Erasure
Borders
• The narrator's mother is seen to be explaining
She tells the narrator about the stories of the stars, and she has a clear motive for doing so because she indicates that she expected him to remember what she was saying.
• By correctly retelling the stories, the mother is able to pass down the stories to the future generations as a way to keep the Indigenous culture and beliefs alive.
• By doing so, the narrator's mother In doing so, the mother of the storyteller contributes to preventing cultural erasure by ensuring that people are aware of and engaged with Indigenous storytelling.
"We sat out under the stars that night, and my mother told me all sorts of stories. She was serious about it, too. She'd tell them slow, repeating parts as she went, as if she expected me to remember each one" (King, 142).
• The guards assume that the protagonist, a Blackfoot woman, must be a citizen of either Canada or the United States, despite her insistence on her Indigenous identity and right to cross freely between both sides of the border.
• This demonstrates their ignorance of the complexity and diversity of Indigenous identities and cultures, and their attempt to force Indigenous peoples into adapting Western practices and erase their distinct identities and histories.
• The border itself is a product of settler colonialism, imposed by European powers through colonization and conquest. The border divides Indigenous lands and communities, separating families and disrupting traditional ways of life.
• The border guards present their discrimination by denying the narrator and his mother entry into the country.
• The guards detain her until she can accurately call herself Canadian or American, which is unnecessary harassment as the inspector, Stella, mentions that she doesn't even need to write it on any forms.
• Though it isn't immediately apparent, the narrator is proud of his mother for the manner she confronted the border guards.
• The mother's pride takes the form of cultural pride, and the idea of resistance is represented by the mother's pride.
• She is proud of her Blackfoot origin and long line of Indigenous identity, thus she chooses not to fit into the norms of the colonial society and guarantees that she does not fit into the Canadian or American cultural identity.
"It would have been easier if my mother had just said "Canadian" and been done with it, but I could see she wasn't going to do that" (King, 137)
• The narrator's mother embodies many characteristics.
that allow for the survivance of their Indigenous heritage.
• The mother tells her daughter of all the great things that are in Coutts, as a way to get her to stay in touch with her Indigenous roots.
• The mother also explains the stories of the stars to the son, to ensure that he remembers the importance of these Indigenous stories as a way to pass down Indigenous culture throughout the future generations.
"You can still see the mountain from here" (King, 135).
• Assimilation is closely linked to erasure, as it involves the forced adoption of dominant cultural norms and the suppression of minority cultures.
• The border guards' insistence on the mother identifying as either Canadian or American reflects the dominant culture's attempt to assimilate Indigenous peoples and erase their cultures.
“and I'd be proud of being Blackfoot if I were Blackfoot. But you have to be American or Canadian” (King, 141).
• The story touches on the legacy of colonization and its ongoing impact on Indigenous peoples.
• The mother’s Blackfoot identity is a reminder of the history of Indigenous people's displacement and dispossession.
• The story highlights the importance of acknowledging and addressing the ongoing impacts of colonialism on Indigenous people and the need for greater recognition and respect for Indigenous rights and sovereignty.
• "The thing to remember," my mother says, "is that they didn't come from anywhere, they came from everywhere. They just kept coming until there was no room left for anybody else, and now they're claiming that there's no room for us."
• The root of the conflict in the story "Borders" by Thomas King is the clash between the protagonist's Indigenous identity and the imposition of the border between Canada and the United States, which represents the dominant settler colonial society.
• Her refusal to identify as Canadian or American also challenges the colonial project of colonizing Indigenous peoples into Western categories and erasing their distinct identities and cultures.
• The border guards' insistence on the mother identifying as either Canadian or American reflects the erasure of Indigenous identities and cultures that has been perpetuated by colonialism.
• The border guards’ insistence on these labels reinforces the dominant culture's attempt to erase these identities.
• The mother’s insistence on identifying as Blackfoot rather than Canadian or American can be seen as a rejection of the erasure of Indigenous identities and cultures.
• The dominant culture has long attempted to assimilate and erase Indigenous peoples, and the mother’s refusal to conform to Canadian or American identity can be seen as a form of resistance against this erasure.
Main Idea
• The story focuses on the narrator's mother's struggle to assert her identity as a Blackfoot woman, despite pressure from border guards to identify as either Canadian or American.
• The mother resists these labels due to the disconnect to both countries.
• She wants to assert her Indigenous identity instead, which is illustrated through her repeatedly mentioning that she is “Blackfoot” rather than Canadian or American.
