Sunday, June 17, 2007
The True North Lack of Culture
So, I thought that I would test out one of our assumptions from class about Canadian identity, mainly the fact that it is believed that Canada has no culture (as we view ourselves based on our American counterparts). I asked one of my friends where she was from and she said Trinidad but when I asked her where she was born and raised she told me at Toronto General and in Mississauga...
The way I see it, when people say that Canada has no culture I think what they mean is that this country is so accepting of the cultures of others, it almost seems as if Canadian culture is composed of the various "foreign" cultures of its inhabitants. However, I believe that this mainly comes from the fact that our definitions of culture may differ. To many, culture is simply a mode of traditional dress or cooking food whereas it actually encompasses all aspects of human behaviour. So I don't think that the "lack of Canadian culture" has to do with the States per say but rather a mere misunderstanding... eh?
The way I see it, when people say that Canada has no culture I think what they mean is that this country is so accepting of the cultures of others, it almost seems as if Canadian culture is composed of the various "foreign" cultures of its inhabitants. However, I believe that this mainly comes from the fact that our definitions of culture may differ. To many, culture is simply a mode of traditional dress or cooking food whereas it actually encompasses all aspects of human behaviour. So I don't think that the "lack of Canadian culture" has to do with the States per say but rather a mere misunderstanding... eh?
# posted by Stacey Thompson @ 4:29 PM 
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I completely agree that culture covers all aspects of human behaviour. That's why when people ask where I'm from I say Toronto or Canada. Even though my parents are from the orient, I was born and raised here and it's the culture I'm most familiar with. (I also only speak English so I hate when people speak to me in Chinese or Vietnamese.)
As for the lack of Canadian culture, I kind of think it's lack of culture is it's culture. The culture of Canada is to be accepting of all ethnicities (at least in recent decades.) The culture of Canada is to be proud of our natural resources and not offend. That's why they had chose the anthem O Canada instead of the other one that spoke about all hail the Queen and kick out those French. I also think part of being Canadian is NOT being American so comparisons are always being made of being different from the U.S.
As for the lack of Canadian culture, I kind of think it's lack of culture is it's culture. The culture of Canada is to be accepting of all ethnicities (at least in recent decades.) The culture of Canada is to be proud of our natural resources and not offend. That's why they had chose the anthem O Canada instead of the other one that spoke about all hail the Queen and kick out those French. I also think part of being Canadian is NOT being American so comparisons are always being made of being different from the U.S.
Hmmm. When I personally hear people saying that Canada has no culture, I always guess that what they mean is, because Canada is a "new" country (as opposed to Asian or European states), it lacks that deep cultural element you can truly feel when you walk, say, in Rome or Moscow. My interpretation of the statement is purely historical.
I've been thinking about the whole concept about Canada not having a "culture" and how people are more prone to saying where they are from internationally while there are those that will state that they are "Canadian" instead of rattling off their countries of origin. It seems like a double edge sword because when people say where they are from as opposed to just saying Canada it seems that they are denouncing the importance of being Canadian, yet when someone says that they are just "Canadian" it seems that they are being ignorant to what their backgrounds are. With Canada being relatively young, especially in terms of immigration, those that say where they are from originally can do so because they still have ties with the old countries. As time goes on and people become more and more mixed they cannot identify with one single place so they truly do become "Canadian". For example, my father was born in Holland and my mom is French and Hungarian. I have a very close connection with being Dutch because that is where my fathers entire side still lives. When people ask me what I am I say I'm mostly Dutch and then say French and Hungarian, but I do not feel any affinity to them. Then there is my sister who just got married and her husband has a background with 4-5 nationalities. With my sisters 3 and her husbands 4 their child may not feel a tie with one over another, and even more so with their own children. So after that ramble, I think that Canada is at a time of a divide and I agree with Najat's historical interpretation- Once a few hundred years go by and affinities with other places become so minimal (that is a big IF considering immigration is depended on so heavily for our population) there is the chance that Canada will become a point of reference like the old European countries etc.
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