aug. 2014.<br />
<br />
Schellhammer, Michael. "AMC's "TURN": Everything Historians Need to Know." <i>Journal of the American Revolution</i>. 1 Apr. 2014. Web. 4 Aug. 2014.<br />
<br />
<u>Image Credits</u><br />
<br />
All historical depictions of Simcoe in the public domain<br />
<br />
Promotional image from <i>TURN</i> (c) AMCKita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-11329155754829444292014-07-19T16:53:00.003-04:002014-07-19T18:04:46.883-04:00Historical Clothing for Sitters at the ROM's New Fashion ExhibitionRecently, the Patricia Harris Gallery of Textiles & Costume at the Royal Ontario Museum had been closed in preparation for a new exhibition. As a volunteer who is personally a bit more on the introverted side, I'm always aware of what goes on there, seeing as it is one of the quietest and most tucked-away areas of the museum. Well, as of June 21, it's re-opened with not one, but TWO new exhibitions. The first, <i><a href="http://www.rom.on.ca/en/exhibitions-galleries/exhibitions/cairo-under-wraps-early-islamic-textiles">Cairo Under Wraps: Early Islamic Textiles</a></i> features some fascinating textiles and clothing from the 7th to 14th centuries. However, this post is about the second new exhibition that's opened up:<i> <a href="http://www.rom.on.ca/en/exhibitions-galleries/exhibitions/fashion-follows-form">Fashion Follows Form: Designs for Sitting</a></i>.<br />
<br />
The exhibition focuses on the work of Canadian fashion designer Izzy Camilleri, especially her line IZAdaptive, which was developed specifically for the convenience of wearers in wheelchairs. To do this, she drew off historical examples of clothing that were also designed with sitting in mind: riding habits, breeches/trousers, bustles, etc.<br />
<br />
Now, I do not yet have images of Camilleri's own designs and pieces just yet: history nerd that I am, my first visit to the exhibition focused primarily on her historical sources of inspiration. So, here are some of the highlights from that particular subset.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NMKTFNl9CC0/U8rUJEqZF-I/AAAAAAAAAEw/r_3fW_BetbI/s1600/IMG_0320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NMKTFNl9CC0/U8rUJEqZF-I/AAAAAAAAAEw/r_3fW_BetbI/s1600/IMG_0320.JPG" height="640" width="288" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Here, we have a 1770s English riding habit that was designed for a woman to wear sidesaddle. You can see that it was made in multiple pieces that simulated the coats and waistcoats worn by men. However, shorter's women's jackets were worn during the 18th century as well, so it's not simply about emulating menswear by any means.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-98VAYbQNOqg/U8rUGe3mHGI/AAAAAAAAAEk/gK_iJZBxCrE/s1600/IMG_0311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-98VAYbQNOqg/U8rUGe3mHGI/AAAAAAAAAEk/gK_iJZBxCrE/s1600/IMG_0311.JPG" height="640" width="384" /></a></div>
<br />
Speaking of 18th century menswear, this was also a piece that was displayed as part of the exhibition. It is also English, and dates back to 1750. What served as Camilleri's inspiration here were the breeches. 18th century breeches were tailored very closely to the wearer's thigh. But can you imagine wearing skintight breeches made out of silk, wool, cotton, or linen? Those fabrics were less forgiving and elastic than today's synthetic materials, so trying to move in something that was too tight would be a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen. So, in order to give a reasonable amount of manoeuvrability, 18th century breeches were also cut to be quite baggy in the rear.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eZgqGbT5MMA/U8rUFsR781I/AAAAAAAAAEc/pFXThTe2JSg/s1600/IMG_0315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eZgqGbT5MMA/U8rUFsR781I/AAAAAAAAAEc/pFXThTe2JSg/s1600/IMG_0315.JPG" height="640" width="318" /></a></div>
<br />
You can really see the bulk in the <i>derrière</i> on this example: a pair of American breeches made between 1775 and 1799. So what's an elegant 18th century gentleman to do? Well, the long, flared skirts of the coat would have covered up this unsightly concession to practicality, thus enabling the wearer to keep up the well-tailored silhouette favoured at the time.<br />
<br />
In fact, the coat's skirts also served another purpose re: sitting. There are slits on the side and back of the coat that allowed the skirts to be spread outwards while the wearer was seated (ex. in a chair or on horseback). This meant that sitting down did not entail sitting on a bunched up mass of fabric: again, a design created for comfort.<br />
<br />
(On a side note: those slits also made it easier for the 18th century gentleman to wear his sword, which was a key part of formal court dress at the time!)<br />
<br />
Now, moving on to one of the classic moments in 19th century women's fashions: the bustle.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9sJB-RqXUX0/U8rYnYYv1LI/AAAAAAAAAFI/VLTpg6uBIMM/s1600/IMG_0297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9sJB-RqXUX0/U8rYnYYv1LI/AAAAAAAAAFI/VLTpg6uBIMM/s1600/IMG_0297.JPG" height="640" width="408" /></a></div>
<br />
This 1880s bustle was made in Canada, and is an example of the underpinnings worn by women in the latter decades of the 19th century. The bustle created a silhouette that emphasized the rear: instead of a bell-shaped skirt, the fabric would be swept backwards to drape down to the floor. Such a look, one would imagine, would make sitting difficult. But in this case, the bustle's structure made things easier: it is made in the style of a crinoline: rather than a solid piece, there are a series of metal pieces connected by strips of fabric. This meant that the bustle had sufficient give and freedom of movement to make it capable of bending when its wearer sat down.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xEDB3F1Z-zY/U8rYnBxrIvI/AAAAAAAAAFM/WystpzrFY30/s1600/IMG_0296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xEDB3F1Z-zY/U8rYnBxrIvI/AAAAAAAAAFM/WystpzrFY30/s1600/IMG_0296.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
Following along with the bustle silhouette, jackets like this 1887 dolman (of either English or American origin) were designed to flare outwards in the rear as well. Pretty, eh?<br />
<br />
So where am I going with all of this? Namely that fashions for sitting are not a recent concession for accessibility or ergonomic purposes. There are plenty of historical instances when people have done the same, seeking to combine fashion with considerations of practicality. Yes, I know that from a 21st century perspective, the vast majority of 18th and 19th century fashions would not seem practical - but these pieces, in the eyes of their original wearers, were.<br />
<br />
<u>Image Credits</u><br />
<br />
All photographs shown here were taken by Kita Inoru Kita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-52112619708574366892014-07-01T16:16:00.003-04:002014-07-01T16:16:21.663-04:00Happy Canada Day from...Where???Just posting to wish all my friends and followers a happy Canada Day. Yep, today, July 1, is Canada's main national holiday (unless you're in Quebec, in which case Canada Day vies for that honour with Saint Jean Baptiste Day - June 24 - but you get the idea). So it's the time when people commemorate Confederation and the creation of Canada as an independent nation on July 1, 1867.<br />
<br />
BUT...I'm not actually IN Canada. Just my luck, I'm actually writing to you all while on vacation in the good ol' USA. I certainly haven't forgotten to showcase my Canadian pride, but since the outfit that I brought with me that's red and white also has some (very dark) blue in it, I daresay I look more like a Team USA fan today than a Canuck. This is what happens when Canada Day falls on the same day when the States is playing a World Cup match ;)<br />
<br />
So, right now, I'm actually quite reminded of the line from the song "Canada's Really Big" by the Arrogant Worms: "So big we seldom bother to go see one another; although we often go to other countries for vacations..." Given that, I decided that for this year, I'll have some fun with you all for Canada Day and share some of the neat things that I've found over the years on the Internet that poke a little bit of fun at Canada and Canadians. After all, our stereotypes are harmless for the most part, so many Canadians do take some joy in laughing at themselves. Hope you enjoy these - and have a good Canada Day!<br />
<br />
1. "S*** Canadians Say"<br />
<br />
There was a meme like this going around on YouTube a while back, and here's some Vancouverites' Canadian edition:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/m0EsYiNA76Q?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
2. "Canada's Really Big" by the Arrogant Worms<br />
<br />
C'mon - I wouldn't reference this song without showing you what I meant! Also, little Canada Day challenge to any Hetalia fans out there: <b>get through this video with a straight face.</b> First one who succeeds, please let me know!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/pR1lzpfQXsw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
3. "Canadian Please" by Julia Bentley and Andrew Gunadie<br />
<br />
This one, in my opinion, is a bit of a classic by this point - and it's definitely one of my own personal favourites.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/mWQf13B8epw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
4. "I Am Canadian!" by Molson Canadian<br />
<br />
This one is the classically quintessential Canadian self-parodying commercial. It's quite old, but people still like it to this day.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/BRI-A3vakVg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
5. "Olympic Relay" by RONA<br />
<br />
This is a TV commercial that aired two years ago for the 2012 London Olympics. However, I think it's a humorous take on Canada's vast landscape and definitely worth a look.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/S3PS3u17Q8w?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
6. "Canadian Idiot" by Weird Al Yankovic<br />
<br />
Okay, this is not, in fact, by a Canadian artist; instead, it's Weird Al Yankovic's parody of Green Day's "American Idiot". However, since most of the Canadians I've come across who know this song think it's funny (and not offensive). So here you go anyway!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/_I6hEZiVYTs/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/_I6hEZiVYTs&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/_I6hEZiVYTs&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br />
7. "Oh, Canada" by Five Iron Frenzy<br />
<br />
Again, this one's actually by an American artist. But, again, I think it's funny - so enjoy!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/3sPZILnTMWs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
And I think that's enough watching/listening to last you all a while! Once again, wishing everyone a safe and happy Canada Day, and I promise I'll get back to my more serious programming soon :)Kita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-90152636920668698062014-06-20T14:57:00.000-04:002014-06-20T15:11:03.364-04:00Catch-22s in First Nations Depictions: Be Careful How You "Honour"!Continuing with my series leading up National Aboriginal Day on June 21....<br />
<br />
If you haven't had a chance to read the previous installments of this series, please do. The <a href="http://kitainoru.blogspot.ca/2014/06/catch-22s-in-first-nations-depictions.html">first one</a> looked at historical preconceptions of the First Nations in Canada, most notably the "myth of the Noble Savage". The <a href="http://kitainoru.blogspot.ca/2014/06/catch-22s-in-first-nations-depictions_18.html">second one</a> took those ideas a step further by examining how the stereotypes we hold today fell under a similar model. Finally, and most recently, the <a href="http://kitainoru.blogspot.ca/2014/06/catch-22s-of-first-nations-depictions.html">third post</a> looked at different terminologies one could use in Canada to refer to the First Nations in a respectful manner.<br />
<br />
This time, I'm weighing in on what I really could call a "trending" issue: the debate surrounding the appropriation of First Nations symbols and designs in fashion, art, etc.<br />
<br />
But before I begin, a quick disclaimer:<b>
I, Kita Inoru, am NOT a person of First Nations descent. What this
