In today’s society, many struggle to freely demonstrate their identity in fear of potential backlash and disapproval from others. While examining the two poems within this assignment, "sturgeon" as well as "the same as trees," I distinguished the overarching theme of identity crisis, and the inability for individuals to effectively express themselves. The first poem being analyzed is “the same as trees” by Nicola I. Campbell. As a member of the Métis community, Campbell’s life has not been simple. Often, people of Métis origin have difficulty navigating their European and Indigenous roots. Campbell recognizes this issue, as her poem mirrors this reality and emphasizes the challenges Métis people must overcome when presented with these obstacles: …show more content…
This distance can lead to confusion and a feeling of being lost in life, which can overwhelm a child and introduce mental health complications like depression. Statistically speaking, almost one in four Métis youth struggle with mood disorders (Statistics Canada). However, this adversity is not simple to overcome, and requires them to develop new experiences in order to foster strength and make confident decisions. Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm is the author of “Sturgeon”, the second poem being analyzed, and a member of the First Nations community. Known for disproportionately high illicit activities, research shows nearly 62% of First Nations members have experienced abuse at least once, compared to only 42% in the rest of the population (Statistics Canada). Her poem compares her own struggles of feeling lost, alone and lacking a sense of identity to that of a sturgeon: the feel of strange hands touching my body, the struggle to be free, the longing to go where I want to go (Akiwenzie-Damm 5-10). The author feels uncomfortable in her current situation, and yearns to be free and have control over herself. The mention of “the struggle to be free” indicates she is not her true
Rituals, teachings, ceremonies and identities of the Aboriginal people were lost and neglected in the past. Even today, those of the culture continue to heal and strengthen from the consequences. In Louise Halfe’s poem “My Ledders,” a native woman addresses the Pope expressing her passionate feelings towards the traditions that were robbed of her culture, while pleading him to change the teachings back to the original way. In the letter the speaker writes as if she was speaking, using phonetic spelling and broken English, asking the Pope if he could use his power to retain the native culture, as the government may listen to him. Directly linking the losses of native traditions, customs and languages to the residential school system, the speaker uses orature combining a native dialect along with satire to express how the losses in one generation continue to affect the aboriginal identity in future generations.
“The Hollow Tree” is a memoir of a man by the name of Herb Nabigon who could not
Every individual has two lives, the life we live, and the life we live after that. Nobody is perfect, but if one works hard enough, he or she can stay away from failure. The Natural is a novel written by Bernard Malamud. It is Malamud’s first novel that initially received mixed reactions but afterwards, it was regarded as an outstanding piece of literature. It is a story about Roy Hobbs who after making mistakes in his life, he returns the bribery money and is left with self-hatred for mistakes he has done. Hobbs was a baseball player who aspired to be famous, but because of his carnal and materialistic desire, his quest for heroism failed, as he was left with nothing. In the modern world, the quest for heroism is a difficult struggle, and this can be seen through the protagonist in The Natural.
Canadians are just recently beginning to realize the detrimental aftermath of the years of trauma experienced by Indigenous peoples of Canada, such as the survivors of the residential school system. It is often difficult for these people to overcome the impact that follows. Undoubtedly, it requires help and support from others, but these people must make their personal healing journey themselves. The passages “Rock Bottom” by Steven Keewatin Sanderson and the “Legend of the Sugar Girl” by Joseph Boyden prove that although trauma can significantly undermine groups of people, they can overcome their difficulties. Both authors illustrate how trauma negatively affects characters, causes them to fall victim
Connie Fife is a Saskatchewan, Cree poet who writes using her unique perspective, telling of her personal experiences and upbringing. This perspective is revealed to her audience through the poems “This is not a Metaphor”, “I Have Become so Many Mountains”, and “She Who Remembers” all of which present a direct relationship to her traditional background and culture (Rosen-Garten, Goldrick-Jones 1010). To show the relationship of her experiences through her poetry, Fife uses the form of dramatic monologue, as well as modern language and literal writing to display themes about racism presenting her traditional viewpoint to her audience.
“The Bean Trees” one of the best-selling novels written by Barbara Kingsolver writes a story about a girl by the name Marietta who leaves home in hopes of starting a new life. Marietta who avoided pregnancy her high school years, which was very common to happen finishes school and gets a job at a hospital after about 5 years she saves enough money for an old car to finally leave Kentucky and start a new life. Starting a new life meant she wanted to have a new name. She chooses the name after stalling at a town in in which she took the name after.