Coyote Columbus Story
• Storytelling is used as a tool to challenge dominant narratives and provide a critical analysis of the colonization of America.
• The story is told from the perspective of Coyote, a trickster figure from Indigenous oral traditions, who questions the Eurocentric version of history that portrays Christopher Columbus as a heroic figure and the discovery of America as a great accomplishment.
• The notion of Columbus as a discoverer is challenged and instead, he is portrayed as a conqueror who brought destruction and violence to the Indigenous peoples of America.
• The story portrays Columbus as the discoverer of America, erasing the Indigenous people's presence in the land for thousands of years before his arrival. This portrayal perpetuates the narrative of colonialism, which marginalizes Indigenous people by disregarding their history and culture.
• Furthermore, the story portrays Indigenous people as less civilized than Columbus, which is a form of cultural marginalization. Coyote, who is representative of Indigenous people in the story, is depicted as dishonest and inferior to Columbus. The portrayal of Coyote perpetuates the stereotype that Indigenous people are savage and untrustworthy, which marginalizes their culture and perpetuates a false narrative that justifies colonization.
• In the story, the narrator uses humour
to explain the situation of how Columbus "discovered" the Americas.
• By taking a modern perspective to the whole situation, the narrator is able to take a light hearted approach as to what actually happened.
• This creates erasure as the narrator is not expressing the real severity as to what happened when Columbus colonized the Americas, but instead sugarcoats the story. This erases the past struggles and challenges that the Indigenous people faced to settle in the land.
• The story explores the Western history's popular narrative and shows the errors and flaws in Columbus' story of discovery.
• The belief that Columbus "found" America suggests that it was unknown or unexplored before Columbus' arrival, which is not the case. The territory had previously been occupied by Indigenous people for thousands of years, and Columbus' arrival marked the start of a terrible chapter in Indigenous history that witnessed displacement, mistreatment, and genocide of the Indigenous people.
• The phrase "found" effectively erases indigenous peoples' presence and culture, therefore negating their contribution to history. This perspective reflects a colonial mentality that dehumanizes and erases the indigenous people and perpetuates a narrative that casts Columbus as a hero while ignoring the significant human cost of his actions.
"It is a party for Christopher Columbus, says Coyote. That is the one who found America. That is the one who found Indians (King, 123).
• The erasure present through land
is seen when Columbus comes to the Americas, and tries to take over and colonize the Indigenous space.
• This land theft erases the history of the land that was occupied by the Indigenous people and completely disregards their experiences to get to where they are.
Treaties
• The concept of treaties can also be connected to erasure. Treaties between Indigenous people and colonial powers were often used to take control of Indigenous land and resources.
• These treaties were not upheld by the colonial powers and the Indigenous people often got the shorter end of the stick, which led to the erasure of their culture, languages etc.
• The concept of assimilation is connected to erasure. Columbus’ arrival and his wish to take the Indigenous people to sell them in Spain is an act of assimilation. This erases the Indigenous cultures and traditions by removing people from their communities and forcing them to adapt to a new lifestyle.
• The concept of the coyote as a trickster is emphasized. Coyote's use of humour to challenge Columbus's desires reveals the absurdity of Columbus's intentions and highlights the power imbalances at play. Furthermore, Coyote's ability to create the world and all its creatures shows her as a powerful figure who can manipulate events to her advantage.
"But that Christopher Columbus and his friends don't want to play ball" (King, 125).
• The dominant perspective, that Christopher Columbus “discovered” the Americas, leads to the erasure of Indigenous culture and history.
• The word, "discover" creates a sense of erasure of the struggles and experiences that the Indigenous communities had to face to come to North America, as the story completely disregards the Indians who were already living on the land prior to Columbus' colonization.
• Columbus tries to hide the fact that the Indigenous people were ever living on the land, as a way to take credit for their struggles and challenges.
• By saying that Christopher Columbus was the one to discover America, it is insinuating that the Indigenous communities never really existed in that area, even though they had already been settled. The word creates a sense of erasure of the struggles and experiences that the Indigenous communities had to face to come to North America, as the story completely disregards the Indians who were already living on the land prior to Columbus' colonization.
• The story highlights the importance of Indigenous storytelling and oral traditions. It emphasizes the power of storytelling to convey history and culture, and shows how Indigenous peoples use stories to preserve their traditions and ways of life.