means is that the perspective and the opinions that I express here are
solely my own. If there is anyone here who is of First Nations descent
and/or is directly affected by the issues discussed in this series,
please feel free to shed further light on them in the Comments, and
please be patient with me in regards to any errors I might make. Thanks!</b><br />
<br />
Cultural appropriation, at its bare basics, is simply the act of one culture taking something from another. Sounds simple, doesn't it? It would be if we weren't involving something that's inherently complex: people. People with histories, values, and feelings. What this means is that the act of cultural appropriation is NEVER simple, and there is always going to be a risk of causing offense.<br />
<br />
Well, in recent years, offense has been caused by appropriation - numerous times. I've seen a number of different cultures being affected by this, and may return to some other examples in the future, but for the purposes of this particular blog series, I'll be focusing on the appropriation of First Nations motifs in particular.<br />
<br />
I'm sure, for instance, that many of you would have seen photos from 2012 when a Victoria's Secret model appeared on the runway in a bikini, turquoise jewellery, and a Plains First Nations headdress that stretched all the way down to the floor.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/853329/thumbs/o-KARLIE-KLOSS-570.jpg?12" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/853329/thumbs/o-KARLIE-KLOSS-570.jpg?12" height="640" width="466" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The famous (or infamous?) Victoria's Secret Fashion Show ensemble (c. Getty Images, photographer uncredited)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Immediately, there was an outcry that the use of a Plains First Nations feathered headdress (wapaha) was racist and disrespectful to First Nations people. I have found several reasons cited for this:<br />
<br />
1. The wapaha is a sacred object for Plains First Nations peoples, worn only by distinguished tribe and band members who had earned the privilege through service to their communities. Historically, it was the equivalent of a WWI or WWII war medal today. (On a side note: the vast majority of the time, the wapaha is, in fact, worn by men, but since there are First Nations communities where women could act as chiefs, I dare not say that is an absolute rule.)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-goVr-FySTJU/U6R6BqwXYDI/AAAAAAAAADo/1ar6o0oKxf0/s1600/IMG_9516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-goVr-FySTJU/U6R6BqwXYDI/AAAAAAAAADo/1ar6o0oKxf0/s1600/IMG_9516.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A genuine First Nations headdress, for the sake of comparison: Sitting Bull's wapaha in the collections of the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada (Photo by Kita Inoru)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
2. In a day and age when many First Nations women have been victims of sexual harassment and assault and many cases still go unreported, unsolved, etc., it is tasteless to show a fashion ensemble that combines something inherently sexy (a Victoria's Secret bikini) with elements of First Nations cultures.<br />
<br />
3. It perpetuates a historical stereotype of First Nations peoples as subservient (particularly sexually) to European colonizers and their descendents. It also promotes a stereotypical conception of the First Nations as stuck in a historical mode of dress (refer back to my "Noble Savage" posts for more).<br />
<br />
While the middle argument would be specific to instances where non-First Nations people wear the wapaha while in somewhat compromising positions (ex. photo shoots where models wear the wapaha while wearing little clothing - if any), the first and last also appear in instances when people wear First Nations headdresses simply as fashion accessories. For example, the same outcry happens when images surface of partygoers dressed up as "Native Americans" for Halloween or young people attending indie music and film festivals wearing miniaturized versions of the wapaha. I have also seen the same for First Nations designs making it into "tribal" or "ethnic" clothing sold in major chain stores, dreamcatchers showing up in "inappropriate" places (ex. as bellybutton piercings), etc.<br />
<br />
(Note: I don't want to point fingers at any individual people here, so if you really want to know, Google it - I'm not showing pics!)<br />
<br />
The main reason why cultural appropriation can cause offense is that it speaks directly into a power dynamic. Historically - and, arguably, even nowadays - First Nations peoples have been marginalized by the very societies and lands they call home. They have endured centuries of being pushed aside, both literally (ex. being forced off their ancestral lands to make way for European immigrants) and figuratively (ex. having elements of their traditional practices - language, religious ceremonies, social customs, etc. - banned in order to force them to assimilate into Euro-American culture). For many First Nations people, then, for whom the scars are still very recent and fresh, the appropriation of their sacred symbols and designs feels like the final straw: "You've taken our people's land, you've forbidden our ancestors from practicing their cultures such that we now have to fight an uphill battle just to learn them, and now you want to just treat what little we have left as an "exotic" fashion trend? No - not gonna happen!"<br />
<br />
Personally, I think that any anger and resentment that is felt by First Nations people is justified. However, as someone who is "outside" of the debate, so to speak, and simply an observer, I do think that both parties - the offending and the offended - have some things to learn if this is to be resolved in a positive manner. Again, these are solely my own opinions, but here are some tips that I hope will be helpful in the long run.<br />
<br />
Personally, I am someone who would rather give people the benefit of the doubt whenever possible. While there are definitely instances where appropriators are deliberately offensive (either to make a racist statement, or just to be trolls taking advantage of controversy for the sake of publicity), I am of the opinion that there are still many cases where no offense was actually intended.<br />
<br />
Now, I know some people say that intention shouldn't factor in here - that appropriation is always racist, plain and simple. But I disagree. Imagine, if you will, that you were approached by a complete stranger who said that something you were doing was "racist" - would you know what you did wrong, and why it was wrong? Not necessarily, I reckon. This is where we come back to my previous discussions on the "Noble" element of the "Noble Savage" myth: "But...but how am I disrespecting you? I think First Nations culture is great, and your art is beautiful - how can I possibly be racist for trying to show my appreciation?"<br />
<br />
So, let us say that that's you. You really DO care about First Nations peoples and their cultures, and you are drawn to their aesthetics and want to show that somehow. What can you do?<br />
<br />
Three words: Do your homework.<br />
<br />
The way I see it, if you love a people and its culture, taking the time to learn more about them should be an enjoyable situation. In today's day and age, with the ready availability of resources out there on the Internet, it's not all that hard to research what is considered "okay" by First Nations people re: the use of their art and culture and what is not. For example, there are websites like <a href="http://www.beyondbuckskin.com/">Beyond Buckskin</a>, that offer blog posts and articles laying out what sort of First Nations fashion design is acceptable and what is offensive. Actually, that is one that I particularly recommend, because it also features a directory of First Nations artists and designers who produce clothing, accessories, etc. that is both visually appealing and culturally sensitive.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zLhgM11D1J0/U6SD1FztD_I/AAAAAAAAAEA/o3xB9rWyih0/s1600/IMG_9584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zLhgM11D1J0/U6SD1FztD_I/AAAAAAAAAEA/o3xB9rWyih0/s1600/IMG_9584.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-USuhcKroijk/U6SDQGmLWsI/AAAAAAAAAD4/SXmhTMUk_jU/s1600/IMG_9583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-USuhcKroijk/U6SDQGmLWsI/AAAAAAAAAD4/SXmhTMUk_jU/s1600/IMG_9583.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anishnawbek porcupine quillwork boxes featuring Mickey Mouse and the logo from Canada's 1967 Centennial celebrations, now in the collections of the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario. I do not know if these pieces was made for sale to a non-First Nations market, but if so, they would be the type of thing that is okay to buy and display, since it was made by a First Nations artist aware of their culture. (Photos by Kita Inoru)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Another option, if you are so blessed, is to talk your choices through with someone who is of First Nations descent. Now, I will say very frankly that this is a bit of a risky endeavour. Remember: there is no singular "First Nations" voice or identity: everyone is an individual. What that means is that what's okay with one person may not be to another.<br />
<br />
So what if you happen to be in a situation like that and are called out for cultural appropriation? Here are some things you can do:<br />
<br />
1. Take it graciously as a further opportunity to learn - getting defensive only belittles the person who is calling you out. Apologize for any offense you might have caused, and ask sincerely how you can do better. Again, if you do actually want to honour First Nations peoples and their cultures, I don't think anyone will fault you for that - it's all a matter of how you do it, so take the chance now to find out.<br />
<br />
2. It's not just a matter of freedom of expression. Yes, if you choose to use this as your defence, I daresay that no-one could really rebut that. But here's a saying that I think will help: everything is possible, but not everything is beneficial. Remember, you are under no obligation TO appropriate something from another culture - no one's forcing you at gunpoint to wear a wapaha to Coachella. Freedom of expression is not simply about doing or saying whatever you want - it's also about learning how to utilize and exercise that freedom in a way that is actually constructive to others. So if you know that something is going to be offensive, why do it?<br />
<br />
3. Because cultural appropriation implies a asymmetrical power dynamic, not every instance of borrowing really counts. This is in response to one argument I've seen: "If I can't wear a headdress, then you can't wear jeans and a T-shirt either. That's you appropriating my culture!" Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Why? A) because wearing jeans and a T-shirt is not perpetuating a caricature or stereotype (it's so common around the world now to be practically neutral); and B) if it is, it's one that reflects the same Eurocentric hegemony that makes the appropriation of First Nations cultures offensive in the first place. <br />
<br />
Finally, I do want to give a quick word to those who have been the offended party in this. I've seen many cases, especially on Pinterest, where it feels almost like people are talking behind each other's backs: posting images of appropriation and making very angry (and very profane) comments. Now, this may be just me, but it does come across as rather petty at times - and also sparks the offender into the natural human response of getting defensive rather than calming down and listening.<br />
<br />
This is why my biggest tip for people who are First Nations or who care about First Nations issues is to encourage you to offer counterexamples. Don't just say to someone, "What you're doing is offensive and racist," but offer an example of what CAN be done instead.<br />
<br />
Again, as far as I'm concerned, it's all about creating a positive learning environment for all parties, so that those of us out there who aren't First Nations can truly honour those of us who are.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<u>Sources</u><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-CA</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Young, James O.
