File spoon-archives/postcolonial.archive/postcolonial_1999/postcolonial.9902, message 25


Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999 21:12:58 -0400 (AST)
From: Heather Joanne Stretch <hstretch-AT-is2.dal.ca>
Subject: Re: Faith Crisis!!!


I've been having a similar faith crisis, but mine is about studying Native
North American Lit.  (why am i doing it?  whom does it serve, etc)  and
right now my working answer (and it might be pretty specific to me and
Native Lit) is:

The reading and the discussion of the literature fosters discussion and
understanding and therefore combats racism. (but, of course, this is not
automatic, and there are lots of other dangers involved, not the least of
which is elitist discourse that may in fact exclude the very people who
are writing or are in the communities that are the subjects of the
writings.)

In order to know where I'm coming from I have to understand my ancestoral
history, which includes some really horrifying stuff that mainstream
non-Native Canada likes to forget and ignor, but the histories of Natives
and of non-Natives in this country are linked...I cannot understand my own
history without understanding something of Native histories. (and of
course fiction is way more fun to read than history books, and most of the
official history in Canada is pretty racist anyway, so I figure I'm
learning at least as much history reading fiction as I would reading
history books)

More broadly, the study of Literatures from different traditions pushes me
to question the criteria, models, and theories within which and by which I
understand and judge literature.  Reading stuff that doesn't fit into the
models of English Canonical Literature makes me question why we've drawn
the lines and defined things the way we have, and encourages me to develop
new reading strategies; to listen in new ways...it reveals to me my own
preconceptions and centers.  

I don't know if any of this makes any sense to anyone except myself, but
what the heck, I feel like it's a good idea for me to read/think
about/study it, so I can only assume it is beneficial for others too.  

Heather Stretch
Dalhousie University 



On Thu, 4 Feb 1999, Clara Joseph wrote:

> The following is a mind boggling question I'm trying to answer for
> purposes of a panel discussion.  I thought I knew 'the' answer to this
> one but currently feel quite confused.
> 
> Why do we need to teach postcolonial literature?
> 
> I will appreciate any thoughts / comments on this question.
> 
> Thanks,
> Clara
> 



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