• Coyote is portrayed as a trickster figure from the Indigenous culture. It uses humour and cleverness to show the ways in which Indigenous people were mistreated and exploited by the settlers. For example, when they are playing “ball” with the Indigenous, they keep on changing the rules in order to win.
Joe the Painter
Storytelling
• Joe organizes a pageant to tell the story of the Deer Island Massacre from an Indigenous perspective.
• He attempts to counter false narratives presented by the colonial residents of the town, who have historically controlled the narrative of the event.
• Joe aims to educate and raise awareness among the community about the true history of the massacre.
• The use of storytelling serves as a powerful tool to confront and challenge the dominant narrative
Humour
• Through the use of humour, satire, and irony in his stories about Indigenous peoples and their struggles in the fight to prosper, Thomas King is able to challenge dominant stereotypes and narratives of Indigenous communities, and explain the severity of historical scenarios without overwhelming the reader.
• This allows for the elimination of erasure as Thomas King is able to shame certain characters for their stereotypical beliefs or views, which allows for more recognition towards Indigenous practices and culture.
Cultural Pride
• Indigenous people participating in the pageant are likely motivated by a desire to challenge the dominant narrative of Canadian history and to assert their own cultural identity.
• The pageant serves as a form of resistance against colonialism and a means of educating non-Indigenous Canadians about the history of colonialism and the ongoing struggles of Indigenous peoples for justice and self-determination.
• By participating in the pageant, Indigenous people are challenging the forces of assimilation and are able to share their knowledge and experiences with a wider audience, and to challenge the stereotypes and myths that have been used to justify colonialism and oppression.
• This story seeks to reclaim the history of the Deer Island Massacre, which is an event in which Indigenous people were murdered by the colonials.
• Through the pageant, Joe reclaims the true narrative of the event and is able to share the truth of what really happened, which counters the western narrative.
• He challenges the dominant narrative surrounding the event, which has often erased and ignored the Indigenous experiences.
Truth vs. Dominant Narrative
• The main character takes his opportunity when participating in the pageant to tell the story of how the town, Deer Island, came to be.
• Many times, in society the dominant perspective is told and communities are forced to believe the one viewpoint that is heard.
• By incorporating all of the different perspectives and the opinions of the different groups or different people involved in the event itself, society will be able to learn more about the hidden side to many stories, which is usually the Indigenous point of view.
• This allows for the lack of erasure within Indigenous communities.
Settler Colonialism
• The mayor’s objection to the pageant reflects a broader pattern of resistance to acknowledging the truth about Canada’s history of colonialism and the ongoing impact of that history on Indigenous peoples.
“'Whites' yelled one of the kids. 'We are being attacked', yells another” (King, 118).
• The narrator, when preparing for the arrival of the individuals participating in his pageant, inquires about where the Indians will live, to which the mayor says that the Indians could pitch their tents on Deer Island. Here, the stereotype in which it is assumed that the Indigenous people come with their own tents is shown.
• Close to the middle of the story when the Chief had gathered his family to participate in the pageant, Joe meets the chief’s family and tells him how there is a problem. He states, “Your Indians don’t look like Indians”. This statement implies that there is a specific appearance that all Indigenous people should have, which is not true. It is stereotypical to assume that they would all have long hair with braids.
“ My pageant is going to have Indians in it. You are the only Indian I know (King, 104).
"Your Indians don't look like Indians [...] They all got crew cuts! [...] They got to have long hair with braids...everybody" (King, 112).
• The story highlights the erasure of Indigenous peoples’ histories and cultures as the Deer Island Massacre is a historical event that has been largely overlooked or ignored in mainstream accounts of Canadian history.
• One example of erasure is the way in which the history of the Deer Island Massacre has been suppressed and marginalized in mainstream narratives of Canadian history. The story itself represents an attempt to uncover and bring to light this hidden history, and to challenge the dominant narrative that portrays Indigenous people as passive victims of colonialism.
• Moreover, the story also touches on the erasure of Indigenous cultural identity and traditions through the idea of assimilation. The fact that the Indigenous people are participating in a pageant organized by Joe speaks to this theme of cultural erasure and the importance of reclaiming and preserving Indigenous cultural practices and knowledge.
• Humor is used to satirize the way in which Indigenous history is often appropriated and distorted by non-Indigenous people. Joe organizes the pageant as a way to tell the story of the massacre from an Indigenous perspective and to counter the false narrative presented by the white residents of the town. The humor comes from the contrast between Joe’s authentic portrayal of Indigenous history and the ridiculous, inaccurate portrayals presented by the white residents in their own attempts to recreate the event.