“Profound Offense and Cultural Appropriation.” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism</i>. 63.2 (2005): 135-146.
Print.<u> </u></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 35.45pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-indent: -35.45pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><u>Image Credits</u></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 35.45pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 12.0pt; text-indent: -35.45pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">All images (c) their original creators, as indicated (if known) in the captions</span></div>
Kita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-78625695459045318092014-06-18T18:41:00.001-04:002014-06-18T18:41:21.511-04:00Catch-22s of First Nations Depictions: What's In A Name?Continuing with my series leading up National Aboriginal Day on June 21....<br /><br />
If you haven't had a chance to read the previous installments of this series, please do. The <a href="http://kitainoru.blogspot.ca/2014/06/catch-22s-in-first-nations-depictions.html">first one</a> looked at historical preconceptions of the First Nations in Canada, most notably the "myth of the Noble Savage". The <a href="http://kitainoru.blogspot.ca/2014/06/catch-22s-in-first-nations-depictions_18.html">second one</a> took those ideas a step further by examining how the stereotypes we hold today fell under a similar model.<br />
<br />
So now that the stereotypes - both good and bad - have been established, the next broad subject I would like to look at, which will encompass the remaining posts in this series, is some practical ways that someone can approach their cultures, histories, and identities in a respectful manner.<br />
<br />
But before I begin, a quick disclaimer:<b>
I, Kita Inoru, am NOT a person of First Nations descent. What this
means is that the perspective and the opinions that I express here are
solely my own. If there is anyone here who is of First Nations descent
and/or is directly affected by the issues discussed in this series,
please feel free to shed further light on them in the Comments, and
please be patient with me in regards to any errors I might make. Thanks!</b><br />
<br />
What better place to start in discussing how to address First Nations issues with respect than, well, actual terms of address? I am speaking here of all the various names and terms people use to refer to the First Nations. Over the years, both acceptable and offensive terms have emerged - and some things that were once acceptable now might no longer be. For someone from the outside looking in, it can get very confusing: how do I talk about the First Nations while A) preserving some element of historical/contextual accuracy, and B) not offending anybody?<br />
<b> </b><br />
I will say, first of all, that the explanations I give here are, to the best of my knowledge, distinctly Canadian. First Nations communities in the United States are distinctive from those in Canada and, because of that, a different set of conventions has evolved on both sides of the border.<br />
<br />
1. <u>Indian and its derivatives (ex. Native American Indian, NDN, etc.)</u><br />
<br />
This term is one where the use does vary between Canada and the United States. I think the story is familiar to many of us from our elementary school days: Columbus mistook his arriving in the Americas as having found a western ocean route to the Orient, and wound up calling the indigenous peoples that he found "Indians", after which point the name stuck.<br />
<br />
In Canada, at least, the term "Indian", in reference to the First Nations, is seen as very offensive. From childhood, we are told again and again, "Don't say 'Indian' - they're not from India." Where the sense of offense comes from is not entirely clear - my theory is that there is something of the name that simply smacks of colonialism and imperialism and Eurocentric views, so it's just been phased out over the years here. Because of that, I will confess that, as a Canadian, I've found American First Nations people's use of the term "Native American Indian" or the abbreviated "NDN" as a form of self-address has always caught me off guard. I end up thinking, "So...it isn't offensive?" and that ends up confusing me quite a good deal.<br />
<br />
However, regardless of its use in other parts of the world, the term "Indian" in Canada is seen as offensive in referring to the First Nations with two notable exceptions. The first is when one is actually making a historical reference, such as when quoting from a historical text or when wanting to consciously point out that the term was used in the past for negative purposes (ex. when speaking of the "Indian residential schools"). The second is when referring to the Department of Indian Affairs: the government board that deals with the First Nations and their needs in Canada. The name of the department now appears antiquated and politically incorrect to many Canadians, but until it is actually changed, there's little choice but to call it what it is.<br />
<br />
2. <u>Native Peoples/Americans/Canadians</u><br />
<br />
Generally speaking, this is seen as an acceptable, albeit somewhat neutral term. You're not winning any brownie points with it, but no-one's going to get upset either, as this is probably the most common name used in everyday discourse and parlance.<br />
<br />
I have seen some people express concerns: "Everyone born in Canada is a 'native' Canadian, so this can't refer specifically to the First Nations, can it?" Well...yes, and no. For the most part, I have yet to see any actual confusion result from the use of the term "Native Canadian" (note that, in writing, the upper- and lower-case 'n' makes all the difference) - and if something does arise, it's usually sorted out readily enough through looking at the context.<br />
<br />
3. <u>Red Indians, Redskins, etc.</u><br />
<br />
This one goes without saying - it's definitely seen as offensive in both Canada and the United States. The reasons why are things that I don't necessarily want to unpack here, but the simplest answer would be that it's associated with straight-up racism based on physical appearance. Also, if you didn't know that these terms were offensive before, you'd probably know now with all the controversy surrounding the Washington Redskins and their right to use the name and its associated logo. For more on how First Nations people see this issue, watch the video below:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/mR-tbOxlhvE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Personally - and this is very much my own opinion here - I make one exception to this. The only people I've actually seen and heard using these terms in reference to the First Nations were more elderly folks who, among other things, still refer to Germany as "West Germany". In that case, I think it's possible to cut them a little bit of slack, as I think this comes less from racism and more from force of habit.<br />
<br />
4. <u>Aboriginal, Indigenous, or First Peoples</u><br />
<br />
In Canada, these are the "official" terms that are used. I know that I've been using the term "First Nations" all this time, but "Aboriginal" and "Indigenous peoples" make up an even broader category: the First Nations, the Inuit, and the Métis. The unfortunate thing is that the word "Aboriginal" does make one think of the primitive, so outside of official or academic discourse, it's not used all that often.<br />
<br />
Nowadays, there is a slow, but gradual, shift to the term "First Peoples" instead. I think that will take some time to catch on, though, as there is still the risk of mistake the phrase "First Peoples" as a reference to an earlier state of human evolution - not what anyone's intending here!<br />
<br />
5. <u>First Nations</u><br />
<br />
For the majority of Canada's First Peoples, this is the term that is used and has gained the most acceptability and respectability in recent years. It's an acknowledgement of two core facts about the Native peoples in Canada: A) that they were here "first" (i.e. prior to Europeans); and B) that they are not a singular ethnicity/culture/etc., but are actually incredibly diverse in and of themselves.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Langs_N.Amer.png/847px-Langs_N.Amer.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Langs_N.Amer.png/847px-Langs_N.Amer.png" height="361" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This map of the First Nations languages spoken in Canada and the United States gives at least some idea as to how diverse they actually are.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
6. <u>Inuit vs. Eskimo</u><br />
<br />
Now for one that, once again, differs in terms of acceptability between Canada and the United States. In Canada, the word "Eskimo" is outright offensive - it's on par with using the term "Indians" in reference to the First Nations. How this was taught to me as a kid was that the word "Eskimo" originated as a derogatory term used to refer to the Inuit in Canada's Arctic, and that it literally means "eaters of raw meat" - trust me, that will spur enough children's innate "ick" factor to warn them off using the term ever again.<br />
<br />
However, the term "Eskimo" is not only acceptable in the United States, but is a term of self-address. The reason for this is that, as with the First Nations, the Native peoples in the Arctic regions are incredibly diverse. The Yu'pik in Alaska, for instance, see themselves as ethnically and culturally distinct from Canada's Inuit, and the term "Eskimo" is used in reference to the Yu'pik as an acknowledgement of this difference. But, in Canada, that still doesn't work - you'll need to contextualize what you are saying in order to get away with using the word "Eskimo" here.<br />
<br />
7. <u>Métis</u><br />
<br />
The Métis have been relatively late in receiving recognition from the Canadian government as one of the First Peoples. Historically, the term refers to people who were descended from First Nations women and French(-Canadian) and Scottish(-Canadian) fur traders. This term is now an acceptable form of self-address, and has replaced the earlier "Half-breed". No need to say why that ended up being seen as offensive, I reckon!<br />
<br />
However, a word of caution: I am of the opinion that we shouldn't start patting ourselves on the backs for using "Métis" anytime soon. Why? Because the word "Métis" is - literally - the French word for "half-breed". Am I saying that we shouldn't use "Métis", then? No. It has, after all, become a form of self-address. But I urge you to at least be conscious of what you are really saying when you use it - don't let a pretty-sounding "foreign" word give you a false sense of security.<br />
<br />
8. <u>Specific Nations' Names</u><br />
<br />
Again, this is generally acceptable. Each Nation in Canada has a distinctive culture, language, and name; and it is perfectly all right to use those terms. However, once again, it is important to realize that there is, in fact, a great deal of complexity here. Not all the names that have become common parlance were self-determined by the First Nations peoples they refer to - a bit of research reveals that many of these names originated from descriptors used by European settlers, or even derogatory terms used by rival Nations.<br />
<br />
So now it is not unusual to see multiple terms referring to the same group of people: one that has become common usage historically (and is retained for understandability), and a self-determined name from the Nation in question. Examples for this would be Iroquois vs. Haudenosaunee; Huron vs. Wyandot/Wendat; Nootka vs Nuu-chah-nulth, Ojibway vs. Anishnaabe; etc. The older terms are still seen as "okay", but it is worth learning some of the more prominent self-chosen names now in use.<br />
<br />
So there you have it: some of the more common words used to refer to the First Peoples in Canada and an explanation as to which ones are acceptable or offensive, and why. Of course, this is not a comprehensive list, by any means. But I hope it sheds at least some light on what might otherwise be a rather complex subject.<br />
<br />
In the next installment of this series, I will continue to examine how one could approach and engage with First Nations cultures in a respectful manner, particularly when it comes to fashion and aesthetics. When is "borrowing" an element of First Nations culture okay - and when is it not?<br />
