Date: Mon, 8 Feb 1999 12:30:56 -0700 (MST)
From: C Suzack <csuzack-AT-gpu.srv.ualberta.ca>
Subject: Re: Some More


Dear Ken and Lloyd,

I was attempting to negotiate locations in my post about the Oka Crisis
in order to retain the idea of different locations of cultural memory. I
wasn't suggesting "it's disappearance from Canadian cultural memory is
devious or obviously postcolonial." Rather, I wanted to point to the
limitations of King's position in arguing against First Nations literature
as postcolonial. The film and much of the literature (though not the writing
King privileges in his essay) engage questions that, for me, are necessarily
postcolonial--land rights, citizenship, ongoing colonization. Thus my
quesiton, if not postcolonial then what? And I wouldn't necessarily lump
together historical events such as the "Riel Rebellion, The Plains Of
Abraham, the GST, Free Trade and the Leaf's last Stanley Cup." I might go
the route of 1492, 1869, 1871, 1969, Kahnesatake, Gustafson Lake, the Nisg'a
Treaty. I am attempting to get at the idea that the Oka Crisis is more
easily side-stepped for some constituencies than for others and points to a
long history of cultural amnesia. 

Cheryl


On Mon, 8 Feb 1999, Ken MacDonald wrote:

> Hi Cheryl and Loyd,
> 
> I was intrigued by the comment that Kahnesatake has faded from the cultural
> memory of the majority of Canadians.  Not so much that I agree or disagree
> with you (though, I think the idea of the legitimacy of resistance is much
> greater now than it was say even 20 years ago), I'm just curious as to how
> we go about determining what contstitutes the 
> "cultural memory of the majority of Canadians"?
> 
> Ken
> 
> 
> At 12:49 AM 2/8/99 -0500, you wrote:
> >Cheryl:
> >
> >With respect to the Kahnesatake incident/uprising's "galvanizing 
> >effect," i think that one wants to be careful when suggesting that 
> >it's disappearance from Canadian cultural memory is devious or 
> >obviously postcolonial.  There are many incidents which have 
> >slipped from the Canadian cultural memory.  i'm inclined to put it 
> >down to Canadians' [blind] faith in "peace, order and good 
> >government," ridiculous optimism, CNN shortened attention spans, 
> >ahistoricism and general apathy.
> >
> >File the incident with the Riel Rebellion, The Plains Of Abraham, 
> >the GST, Free Trade and the Leaf's last Stanley Cup.
> >
> >Still, it is from such cultural inadequacies as listed above and not, 
> >perhaps from intentionality, that postcolonial approaches do not 
> >have wide currency in Canada... if i may generalize...
> >
> >Lloyd Rang (UofGuelph)
> >
> >
> >     --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
> >
> >
> Ken I. MacDonald
> Dept. Of Geography
> 316 Jessup Hall
> University of Iowa
> Iowa City, IA
> USA  52242-1316
> 
> (319) 335-1137
> (319) 335-2725 fax
> kenneth-macdonald-AT-uiowa.edu
> 
> 
>      --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
> 





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