• The mayor considers Joe’s pageant about the Deer Island Massacre inappropriate because it challenges the dominant narrative of Canadian history and raises uncomfortable truths about the treatment of Indigenous peoples in Canada. The colonials are not ready to accept that the Deer Island Massacre was a real historical event as it reflects a bad image of them. By creating a pageant that focuses on this event, Joe is drawing attention to the violence and injustice that Indigenous people have faced at the hands of colonizers.
A Seat in the Garden
Survivance
• The quote that the big Indian continues to repeat, “if you build it, they will come”, is meant to show the survivance of the Indigenous community and their culture. The big Indian is trying to say that if you build up Indigenous culture, you will be able to preserve it and keep it alive. The presence of Indigenous culture in a predominantly European community shows the want of Indigenous people to reclaim their culture and their practices.
“The Indians showed up around noon. One with a green knapsack. The other two pushed a grocery cart in front of them” (King, 89-90).
• Assimilation is seen through Joe and Red wanting European culture to be dominant. This is present when they try to get rid of the big Indian, as they don’t want any traces of Indigenous culture lurking around. Assimilation is also seen when Joe and Red stereotype the three Indigenous men, trying to shame them out of their “practices”.
Stereotypes
• The stereotype that Indigenous people are alcoholics or substance abusers is present in the characters' assumptions and comments. For example, when Joe sees three Indigenous people drinking lemon water, he assumes they are drinking Lysol and implies that they are drunks. This stereotype is harmful and perpetuates negative attitudes towards Indigenous peoples. The stereotype of Indigenous people being substance abusers has its roots in the colonial history of Canada, where alcohol was used as a tool of oppression and control over Indigenous communities.
• Another stereotype that is present is the perception of the Indigenous people, seen through Joe and Red describing the big Indian. They often refer to certain qualities, such as the feather on his head, his long, braided hair, and the strips of red cloth. This viewpoint is influenced through the stereotypical creations of movies that have a generic image of Indigenous people and culture.
“…naked to the waist. His hair was braided and wrapped…He wore a single feather” (King, 85).
“He speaks English…God, this gets stranger all the time” (King, 89)
• In "Joe the Painter", the theme of erasure is prominent, as the characters' negative and stereotypical views towards Indigenous peoples contribute to the erasure of their culture and identity. Joe, the main character, expresses anger towards Indigenous communities, and Red corrects him when he makes assumptions about them. The presence of the big Indian as an invisible spirit reinforces the idea that Indigenous culture and spirituality are invisible or irrelevant to mainstream society, further erasing their presence and significance. Joe and Red try to get rid of the big Indian which is symbolizing their want for cultural erasure amongst Indigenous communities. They are trying to get rid of the big Indian, and the cultural and religious practices that come with him.
• The protagonist, Joe, represents the dominant culture that has historically oppressed Indigenous peoples. He is filled with anger towards Indigenous communities and expresses this through his negative comments and jokes, which contributes to the erasure of their culture and identity.
• On the other hand, Red represents a more nuanced and understanding view of Indigenous peoples. He even corrects Joe when he makes assumptions about Indigenous peoples, such as when he assumes they are drinking Lysol instead of lemon water.
• The big Indian is portrayed as a spirit, which can be seen only by Joe and Red. This reinforces the idea that Indigenous culture and spirituality are invisible or irrelevant to mainstream society, further erasing their presence and significance.
• The big Indian's repeated statement, "If you build it, they will come," can be interpreted as a call to action to address the erasure of Indigenous peoples' culture and identity.
Magpies
Discrimination
• The discrimination that is seen throughout
the story is between Granny's wishes and the RCMP. The police come on the Indigenous reserves and tell Ambrose that he cannot fulfill Granny's burial wish. This is seen as discrimination because the RCMP are not able to adjust and be accepting of the Indigenous way of life and cultures.
• Erasure is seen through this discrimination as Ambrose is not able to freely express his cultural identity, and is being shamed out of it, which slowly leads to the erasure of these Indigenous practices.
Cultural Conflict
• The cultural conflict seen in the story
is between the Indigenous and Westernized
worldviews revolving death and the after life. Wilma, Granny's daughter, continues to try enforcing the colonized way of burial for her mother. On the other hand, Ambrose tries to fulfill Granny's wish and provide the proper Indigenous burial in the trees.