<br />
<u>Image Credits</u><br />
<br />
Map of First Nations languages (c) ish_ishwar on Wikimedia Commons, and used under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0Kita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-81007510759003236362014-06-18T00:24:00.003-04:002014-06-18T00:24:47.909-04:00Catch-22s in First Nations Depictions: The "Noble Savage" TodayContinuing with my series leading up National Aboriginal Day on June 21....<br />
<br />
Last time, my focus was on the popular conception of the "Noble Savage"
and the various stereotypes of First Nations peoples that myth generated
historically. If you haven't had a chance to read that, please do: <a href="http://kitainoru.blogspot.ca/2014/06/catch-22s-in-first-nations-depictions.html">http://kitainoru.blogspot.ca/2014/06/catch-22s-in-first-nations-depictions.html </a><br />
<br />
This time, my focus is shifting more towards the present day. While the exact myth of the "Noble Savage" as previously discussed does not hold much water anymore, I think that it has not so much disappeared as evolved. Even now, many Canadians continue to see the First Nations as either "Noble" or "Savage", albeit under different names.<br />
<br />
But before I begin, a quick disclaimer:<b>
I, Kita Inoru, am NOT a person of First Nations descent. What this
means is that the perspective and the opinions that I express here are
solely my own. If there is anyone here who is of First Nations descent
and/or is directly affected by the issues discussed in this series,
please feel free to shed further light on them in the Comments, and
please be patient with me in regards to any errors I might make. Thanks!</b><br />
<br />
Recall from the previous installment in this series that I have grouped historical stereotypes of First Nations peoples under two main categories: the "Noble" and the "Savage". For the most part,<b> </b>they could easily be thought of in terms of positive and negative characteristics: those that make us think of the First Nations as "noble", and those that make us think of them as "savage".<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/Vancouver,_First_Nations_Exhibition,_23_juin_2008,_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/Vancouver,_First_Nations_Exhibition,_23_juin_2008,_2.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Nations dancer in regalia, from the Vancouver First Nations Exhibition on June 23. 2008 (Photo by Philippe Giabbanelli)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So how does that work nowadays, in the 21st century? Surely, outside of Hollywood depictions, artwork, and historical re-enactments, people don't still believe that the First Nations are simple hunter-gatherers who feel the ever-pressing encroachment of the "white man" and, at times, resort to violence to push them back. This is, after all, the 21st century! A time of advanced technology, greater tolerance, and a better appreciation of the cultural diversity in Canada.<br />
<br />
Actually, about that....<br />
<br />
True, the actual details and trappings of the myth of the "Noble Savage" are well known to be just that: myth. Canada's First Nations have a sufficiently active presence in society and culture for that to be immediately apparent. However, that is not to say that the core distinctive divide in the stereotypes no longer exists. The details might vary, but the heart is still there. Canada's First Nations are still associated with a host of both positive and negative stereotypes. And while positive stereotypes might be "better" than negative ones, it's hard to tell which set of the two really wins out at any given moment.<br />
<br />
<u>The First Nations as "Noble"</u><br />
<br />
"Noble" stereotypes attached to today's First Nations peoples abound. These traits, in my opinion, are the ones that tend to lead people to express some deep sense of admiration for Native peoples and their cultures. I do want to say that while there is a great deal of fact in these stereotypes - and that they are certainly positive ones - that the danger here comes in automatically assuming that all First Nations people are going to fit these traits. Individuals are what they are, and that's not going to change.<br />
<br />
1. The First Nations as "Earth Stewards"<br />
<br />
This one is probably the first one that will come to most people's minds: the idea that First Nations people are innately environmentalists who preach being "at one" with nature. It's the image that we see in the popular "Indian Prophecy" message that has shown up on a number of Internet memes and inspiration posters: <i>"Only after the last tree has been cut down; only after the last river has been poisoned; only after the last fish has been caught; only then will you find that money cannot be eaten."</i> The point of this message is that the First Nations are seen as staunch protectors of the wilderness and natural environment - and are, because of that, morally superior to those who seek to simply exploit Canada's natural resources for monetary gain.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Idle_No_More_one-year_anniversary_Metrotown_08.JPG/680px-Idle_No_More_one-year_anniversary_Metrotown_08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Idle_No_More_one-year_anniversary_Metrotown_08.JPG/680px-Idle_No_More_one-year_anniversary_Metrotown_08.JPG" height="640" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The one-year anniversary event for Idle No More in a shopping centre in Burnaby, British Columbia. (Photo by Eviatar Bach)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Those who are aware of, say, the recent Idle No More movement and other First Nations incentives to curb the oil sands, fracking, etc., can see that there is a foundation of truth to this. However, things get a bit more complicated when we combine this with another major "Noble" stereotype:<br />
<br />
2. The First Nations as Spiritualists and Animists<br />
<br />
This one, I think, is best summed up in what was my own first exposure to First Nations peoples growing up: Disney's <i>Pocahontas</i>. Many of us would be familiar with the major musical number from the film, "Colours of the Wind". Well, if so, you may recall this line: <i>"But I know every rock and tree and creature / Has a life, has a spirit, has a name"</i>. It's the image that makes First Nations spirituality so appealing to people who are seeking something outside of the stricter regimentation of many established religions. So think of things like the recent obsession with totem animals, dreamcatchers, sweat lodges, Native ceremonies, etc.<br />
<br />
In a way, this particular aspect of the "Noble" is focused on the idea that the First Nations peoples possess a wisdom and moral strength that the rest of the world (especially those of Caucasian descent) have somehow lost. However, if that is the case, then one must be careful not to run too far with that idea - or one risks going from the "Noble" into the "Savage".<br />
<br />
<u>The First Nations as "Savage"</u><br />
<br />
Now, the word "Savage" can carry a few different meanings. It obviously bears a very strong negative connotation either way, but there are two particular ways where I think the First Nations are still perceived as "Savage", even in the present day.<br />
<br />
1. The First Nations as Primitives<br />
<br />
This, I will confess, can very easily come out of a lack of exposure. When historical and/or stereotypical images are maintained and continue to be disseminated, it's inevitable that we will have a significant group of people for which that is their ONLY encounter with the First Nations at all. It's because of that that there is, out there, a stereotypical image that people have of Canada's First Nations people: that they are hardcore traditionalists and always appear in feathers and paint.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/2010_Winter_Olympics_opening_ceremony_First_Nation_dancers.jpg/800px-2010_Winter_Olympics_opening_ceremony_First_Nation_dancers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/2010_Winter_Olympics_opening_ceremony_First_Nation_dancers.jpg/800px-2010_Winter_Olympics_opening_ceremony_First_Nation_dancers.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Nations dancers in regalia at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics (Photo by Voice of America)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The problem here is that this assumes that First Nations cultures are static and have not changed over the years, with the further - darker - implication that they will forever wish to dwell in the past and will not or cannot "modernize". That can take us into very dangerous territory, as it's that exact type of thinking that led to many of the discriminatory policies towards the First Nations peoples throughout Canada's history, such as the Indian Residential Schools.<br />
<br />
Also, the logic behind that stereotype is flawed in and of itself: all cultures evolve and do not lose their authenticity for doing so. Even as far back as the 18th century, many First Nations peoples who traded with Europeans were adapting to new ideas and practices: wearing shirts and trade cloth rather than skins, using muskets rather than bows and arrows, etc. The cowboy movies that show otherwise are just that: movies. But that's the image that persists in people's minds even to this day.<br />
<br />
Finally, and quite possibly worst of all:<br />
<br />
2. The First Nations as Corrupt<br />
<br />
The actual form that this takes varies substantially. But it's one of the most common conceptions of the First Nations in the 21st century. Here, I am speaking of anything associated with alcoholism, drug abuse, obesity, domestic violence, suicide, sexual harassment and assault...you name it, it's there. Most of this gets pinned on to the First Nations communities that are still on the reservations. And while there is abject poverty in many of the reservations that do, statistically, contribute to these problems, just blowing off the First Nations as being "like that" isn't going to help.<br />
<br />
On top of that, the old belief that the First Nations were "lazy" still persists to this day. Whereas historically, the stereotype came out of a lower emphasis on agriculture in many First Nations cultures, it now stems from the popular conception that First Nations reserves simply rely on substantial government handouts that are paid for by hardworking taxpayers, and that the poverty that is readily apparent comes from corrupt chiefs and elders pocketing all the funds for their own personal use. Quite a wide brush to paint an entire group, in my opinion!<br />
<br />
I will admit that I myself do not have the statistical knowledge to know whether there is any truth to this belief. But I am also unwilling to gamble on the chance of its veracity to use it to automatically justify a refusal to intervene for innocent people and/or communities who are actually in need.<br />
<br />
In conclusion, then, the historical concepts of Canada's First Nations as "Noble Savages" does still persist to at least some extent today in the 21st century. For the remainder of this series, then, I will be turning my focus to some practical ways that non-First Nations people like myself could show respect and/or support for the First Nations and their current needs and issues.<br />
<br />
<u>Image Credits</u><br />
<br />
All images (c) their original creators as indicated in the captions, and are used here under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licenseKita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-29950333229687644432014-06-15T18:13:00.002-04:002014-06-15T18:23:36.146-04:00Catch-22s in First Nations Depictions: The "Noble Savage" in HistoryThis coming Saturday, June 21, 2014, is not just the Summer Solstice here in Canada. It is also called National Aboriginal Day, and is a time set aside to honour and acknowledge Canada's various indigenous peoples: the First Nations, the Inuit, and the Métis. So in this week leading up to National Aboriginal Day, I will be writing up a series of blog posts pertaining to the First Nations peoples in Canada: I've got four posts planned so far, but may do more if circumstances and inspiration permit.<br />
<br />
