Sojourner Mentality

Although Chinese communities flourished, many people had the “sojourner mentality” which meant they thought they were going to live in Canada temporarily, and ultimately move back to their birthplace. Patterns of close links to native villages through remittances and recurrent trips back are telling of the sojourner mentality, as is the supplementary expectation of many migrants that would withdraw from work and retire to China. Although there were countless emigrant Chinese who went overseas looking for adventure and entirely expecting to reside everlastingly in their host country, if given decent opportunities and reasonable treatment, all Chinese were certain to be swayed by certain Chinese cultural norms. In China, the sense of native

place is tremendously resilient. Even those Chinese who migrated within China itself, looking for prospects and revenue, did not willingly abandon their native places and families; they sent payments and believed they would return eventually, if it was possible. The same was true of Chinese who migrated farther away. By the time Chinese started to come to Canada, the expectations and arrangements of sojourning migration were deep-rooted in South China communities that had directed generations of emigrants to Southeast Asia and were now to lead generations to North America.

The Chinese thought that they would lose their identity and individualism if they were away from their host country for a long period of time. Nationality was vital for international migration. The notion of belonging to state, having bonds to it by birth, or having strong rights and responsibilities, was very important to the people living in China back then. A powerful way of describing China was by their culture, such as religion, philosophy, arts and language. Culture, nationality and identity were facets that kept China composed, and were motives for why people wanted to return home. Although people were pushed away from China due to trade, limited farmland, and unstable politics, many people were pulled back to China because they wanted to retire in their homeland. Retirement migration involved people from Hong Kong and Taiwan. The magnetisms of retiring in China were that pensions from external areas of China go further in China, there was low-cost private healthcare accessible, and their extended families delivered company and

friendship. The problem of assimilation plays a large aspect in whether Orientals wanted to move back to China or remain to reside in Canada. The word “assimilation” means the course by which a person obtains the social and mental characteristics and features of a group. It is argued that since Orientals cannot merge into the organic union of Canadian life by intermarriage with white people, they will always persist as foreigners. Answering this argument, Professor Smith says:
“Assimilation of peoples is something quite different from the amalgamation of races. The former is a question of living together for common purposes which constitute the actual social structure of the nation. The latter is a question which belongs to the strange operations of nature which, in the main, society, with its present inadequate knowledge, can exercise no safe control, but would simply intermeddle and probably spoil. What degree of fusion has taken place between the British- and the French-Canadian sections of the population, though these sections have been living side by side for nearly two centuries? The fusion is so negligible that it is insufficient for discussion, and will likely be insignificant for a century of more.”4

The alteration to language, customs, ideals, ideas, and the models of living were very important phases for the overseas Chinese. It is argued that Canadians should help Orientals with their standard of living, which can only occur if wages are improved to that of Canadian workers. Social judgment should also be revoked. Orientals should be treated as equals, allowing for equality to flourish. It is evident that Canadians should express sympathy, understand, and
4Cheng, Tianfang. "The Problem of Assimilation." Oriental Immigration in Canada. Shanghai: Commercial, 1931. 236-37. Print.

appreciate them to help them alter their lifestyles to their new environments. Adjusting to a new place was tremendously difficult for Orientals because they wanted to have close ties to their home, which included their culture and identity. They were worried that by moving to Canada, they would lose sense of identity and nationality, which would be irreversible. It was difficult for Orientals to involve themselves with Canadians, and feel at ease in their surroundings. Due to this reason, men wanted to find work in Canada, and eventually move back to their host country, finally acquiring what they have wanted for a long period of time. Although this was the case, some people did move back to China, whereas others stayed in Canada. The typical Chinese migrant before 1923 was uneducated and was not well-informed about the English language. After 1967, urban, well educated, English speaking Chinese arrived in Canada. Their involvements in Chinese-Canadian communities have been very dissimilar from that of their compatriots of a previous generation. In those communities, the deterioration came to an end, and migration helped excite rehabilitated community attitudes in the Chinese population of Canada. By the mid 1960’s, the sojourner Chinese was becoming a social type of the past. This was in part a consequence of deviations in immigration guidelines, which permitted Chinese in a large selection of settings throughout the world to migrate to Canada. Coming as they did from communities dispersed throughout the world, the post -1967 immigrants transported a range of skills and complexity which replicated dissimilar cultural traditions. That diversity was mostly marked in the larger urban centres, especially Toronto, where a course of accommodation and reworking was essential, not only to Canadian society in general, but also to current Canadian-Chinese communities. Now Chinese Canadians could appreciate a more committed connection to Canada then ever was imaginable before. Overall, Chinese residents were able to manage successfully with the complexities of Canadian society. Before the 1920’s, many overseas Chinese planned on returning home, however, as the generations continued, people were able to settle in Canada and make a life for themselves without any form of discrimination.
The move from China to Canada became a positive experience for overseas Chinese, and due to their relocation, Chinese communities in Toronto became very popular and sought-after.

Although Chinese migration to Canada was a positive experience, many people had a “sojourner mentality,” believing that they would eventually return to China. This varied due to the generations that resided in Canada. Orientals immigrated to Canada because of employment, the gold rush and a better sense of politics. Although Chinese people did have a difficult time adjusting to Canadian customs and ideals, the move was overall a positive decision. Communities that the Chinese formed helped them create a sense of family and allowed them to relate to other people in their position. Chinatown, which is located in Toronto, started off poorly, but eventually began to thrive and became a community that they were proud of. This community is still very successful to this day, and is viewed as a tourist attraction. Although this was the case, many overseas Chinese had a “sojourner mentality” which meant they wanted to return home after residing in Canada for quite some time. As the future generations progressed, people decided to stay in Canada because they had a stronger sense of education, and adjusting to new societal norms was not as difficult. Overall, Chinese-Canadians constitute a large group in Canada, and Chinese communities in Canada comprise of one of the largest overseas communities in North

America.