The novel Halfbreed is a powerful account of the seemingly endless struggles that face the Métis people. The unifying theme of getting past shame lends hope for a better life to those who have faced similar struggles, and the direct tone and use of metaphors and conflict make the story meaningful even to those who have not. Maria Campbell took the horrible circumstances of her early life and created a simple yet highly impactful novel. It brings to light issues that are often ignored by any easily accessible media, and as such, it is an important example of the power of the written word. It is only through firsthand knowledge of the issues involved that one can truly become motivated to make a change, and Maria Campbell’s book gives everyone this opportunity.
How does the extract affect the whole story? (The Persimmon Tree by Marjorie Barnard) Extract: “I liked the room from the first… anyone who appeared to have her life so perfectly under control. ” Question: How does the extract affect the whole story? The writer of the story “The Persimmon Tree”, Marjorie Barnard, was born in Sydney. She was a novelist, historian, biographer as well as librarian in her lifetime.
In contrast, the "Agreement Between the U.S. and the Spokane Indians" and Annette Gordon-Reed's "Growing Up with Juneteenth" offer glimpses of the resilience and perseverance of marginalized communities in the face of adversity. These works highlight the ongoing struggle for recognition, self-determination, and the preservation of cultural identity, even in the face of systemic oppression. We can sense the pride and determination of these communities, their refusal to be erased or
Native American children were physically and sexually abused at a school they were forced to attend after being stripped from their homes in America’s attempt to eliminate Native peoples culture. Many children were caught running away, and many children never understood what home really meant. Poet Louise Erdich is part Native American and wrote the poem “Indian Boarding School: The Runaways” to uncover the issues of self-identity and home by letting a student who suffered in these schools speak. The poem follows Native American kids that were forced to attend Indian boarding schools in the 19th and 20th centuries. By using imagery, allusion, and symbolism in “Indian Boarding School: The Runaways”, Louise Erdrich displays how repulsive Indian
The psychological damage done to the lives of those who were taken continue to be impacted and further pass down its impacts to younger generations. In contemporary society, Aboriginal families face psychological trauma in complex varieties, including grief, mental illnesses, family violence, parenting practises and behavioural problems (Dungeon, 2014). Murphy (2011) notes that in an ethnographic case study, she found many instances of parental grief as some parents did not end up seeing their children ever again after they had been taken away. The trauma of physically losing a child would have everlasting effects on the parents’ mental health as well as their families, especially with the context of having no contact or information about their exact whereabouts (Ibid). As mentioned previously, the mental health of children from the Stolen Generations were significantly impacted and a strong inequity in health demonstrates how Aboriginal families still agonize the trauma decades after the events initially occurred.
Fontaine’s willingness to discuss his gruesome journey of a loss of identity brings awareness to the issue, soliciting other First Nations who are hesitant to speak up to build the confidence to confront the abuse that occurred at residential schools. Fontaine volunteers to have his story told in front of a federal government lawyer. At the hearing, he must answer questions about his abuse claims. Fontaine enters the room in panic and feels similar emotions to his time at residential schools; however, Fontaine understands that his hearing will be the beginning of his journey of healing. “This is the day of my healing, the long-waited opportunity to tell representatives of the government of Canada about my experience in residential schools. I’ve had to bring legal action
Sometimes in life, identity gets mixed up and can become a confusing aspect of life. People are a product of their environment, which is a factor in shaping identity. The protagonist in the book, Vanessa MacLeod, witnesses and experiences both types of identity. She sees the influence of the Canadian national identity in her Grandfather Connor, Scottish heritage in her Grandmother MacLeod, Irish heritage in her Uncle Dan, which ultimately influence Vanessa’s personal identity. Canada is one of the major influences of Grandfather Connor’s identity.
After the period of colonization of Canada, the colonized group, the Indigenous people encountered extreme racism and hatred from the oppressor. In the short story, “The Loons” by Margaret Laurence talks about a young Metis girl, Piquette who tries to adapt to radical change but fails to do so as she grows up under a civilization that suppresses the Metis group. Using post-colonial lens, it helps us empathize for those who undergo similar or identical occurrence. It helps the readers to recognize the issues how the colonizer has affected the colonized people, those who are subordinates. She faces extreme prejudice from the whites, the colonizer and poverty as she is not given the opportunity or the chance to be financially stable When European settlers colonized Canada, the Indigenous people were oppressed and were faced with utmost discrimination, and prejudice that affected the life of Indigenous people in a negative way.
This week’s readings touched on the experiences of Indigenous Elders to demonstrate the upsetting realities of poverty and poor-health, that can be attributed to the lasting effects of colonization. Contributing to our understanding of this week’s topic on the wisdom of our Elders, the readings share the life experiences and perspectives of Indigenous women who have shown strength and resilience in the face of systemic oppression. The experiences expressed in the text shows how valuable it is to pass down heritage, as it can play a crucial part in individual identity formation. Although the methods of presentation-participatory research, reflection, journal entries and poetry-were different amongst the readings, the themes were consistent.