There are a lot of things I can choose to focus on for this series, but I have settled on one broader theme: "Catch-22s in First Nations Depictions" refers to the times and contexts in which simplistic means of interacting with the First Nations peoples and their cultures simply fall apart. They are about the stereotypes and common images that have become predominant in how Canadians have come to perceive our First Nations - some more successfully and appropriately so than others.<br />
<br />
Before I begin, a quick disclaimer:<b> I, Kita Inoru, am NOT a person of First Nations descent. What this means is that the perspective and the opinions that I express here are solely my own. If there is anyone here who is of First Nations descent and/or is directly affected by the issues discussed in this series, please feel free to shed further light on them in the Comments, and please be patient with me in regards to any errors I might make. Thanks!</b><br />
<br />
My discussion, then, begins with what is probably among the oldest and most iconic images that we have of the First Nations peoples in Canada: the Noble Savage.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/Eeh-tow-w%C3%A9es-ka-zeet,_He_Who_Has_Eyes_Behind_Him_-_George_Catlin.jpg/490px-Eeh-tow-w%C3%A9es-ka-zeet,_He_Who_Has_Eyes_Behind_Him_-_George_Catlin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/Eeh-tow-w%C3%A9es-ka-zeet,_He_Who_Has_Eyes_Behind_Him_-_George_Catlin.jpg/490px-Eeh-tow-w%C3%A9es-ka-zeet,_He_Who_Has_Eyes_Behind_Him_-_George_Catlin.jpg" height="640" width="521" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Eeh-tow-wées-ka-zeet, He Who Has Eyes Behind Him (also known as Broken Arm), a Foremost Brave" by George Catlin (1832)<i><br /></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The concept of the Noble Savage goes back hundreds of years. Arguably going back even to the Roman historian Tacitus and his description of the Germanic tribes the Romans encountered in battle, the first known use of the actual phrase in English dates from 1672 in John Dryden's <i>The Conquest of Granada</i>. However, the concept - if not the phrasing - is most commonly associated with Jean-Jacques Rousseau; in his <i>A Discourse on Inequality</i>, he argues that mankind began in a primitive State of Nature that, while lacking government and technology, was far happier than the class system that evolved out of "civilization". For Rousseau, one of the main objects of his focus was the First Nations in North America, who he saw as having persisted in the State of Nature that he saw as the ideal for humankind.<br />
<br />
For the most part, the Noble Savage is simply that: a "Savage" who exhibits "Noble" characteristics. However, I find that that does not show the sheer complexity in terms of how the First Nations have been perceived either historically or in the present day. The way, then, that I would like to examine this concept is to break it down into two main groups of characteristics: those that are "Noble", and those that are "Savage".<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Benjamin_west_Death_wolfe_noble_savage.jpg/517px-Benjamin_west_Death_wolfe_noble_savage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Benjamin_west_Death_wolfe_noble_savage.jpg/517px-Benjamin_west_Death_wolfe_noble_savage.jpg" height="640" width="552" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail showing an Iroquoian warrior in "The Death of General Wolfe" by Benjamin West (1770). This is now one of the most iconic representations of the Noble Savage in 18th century artwork.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In the 18th and 19th centuries, in artwork depicting the First Nations peoples, there is a certain nobility infused into the image. The Native is shown in a calm, almost stoic, pose: quietly contemplating either the surrounding events in the painting (as seen in Benjamin West's "The Death of General Wolfe") or the viewer (as seen in George Catlin's many portraits of First Nations people). He or she is usually shown wearing some sort of traditional dress or regalia: feathers, buckskins, paint, etc. Sometimes, the image is one of the Natives taking part in a traditional, pre-European-contact, way of life: hunting or fishing are common depictions. All in all, the image is one that shows the First Nations as people at one with the wilderness: content to stay that way for all eternity, but now having to face the encroaching European settlers that spell their inevitable downfall. The First Nations as "Noble" become romanticized tragic heroes for Europeans to contemplate, but not to help.<br />
<br />
Conversely, and concurrently, there is the image of the "Savage". This is the concept of the First Nations as hardened warriors who raid European settlements, scalping, enslaving, and killing the inhabitants. It is the image that looms large in the French Jesuits missionaries' descriptions of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) in their wars with the neighbouring Wendat (Huron) and Algonquian peoples; in the many stories of "Indian captives" that sprung up during the Seven Years War (aka the French and Indian War, for those in the States); in the whispered tales of dread at the discovery that the British were enlisting the Iroquois on their side during the American Revolutionary War.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Incident_in_cherry_valley.jpg/461px-Incident_in_cherry_valley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Incident_in_cherry_valley.jpg/461px-Incident_in_cherry_valley.jpg" height="640" width="492" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Incident in Cherry Valley - Fate of Jane Wells" by Alonzo Chappel (1828-1887), engraved by Thomas Phillibrown (1856). Jane Wells is pleading for her life, and a man attempts to protect her
from an Indian who is about to kill her. House behind them is being
burned by Loyalists and Indians led by Major Walter Butler and Mohawk
Chief Joseph Brant, Cherry Valley, New York.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For all that the First Nations were romanticized in history, the underlying fear and dread that European settlers in North America had of them never vanished entirely. Not only was there a conception that the First Nations were dangerously violent and unreceptive to "proper" rules of warfare, but the fact that many had societies structured entirely differently from the familiar Judeo-Christian model convinced many settlers that they were simply not to be trusted. In the case of Canada in particular, the Algonquian peoples were seen as lazy for their hunter-gatherer, semi-nomadic lifestyle (i.e. they were lazy because they did not farm the land and make full use of it as per God's command); inversely the Iroquoian peoples, who did til the land, were seen as barbaric in their torture of war captives, and backward in their matriarchal approach to leadership (i.e. the fact that women were often in charge meant both that they were insubordinate and that the men were weak).<br />
<br />
It is the intersecting of the two sides of the coin - the "Noble" and the "Savage" - that reveals the unstable ground upon which European settlers in North America found themselves in trying to define the First Nations around and among them. However, regardless of whether the "Noble" or the "Savage" predominated in popular perception, the conclusion was the same. The settlers believed that the First Nations could not run the show for themselves anymore, but must be guided into a "better" way of life: either more "advanced" (in the case of the "Noble"), or more "civilized/moral" (in the case of the "Savage").<br />
<br />
That may be the history, but the story itself does not end here. Stay tuned for the next installment of "Catch-22s in First Nations Depictions" to see how the duality of the "Noble Savage" has become manifest in today's societal views of the First Nations in Canada.<br />
<br />
<u>Sources</u><br />
<br />
Bickham, Troy. <i>Savages within the Empire: Representations of American Indians in Eighteenth-Century Britain</i>. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006. Print.<br />
<br />
Godesky, John. "'The Savages are Truly Noble'". <i>The Anthropik Network</i>, 10 May 2007. Web. 15 June 2014.<br />
<br />
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. <i>A Discourse on Inequality</i>. Trans. Maurice Cranston. London: Penguin Books Ltd, 1984. Print. <br />
<br />
<u>Image Credits</u><br />
<br />
All historical artworks (c) Their original creators as indicated in the captions, found via Wikimedia CommonsKita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-66623563800607521302014-06-11T15:43:00.003-04:002014-06-11T15:43:55.998-04:00Celebrating Diversity: Canada during the FIFA World CupChances are, you know that Thursday, June 12, 2014, is the first day of the 2014 FIFA World Cup tournament, which is being hosted by Brazil. I know that for a number of my readers, it'll be a time of anticipation. Soccer (or football, if that's what you call it) is an international sport, and many countries around the world have potential to claim the title of FIFA World Cup champion.<br />
<br />
On that note, quick shout-out to those of you who are from countries that have teams playing in the World Cup. I know that there are at least American, Australian, and English readers out there - and quite possibly many more.<br />
<br />
I have had a chance to go to England not too long ago, and I could definitely sense the beginnings of World Cup fever. In souvenir stores, jerseys and memorabilia related to the English national team were prominently on display - goods that promoted opposing teams, not so much. And I daresay the same could be said in many other parts of the world right now.<br />
<br />
But not Canada.<br />
<br />
See, Canada's men's soccer team only ever participated in the FIFA World Cup once: in 1986, and lost every single one of its games. Since then, Canada's tried for entry every single time the World Cup comes around, to no avail: we don't even get past the Qualifiers.<br />
<br />
(Note: the WOMEN'S team is another story - Canada has not only participated numerous times there, but does really well for itself!)<br />
<br />
So it's not likely, come Thursday and the days following, to see much by way of Canadian flags on cars, fans walking down the street in red-and-white or maple-leaf facepaint, cheering on Canada's teams or its players, etc. The one exception here would be on Canada Day itself, since July 1 does overlap with the tournament. But I digress. The point here is that without a national team or identity to cheer for, Canadians are, in fact, quite free to cheer for whomever they so choose during the FIFA World Cup.<br />
<br />
And, boy, do they ever!<br />
<br />
I'd show you pictures if I had any. But, I don't. So you'll have to use your imaginations. Just the other day, in a shopping mall parking lot in Toronto, Ontario, I saw a car decorated with an English flag parked right next to one with a Portuguese flag. A week ago, I went out to see a musical downtown, and found a car festooned with Greek flags in the parking lot there. Even among those I know, people are choosing to support different teams: this person says Spain, that person says Brazil, a third person says Argentina. I remember seeing the streets erupt into celebration when Italy won the
2006 FIFA World Cup; and watched the 2010 Final with a Spanish flag in
one hand, and a Dutch flag in the other, and loudly cheering for both. And you know what? No one cared that I did.<br />
<br />
Growing up in such an ethnically diverse place as the city of Toronto, it's no wonder that even though Canada is not immediately known for its soccer skills (again, with the very important exception of our women's team), there are fans of literally every participating nation in the World Cup just walking the streets here. It's a time of celebration here, where people, just for a moment, revel in the many different peoples and cultures that make up Canada's urban centres. And, on a quick concluding note, now's a really good time for all you Canadians out there to shape up on your flag recognition skills. The next chance won't come around for another four years, it looks like!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<u>References</u><br />
<br />