• Wilma seeks out higher authority (RCMP) to ensure that Ambrose doesn't bury Granny in the tree, enticing fear in Ambrose and other Indigenous community members. This ends up playing a role in the erasure of the Indigenous practices and beliefs in society.
Reclamation
• Ambrose attempts to reclaim the grandmother's cultural practices by exhuming her body and re-burying her in a tree. This act of reclamation represents an attempt to restore and preserve the cultural traditions that have been lost or eroded due to colonization and cultural domination. Through this, resistance towards their culture erasure is formed throughout the Indigenous communities.
"You be here when I die. You tell Wilma how to do this thing. You look out for me, take care of me, my big boy" (King, 24).
Land
• Granny is seen to have a strong connection
to land which is represented through her final dying wish to be buried in the trees. This wish stems from Granny's cultural connection to the reserve land. The Indigenous land makes her feel a sense of connection to the world and people around her.
• This cultural connection to land allows for the perseverance of Indigenous culture for future generations, including Ambrose and the narrator.
"Granny says to me there are good places to die. River is a good one. Coulees is okay, too. Maybe a mountain" (King, 22-23).
Trickster
• The Magpie is a symbol of good fortune and often represents the trickster in Indigenous culture. In some Indigenous cultures, magpies are believed to be able to shape-shift into human form and cause mischief and mayhem.
• Magpies are depicted as cunning and sly, using their intelligence to trick and deceive others. In other cultures, magpies are seen as bringers of good luck and fortune.
"Magpies talk all the time, you know. Good gossips, those" (King, 21).
• In this story, the erasure of the grandmother's dying wish to be buried in a tree represents the loss of Indigenous cultural practices due to assimilation. The dominant Western culture has replaced traditional Indigenous beliefs and practices, leading to a loss of cultural identity and knowledge.
• The members in Ambrose's community view his actions as disrespectful and inappropriate, further erasing the importance of Indigenous beliefs and practices.
• In the story, erasure is seen through the actions of Wilma and the RCMP. Granny's dying wish to be buried in a tree, in accordance with her Indigenous beliefs, represents a connection to her culture and heritage. However, when she is buried in a Western-style grave by her daughter, this wish is disregarded and erased.
• This erasure of the grandmother's wishes highlights the loss of traditional Indigenous knowledge and practices in the face of Western cultural domination.
• Furthermore, when Ambrose tries to fulfill Granny's wish by reburying her in a tree, he faces resistance and opposition from members of the community. His actions are seen as disrespectful, further erasing the importance of Indigenous beliefs and practices.
• The story illustrates one of the fundamental spiritual differences between Indigenous and Western society by highlighting the importance of the land and the natural world in Indigenous culture.
• For the characters in the story, the land is not just a resource to be exploited, but rather a sacred place that holds deep spiritual significance.
Totem
Marginalization
• Lack of Indigenous perspectives shows the dismissal of Indigenous communities and populations.
• This is seen when the director chooses to cut down the totem pole without any regard for Indigenous people and their reasoning for having the totem pole up.
"Maybe if we ignore it, it will stop singing. It might even go away or disappear or something" (King, 17).
Assimilation
• Cutting down the totem pole is meant to show the cultural erasure coming from the director and Beebe Hill who wish to assimilate Indigenous culture, to create a more colonial world.
• The staff viewed the totem pole, which serves as a symbol for the Indigenous people, as a mere object of curiosity rather than a representation of a living culture, which reflects how colonialism seeks to objectify and commodify the Indigenous people and their culture. The staff's dismissive attitude towards the totem pole reinforces the idea that the dominant culture seeks to control the marginalized Indigenous groups.
"The problem is that this totem pole is not part of the show, and we need to move it someplace else" (King, 14).
Settler Colonialism
• The museum director, who represents Canada, continuously attempts to remove the totem pole which symbolizes the Indigenous people and their culture.
• This highlights the ideology that Indigenous people aren’t a part of the standard colonial culture, and don’t belong in the nation.
• In this story, the erasure of Indigenous people is seen through the removal of a totem pole from the museum. The totem pole represents Indigenous culture and history, and its removal signifies the continued attempts by non-Indigenous people to erase Indigenous peoples' identities and cultural heritage.
Main Idea
• The totem pole serves as a symbol for the cultural heritage and identity of Indigenous people.
• The contrasting, "Seaviews," the current art exhibit at the gallery, represents Canada.
• The divide between traditional Indigenous culture and settlers is emphasized, which highlights their cultural erasure and the way traditional Indigenous culture is often silenced or pushed aside in Canadian society.