FIFA, "FIFA World Cup Statistics for Canada". <i>FIFA.com</i>, n.d. Web. 11 June 2014.Kita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-55496132628708519582014-06-06T09:25:00.000-04:002014-06-06T09:29:49.523-04:00Juno Beach: Canada's Pride of World War IIToday, on June 6, 2014, there are people all across the world who are stopping to reflect upon D-Day and the assault on Normandy. Seventy years ago today, a joint British, American, and Canadian force worked to push back the German forces that were posted on the beaches of Normandy, in northwestern France. Their success that day is now remembered as a significant turning point in the War: the opening of a western front from which point the Allies could force the Germans back to their own borders. It's an event that's so well known that it has been immortalized in song and film several times ever since.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/John_Wayne_in_The_Longest_Day_trailer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/John_Wayne_in_The_Longest_Day_trailer.jpg" height="195" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Wayne in the 1962 film <i>The Longest Day</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
That's a rather older example, and not all that familiar to those in my generation, I daresay. But what about this one?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BNzIxNjc3NTcxNF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMDk2NzgwMw@@._V1__SX1303_SY535_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BNzIxNjc3NTcxNF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMDk2NzgwMw@@._V1__SX1303_SY535_.jpg" height="263" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screenshot of the Normandy landing from <i>Saving Private Ryan</i>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The point is that D-Day has become associated with two things, primarily: Allied determination, and extreme bloodshed. Doubtless it was a bloody, hard-fought battle: just the immense scale of the operation should give that away. Five beaches were attacked by the Allies on June 6, 1944. From west to east, these beaches were code-named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Naval_Bombardments_on_D-Day.png/800px-Naval_Bombardments_on_D-Day.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Naval_Bombardments_on_D-Day.png/800px-Naval_Bombardments_on_D-Day.png" height="270" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Hollywood, being what it is, has tended to focus on the two beaches that were tasked to the American forces: Utah and Omaha (it is the latter that is shown in the opening scenes of <i>Saving Private Ryan</i>, for instance). The British were focused on Gold and Sword. That left Juno to the Canadians - and it has been a great source of national pride ever since.<br />
<br />
Canada was heavily involved in the fighting during both WWI and WWII. As a nation and military force, Canada does not hold the same level of prestige as Britain, the United States, France, Germany, etc. In both cases, it is because the Canadian efforts have been seen as joint efforts with others. In WWI, Canada was a dominion of the British Empire, and did not even hold sufficient right to declare war on its own: once Britain was in, Canada was in, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. As for WWII, although Canada had attained enough international clout to issue its own declaration of war and handle its own international affairs, it was still popularly conceived as "British".<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://data2.archives.ca/ap/a/a191020-v6.jpg;pv45f880715f018e0b" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://data2.archives.ca/ap/a/a191020-v6.jpg;pv45f880715f018e0b" height="640" width="468" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b></b>
<br />
<div class="column70">
Lance-Bombardier Walter Cooper, 14th Field Regiment,
Royal Canadian Artillery (R.C.A.), aboard a Landing Ship Tank counting
out 105mm. shells which will be fired on D-Day. Southampton, England, 4
June 1944. (Photograph by Lieut. Frank L. Dubervill) </div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
What this means is that like the other Commonwealth nations (ex. Australia and New Zealand), Canadians have taken particular responsibility in remembering their own achievements from WWI and WWII. For Canadians, then, we then sought out instances where our soldiers have gone above and beyond the call of duty to create something significant not just to our own history, but to the wars' progression overall. In WWI, that lot fell to Vimy Ridge (April 9-12, 2917); and in WWII, although the credit could be more diversely distributed, most of the emphasis has fallen upon Juno Beach.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://data2.archives.ca/ap/a/a136981.jpg;pv4a22953faf0f9e3c" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://data2.archives.ca/ap/a/a136981.jpg;pv4a22953faf0f9e3c" height="310" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b></b>
<br />
<div class="column70">
Infantrymen of The Highland Light Infantry of Canada
aboard LCI(L) 306 of the 2nd Canadian (262nd RN) Flotilla en route to
France on D-Day, 6 June 1944. (Photograph by Lieut. Gilbert Alexander Milne)</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Why Juno Beach? Because there was, in fact, a Canadian distinction involved. It's something that many Canadian schoolchildren know, and it's reiterated year after year on Remembrance Day (November 11) and also on the anniversary of D-Day itself: the Canadian troops were the first to reach their assigned goal out of all the Allied divisions involved, and - because of that - were able to penetrate further into German-occupied France than any of the others on that day.<br />
<br />
Now, I'm not a military historian. I can't tell you the hows of Canada's victory at Juno Beach, or why the Canadians were the first to achieve success. There are plenty of books, websites, etc. addressing that issue, I reckon. All I want to do is give the Canadian troops that took part in D-Day their proper recognition. Hollywood might give us the American story, but D-Day was a joint effort - without each force involved doing its part, the offensive as a whole may not have succeeded.<br />
<br />
And I think, for Canada, seventy years later, that's what matters most.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://data2.archives.ca/ap/a/a205104-v6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://data2.archives.ca/ap/a/a205104-v6.jpg" height="296" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b></b>
<br />
<div class="column70">
Three "D-Day originals" of the Regina Rifle Regiment
who landed in France on 6 June 1944. Ghent, Belgium, 8 November 1944. (Photograph by Lieut. Donald I. Grant)</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://data2.archives.ca/ap/a/a140860-v6.jpg;pv3cffdfb4644d6668" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://data2.archives.ca/ap/a/a140860-v6.jpg;pv3cffdfb4644d6668" height="400" width="380" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Private C.L. Jewell of The North Nova Scotia Highlanders, who wears a "D-Day" beard, Normandy, France, 22 June 1944. (Photograph by Lieut. Ken Bell)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://data2.archives.ca/ap/a/a190906-v6.jpg;pv25b8d516ce1df38e" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://data2.archives.ca/ap/a/a190906-v6.jpg;pv25b8d516ce1df38e" height="400" width="385" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b></b>
<br />
<div class="column70">
Rifleman R.A. Marshall, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada,
pointing out a hole in his helmet made by a German sniper's bullet on
D-Day. Bretteville-Orgueilleuse, France, 20 June 1944. (Photograph by Lieut. Frank L. Dubervill)</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Oh! One more thing. There is, in fact, a film out there focused on the Canadians at Juno Beach: <i>Storming Juno</i>. Based directly off the experiences of three actual soldiers who took part, it does a great job of making the story relatable while keeping the history accurate. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. Here's the trailer, just for starters.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/_VUAJdHk8x0/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/_VUAJdHk8x0&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/_VUAJdHk8x0&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br />
<br />
<u>Image Credits</u><br />
<br />
Screenshot from <i>The Longest Day</i> (c) 20th Century Fox<br />
<br />
Screenshot from <i>Saving Private Ryan</i> (c) Amblin Entertainment<br />
<br />
Map of Normandy Beaches (c) HMSO (Her Majesty's Stationary Office) and the National Archives (UK)<br />
<br />
All photos of Canadian forces in 1944 (c) Library and Archives CanadaKita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-8438478250419561682014-06-04T12:06:00.000-04:002014-06-04T12:08:49.434-04:00The Story in My Mind - How It All BeganI have mentioned, in my "About Me" page here, that I would like to go into writing historical fiction someday. I've already had a Pinterest board devoted to the subject for some time, and now I think it's high time I started saying a bit more about it here.<br />
<br />
FYI: If you want to see<span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="color: black;"> the</span> </span>Pinterest board, it's right here: <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a data-pin-board-width="400" data-pin-do="embedBoard" data-pin-scale-height="200" data-pin-scale-width="80" href="http://www.pinterest.com/kitainoru/the-story-in-my-mind/">Follow Kita's board The Story in My Mind on Pinterest.</a></div>
<br />
So what do I have of it so far? To be honest, not much. I've got ideas for characters, for plot, for themes and settings, etc. but still lack a number of things that a lot of aspiring authors, I daresay, would already have worked out prior to sharing anything. A working title, for instance, would be bloody useful right about now, as would a clear decision on whether this will be a single piece or a series.<br />
<br />
However, one thing that I think my story has that others might not is an earlier version. A previous practice run, if you will, before I decided to actually attempt any sort of formal publishing. It was, in fact, a piece of fanfiction for <i>Axis Powers Hetalia</i> (read: a manga/anime where the characters are all personified nations). At the time, I was working on an entire series titled <i>Sous la Rose</i> (French for "Under the Rose"), that would focus on Canada's history from the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759 onwards. In the first installment, <i>After the Conqueror</i>, I focused on the remainder of the Seven Years War; meanwhile, in its sequel, <i>Brother of Absalom</i>, I picked up from 1763 onwards, dealing with first the political issues in both the Thirteen Colonies and Canada that brought on the American Revolutionary War, and then moving on to that war itself. While my focus, since this was fanfiction, was on the official Hetalia characters in question (Matthew Williams - Canada; Alfred F. Jones - America; Arthur Kirkland - England; and Francis Bonnefoy - France), I did something few Hetalia fanfiction authors had done at the time. I gave significant roles to human OCs (i.e. characters of my own creation that were not personified nations): namely, one Charles Arsenault.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bFtc6tVg-nc/U49BwfHXtsI/AAAAAAAAADM/8DGrdi9K2xM/s1600/A+Gentleman%27s+Weapon+-+lineart+by+ScarletteDiscord.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bFtc6tVg-nc/U49BwfHXtsI/AAAAAAAAADM/8DGrdi9K2xM/s1600/A+Gentleman's+Weapon+-+lineart+by+ScarletteDiscord.jpg" height="400" width="356" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An illustration for <i>Brother of Absalom</i> that was drawn for me by one of my readers: ScarletteDiscord on deviantART (http://scarlettediscord.deviantart.com/). She drew the lineart, while I coloured it. In this, you could see Matthew and Charles.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
(FYI: If, coincidentally, you have read those stories before and are going, "Wait - the author's name wasn't Kita Inoru!", you're right. It wasn't. But I'm not plagiarizing either - I was just using another name at the time.)<br />
<br />
Well then, you ask, where is it? Can we see it? Sadly...no. See, my earlier version of the story no longer exists. When, back in 2012, I became concerned that I wouldn't have the time to finish it, I opted for deleting all the online accounts where I had had it: FanFiction.net, deviantART, etc. In my mind, I'd rather destroy my work than leave my audience hanging in the false expectation that I would continue it. I'm sure, in hindsight, that I disappointed many people in doing this, but I saw it as the necessary thing to be done. And I'd be lying if I said it wasn't painful for me as well.<br />
<br />
So why am I saying all this? Well, because, as life would have it, Monsieur Arsenault here was not having it. Nor were the other human OCs I had created. Even after I'd stopped writing, their stories still persisted in my mind - and, more importantly, they were evolving. "What if," they asked me, "there were no national personifications? What if the focus was on *us*? What would have happened?"<br />
<br />
A situation to which, I'm sure, a lot of authors can relate. <br />
<br />
And that's where I am now. Trying to figure that all out and write it down for you all to see. The changes, as it turns out, have been astounding: the characters have taken drastically different paths than they did in my earlier <i>Sous la Rose</i> stories. Some now live where they had died, and new faces have joined the cast. It's been a lot of fun just thinking it out so far, and I invite you now to join me as I delve into the world of 18th century Quebec to see what these guys (and girls!) have to say. :)Kita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-87091644650445860612014-05-18T12:52:00.000-04:002014-05-18T13:04:53.938-04:00Victoria Day and La Journée Nationale des Patriotes: One Holiday, Two Sides of History<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><i></i> May Long Weekend, May Run, May Two-Four...whatever you decide to call it, Monday, May 19, 2014, is Victoria Day in Canada. For many, it's simply a time for general spring-related festivities: going up to the cottage for the first time in the season, gardening, barbeques, and fireworks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">But there's far more to the holiday than that if we were to look into its history. Victoria Day was first declared as a holiday in 1845, and was celebrated on Queen Victoria's actual birthday - May 24.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K4q10zER_uM/U3eC-2QgxAI/AAAAAAAAAC8/7ohqki2BrFw/s1600/IMG_5453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K4q10zER_uM/U3eC-2QgxAI/AAAAAAAAAC8/7ohqki2BrFw/s1600/IMG_5453.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">Statue of Queen Victoria outside the British Columbia Parliament Buildings in Victoria, B.C.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">Changed to the first Monday prior to May 25 in any given year in 1953, it now also serves as the day on which the ruling British monarch's birthday is celebrated, regardless of whether he or she was actually born then. Queen Elizabeth II, for example, was actually born on April 21, but her "official" birthday is still marked on Victoria Day in Canada. Because of this, where there are at least two flagpoles, federal buildings, airports, and military bases will fly both the Canadian flag and the Union Jack on that day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">(Note: I actually have yet to see this arrangement in person; if anyone has, and has photos, please let me know in a comment - thanks!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">Therefore, it is fitting - and likely no coincidence - that this year's Victoria Day will coincide with a royal visit as the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall take part in a tour of the Maritimes and Manitoba from May 18 through to May 21, 2014. For those in Canada who like to uphold its British heritage and the historical ties with the British monarchy, there is no better way of celebrating Victoria Day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">However, there is, at least, one part of Canada where the story is significantly different: the Province of Quebec. There, Victoria Day (which translates to "Fête de la Reine" - "the Queen's birthday" - in French), has a very different name: La Journée Nationale des Patriotes (National Patriots' Day).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://windupmyskirt.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/affiche-des-patriotes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://windupmyskirt.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/affiche-des-patriotes.jpg" height="241" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">A poster produced for La Journée Nationale des Patriotes in Quebec. You can see here the tricolour flag of the Patriotes, as well as the slogan of one particular branch, called the Fils de la Liberté (Sons of Liberty): "En Avant!"</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">La Journée Nationale des Patriotes commemorates the Patriotes: French-Canadians who participated in the ultimately unsuccessful Lower Canada Rebellion against the British colonial administration in 1837-1838. The outcome of this rebellion was the merging of Upper Canada (English-speaking) and Lower Canada (French-speaking), and many French-Canadians feared that this would ultimately lead to their assimilation into English-Canadian culture. Because of this, the Patriotes represent the need for Quebec to uphold its own distinctive culture and identity. When the holiday was instated in 2003 by the Premier of Quebec, Bernard Landry, he proclaimed that this would allow Quebecers "to underline the importance of the struggle of the patriots of 1837–1838 for the national recognition of our people, for its political liberty and to obtain a democratic system of government."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">How does any of this mesh with a holiday that, for many, seems to be a celebration of Canada's British heritage, and Canada's position as a constitutional monarchy and a member of
the British Commonwealth? Well, while Queen Victoria is remembered as
Canada's "Mother of Confederation", since the nation was first granted
its independence in 1867 during her reign, there is no doubt that, in
popular consciousness, she is still the figurehead of the British Empire during the 19th century. A representative, if you will, of the British and Anglophone hegemony in Canada that arguably still persists today. Yet Canada is not just English; it is French, First Nations, and many other cultures besides.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">Given this, La Journée Nationale des Patriotes is Quebec's message to the rest of Canada, and one that could be echoed by many others here who have been relegated to the sidelines over the years: <b>we still exist, and our history is just as important as yours.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">So no matter what you decide to call the holiday that is marked across Canada on Monday, May 19, 2014, know that its very existence is a testament to our nation's diversity in culture, and in history.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><i>Note: I would like to thank a friend I had a few years ago, Jean-Philippe Bonneville from the Montreal area, for first introducing me to La Journée Nationale des Patriotes. I hadn't heard about it at all until he mentioned it to me back in 2011, and that's become the core inspiration for this post.</i></span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><u>References</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span class="reference-text">Department of Canadian Heritage. "Victoria Day". <i>Government of Canada</i>, 1 May 2013. Web. 17 May 2014.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span class="reference-text"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span class="reference-text">Office of the Premier of Quebec. "Congé férié à l’occasion de la Journée nationale des Patriotes". <i>Gouvernement de Québec</i>, 24 Nov. 2002</span>. Web. 17 May 2014.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">The Canadian Press. "Prince Charles, Camilla set to arrive in Halifax for whirlwind tour." <i>CBC News</i>. 18 May 2014. Web. May 18 2014. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><u>Image Credits</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">Photograph of British Columbia Parliament Buildings (c) Kita Inoru (taken 25 May 2011)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">Poster for La Journée des Patriotes (c) Journeedespatriotes.qc.ca (retrieved 17 May 2014)</span>Kita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-6636293919747977992014-05-14T10:56:00.002-04:002014-10-19T10:26:20.272-04:00When the Telling is Tough: The Case of Passage #5<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><i>Note: This is an edited version of a piece I wrote in the summer of 2013, under a different name, as a submission for a newsletter by and for volunteers in the Hands-On departments of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. I have since switched to another department, but the arguments within this article are still pertinent today.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><i><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-CA</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--></i><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><i><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]--></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Many of the visitors,
volunteers, and staff at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Canada, have had the opportunity to view the BIG exhibit in the
Costumes and Textiles Gallery that ran from November 2012 to January 2014 – especially its main showcase item. The elegant red and black coat-dress from the
House of Dior, <i>Passage #5</i>, was commissioned
by the ROM in 2011 for the purpose of this temporary exhibit. It is “big” in many different ways: requiring
a vast amount of fabric to create, not to mention a good deal of time and
effort </span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hxLfHeK-q1Y/U3OAqMxY-BI/AAAAAAAAACg/N0o53aUZ99I/s1600/ROM+Newsletter+pic+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hxLfHeK-q1Y/U3OAqMxY-BI/AAAAAAAAACg/N0o53aUZ99I/s1600/ROM+Newsletter+pic+1.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">However, what is notable about <i>Passage #5</i> is that it was also “big” in an originally unanticipated
sense: a controversy. The dress’s
designer, John Galliano, was fired from the House of Dior soon after its completion
following his arrest for anti-Semitic comments he had made.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">When it comes to discriminatory behaviour,
anti-Semitism is one of the most offensive forms in the post-Holocaust world
that we live in. Therefore, it is
unsurprising that <i>Passion No. 5</i> drew
some negative attention due to this incident. On October 23, 2012, the online version of Toronto’s <i>Jewish Tribune</i> published an exchange of
letters between the ROM and one of its patrons.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5489400478668921981#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""></a> The patron, who had received a VIP invitation
to BIG’s opening, expressed concerns about the Dior dress: </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 35.65pt 10pt 35.45pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">“I find extreme difficulty in
understanding the rationale of an otherwise worthwhile organization
disregarding the conviction on Sept. 8, 2011, of the creator of this very
piece, on criminal charges relating to Galliano having uttered in public on
multiple occasions antisemitic [sic] statements. With that background I would
have expected ROM to sever its connection to the Galliano-produced piece.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">How
did the ROM respond to this message? It
is, after all, a legitimate concern given the nature of the scandal surrounding
Galliano which has, by extension, placed a stigma on <i>Passage #5</i> itself. Could
someone not perceive the ROM’s exhibiting this piece as the curators’ support
of the artist who created it and his inappropriate sentiments and behaviour?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">However,
that was not the ROM’s intention at all.
In response to the question raised, ROM Head of Communications Shelagh
O’Donnell replied:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 35.65pt 10pt 35.45pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">“The ROM did not disregard the fact of
John Galliano’s antisemitic[sic] statements when it decided to purchase the dress....
The Dior history, and this dress, is now connected to Galliano and his antisemitic[sic]
remarks. The ROM will be explicit about this when the dress is exhibited in
BIG, and whenever it is displayed. It is by being explicit about the history
and associations of the dress that the ROM acts as a responsible museum.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">As it turned out, the
ROM did indeed include a summary of the events surrounding Galliano’s
dismissal, openly visible on the placard next to the dress, and one of the
first things visitors would see upon entering the exhibit. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t_ipUz9dzY0/U3OCD-CgiAI/AAAAAAAAACs/bpluY80GkLE/s1600/ROM+Newsletter+pic+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t_ipUz9dzY0/U3OCD-CgiAI/AAAAAAAAACs/bpluY80GkLE/s1600/ROM+Newsletter+pic+2.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">What this suggests, in my opinion, is that
the ROM’s policy towards this event has been to make it public and, therefore,
incite discussion and raise awareness concerning the very real consequences of
discriminatory behaviour on one’s livelihood and reputation.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">To what extent, though,
should museums tell the unpleasant truth about its artefacts? Human nature being what it is, it is
impossible for curators not to come across some skeletons in the closet in the
process of studying and conserving the items in their collections. The ROM member who had written to express his
concerns to the museum had a valid argument.
As an institution open to the public, the ROM is indeed responsible for
the message it conveys to visitors, and using a dress associated with
anti-Semitism as the showpiece for an upcoming exhibit could inadvertently send
the wrong message.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">However, in my opinion
at least, the ROM and its curators did make the right decision in how they
chose to address the scandal surrounding <i>Passage
#5</i>. Since the ROM is a popular
tourist attraction and cultural institution here in Toronto, it is responsible
for raising awareness about the darker side of human nature and human history
in hopes that visitors and future generations could learn to do better. As the adage goes: “Those who do not learn
from the past are doomed to repeat it.” And in making public the scandal surrounding <i>Passage #5</i>, the ROM has allowed those who, like myself, had previously
been ignorant of what had happened to know the nature of Galliano’s crime and
thus understand the museum’s commitment to telling the truth about history.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><u>References</u></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Jewish Tribune. "We'll let you decide disagreement over dress in ROM's BIG event." <i>Jewish Tribune</i>, 23 Oct. 2012. Web. 11 June 2013.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><u>Image Credits</u></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 0.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Photographs from the Royal Ontario Museum's "BIG" exhibit (c) Kita Inoru (taken 6 June 2013)</span></span></div>
Kita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5489400478668921981.post-72459108073495801292014-05-13T21:37:00.001-04:002014-05-18T12:58:18.683-04:00Book Review: The Orenda by Joseph Boyden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">I've been thinking what I should do for my first proper post here. I want it to be something that is relevant to both my interest in
Canadiana and in history: something that could really show what this blog is going to be about.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">Given that, I start with a Canadian historical fiction novel that was recently recommended to me by friends and colleagues: <i>The Orenda</i> by Joseph Boyden.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.hamishhamilton.ca/storage/library/theorenda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.hamishhamilton.ca/storage/library/theorenda.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">Dubbed the winner of Canada Reads 2014, <i>The Orenda</i> is one of those texts that has suddenly taken off as a piece of modern Canadian literature after it was published in 2013 by Joseph Boyden, an author of mixed First Nations, Irish, and Scottish descent. Perhaps, then, that it is fitting that he had chosen to write about a time of interaction and engagement between First Nations and European groups in Canada's early history.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">As a whole, <i>The Orenda</i> is set within the area near Georgian Bay in Ontario - called Huronia by historians - during the 17th century. The focus is on three distinctive characters and their stories: Bird, a Wendat (i.e. Huron) elder and warrior; Snow Falls, a Haudenosaunee (i.e. Iroquois) girl whom Bird abducts and then raises as his own daughter; and Christophe, a French Jesuit missionary sent to convert the Huron to Christianity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">By examining the events from three different angles, Boyden is able to touch upon the complex issues surrounding French and First Nations relationships in the mid-17th century. Perhaps the narrative that would be the most immediately familiar to the audience would be Christophe's. Sounding like something straight out of the <i>Jesuit Relations</i>, we see in him both an aversion to the Wendat's customs and beliefs, and a growing sense of pity that further drives him towards fulfilling his vocation however possible. In contrast, Bird represents the existent Wendat system of beliefs: much of his narrative focuses on his meditations to his wife, deceased before the book's beginning, as he seeks to come to terms with the hardships faced by his village after the arrival of the Jesuits. Finally, Snow Falls lies somewhere in the middle. From her, we see something of a third party's perspective at first, when she still regards Bird as an enemy; yet, as the novel progresses, she comes more and more to integrate with the Wendat and consider herself one of their number. Against all this is the shadow that is cast by the Haudenosaunee throughout the text. Enemies of both the Wendat and their French "allies", there is a constant threat of violence that finally boils over in the book's concluding chapters.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">Boyden has been criticized for his portrayal of the Haudenosaunee as brutally violent: torturing their war captives in increasingly sadistic ways. However, I do not consider that to be his fault alone. Much of the documented evidence we have from this time period comes from the <i>Jesuit Relations</i>: letters sent from missionaries back to France that are known to have grossly exaggerated their portrayals of Haudenosaunee atrocities in order to both prompt public support for Christianizing the Wendat and to give the Jesuits a sense of valorization in their martyrdom. Yes, the accounts were biased and painted the Haudenosaunee in an incredibly negative light; there is no denying that. Yet, because Boyden chose to tell the story from Wendat and French perspectives, how else would their enemies have been described in their own words? The only real remedy for that I could foresee would be if Boyden had also included a fourth voice: an individual from a Haudenosaunee community that stays Haudenosaunee throughout.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">Boyden gives us many rich descriptions of Wendat customs: their feasts, their attitudes towards the dead, their agricultural cycle, their religious beliefs, etc. It is, for me, approaching a depth that I have rarely found in other novels I have read. In addition, the broader cast of characters allows for multiple perspectives to be given within any one group. Christophe's two colleagues, Gabriel and Isaac, for example, have very different approaches and attitude from him towards their mission - and for Isaac in particular, this ultimately leads to tragedy. For the First Nations, we also are granted a strongly traditionalist point of view in Gosling, an Anishnaabe who had become accepted by the Wendat as a medicine woman, and who serves as the primary voice of opposition to the Jesuits. In her, we see a strong voice that counters any preconceived notion that the First Nations were simplistic or primitive in their beliefs: Gosling holds her own against even Christophe, and often bests him in debate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">However, as someone who went into <i>The Orenda</i> with a curiosity as to how Canada's early history would be depicted, I found myself both satiated, yet wanting more. My greatest complaint here is in the scope of the novel. Ostensibly, <i>The Orenda</i> takes place between 1640 and 1650, during the height and the collapse of the Jesuit mission to the Huron. Yet outside of this vague description, the narrative feels strangely compressed. The story is described as taking place over a period of several years, but the historical events described, in fact, span from 1635 to 1649. In the beginning of the novel, there is a depiction of Samuel de Champlain at the end of his life (he died in 1635), and the conclusion reads like the final spike in violence from the Haudenosaunee against the Wendat and French described in 1648-1649. Hardly several years, that - and for someone with some knowledge of the historical background, the seeming compression of the story was quite frustrating to read.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">Finally, though, what can be said about criticisms of <i>The Orenda</i> as a colonialist narrative? I do not know if that was Boyden's intention; his tripartite narration does suggest that he was aiming for a greater degree of complexity than if he had predominantly offered the French or Jesuit perspective as some of his predecessors (like Brian Moore in the 1985 novel <i>Black Robe</i>). Yet it is still the Wendat and the French that we, as the audience, are meant to sympathize with: the tragedy of the Wendat who were inadvertently decimated by European diseases (smallpox and influenza are specifically mentioned here) and then crushed by a Haudenosaunee fight against the French; and the Jesuit martyrs that formed the basis for the Catholic Church in French Canadian history for centuries to come and who could arguably be a precursor for the clergymen who ran the Indian residential school centuries later.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><i>The Orenda</i> is a broadening of the official narrative that Canadian schoolchildren grow up with, but it does not challenge it, nor go so far as to offer an alternative perspective. Perhaps, someday, a new novel could come along and allow the voice of the Haudenosaunee to be heard as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><u>References</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">Boyden, Joseph. <i>The Orenda</i>. Toronto: Penguin, 2013. Print.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">King, Hayden. "The Orenda faces tough criticism from First Nations scholar". <i>CBC News</i>., 7 Mar. 2014. Web. 13 May 2014.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><u>Image Credits</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">Cover image for <i>The Orenda</i> (c) Penguin Canada Books Inc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>Kita Inoruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18019376964053738694noreply@blogger.com7