Unit One - Expressions of Canadian Identity

In chapter one, we will analyze the work of artists, musicians and writers to see how they depict Canada and Canadians.

Painters, sculptors, singers, dancers, writers, poets, photographers, filmmakers and other artists are all sources to consider while examining the concept of Canadian Identity. Because artists produce work about what they know and what is important to them, their work reflects their experiences and their sense of identity.

What Does Canada Mean to You?

Canadian Identity means different things to different people. Some people may think of where they liver of their family and friends. Others may consider gender, culture or ethnic origins. Traditions and activities may also influence identity.

Activity – Who Am I?

Each student is to create a concept web which centers on the question “Who Am I?” If you need assistance with the idea of a concept web, please see either the example on the side board or your teacher. /10

Canadian Identity

Canada’s size and diversity of people make it harder to define Canada’s identity. Canada may indeed have multiple identities. The following factors influence the concept of national identity:

· Location – landscape features and climate influence how we think about ourselves

· Community, province and region

· Language, culture and ethnic background

· Personal and collective histories

· Friends, leaders, politicians and heroes

· Type of government – Canada’s government strives for an identity based on peace, justice, freedom, equality and rights

· Opportunities and challenges

Researching Canadian Identity

Each student will research and prepare a project which examines the factors of Canadian Identity. It is important for students to pay attention to the factors which influence Canada’s cultural diversity. The specific requirements and the due date will be announced in class. However, it is recommended that students begin this research process now.

Artists Reflect Canadian Identity – An Historic Overview

First Nations and Inuit

Before continuing with this section, it is important that we understand and appreciate the differences between these two groups of Canadians. Please prepare a personal explanation for each group which will be shared and discussed in class. /5

First Nations and Inuit from coast to coast to coast (why three coasts?) use art forms to represent various aspects of their cultures and beliefs. Some of these media forms are traditional and some are modern. Some traditional art forms include:

• Totem poles
• Masks
• Carved stone, antler and bone
• Beadwork
• Petroforms (boulders arranged as animals)
• Inuksuk (stones arranged as humans)
• Petroglyphs ( rock carvings)

New France

The earliest works of art in New France in the 1500 and 1600’s were created by trained artistic priests who came from France specifically to paint. These religious paintings were used to beautify churches and to convey information about Christianity. Folk Art also became popular during this time as self-taught artists painted everyday life. Sculpting (wood) became popular in Quebec as young carvers were encouraged to create for their churches.

British North America

Wealthy citizens of BNA often paid artists to paint individual or family portraits. Military officers who came to BNA in the 1700’s were trained to do topographic drawings which showed landscape features such as hills or lakes. This information was used to help with military plans. Topographers also drew the things they saw in the everyday life. This became known as documentary painting because it provides a record of the times. This was very popular in Atlantic Canada.

Canada’s Natural Beauty

Canada’s natural beauty has long been a subject for artists. Rivers, lakes and oceans as well as people at work and at play inspire artists of many different forms.

New People, New Paintings

During the immigration influx in the 1800’s new artists appeared, adding to the diversity in Canadian art. Cornelius Kreighoff is one example. He painted landscapes and people in European style. His painted stories provide much information about the way of life in Canada during the mid 1800’s. Photography improved after 1850, which provides even more images of life at this time.

Into the Twentieth Century

In the early 1900’s, pride in and devotion to one’s country developed. This is known as nationalism. This sense of nationalism is shown in the works of artists such as Tom Thompson and the Group of Seven. These artists had a distinctive way of painting the natural beauty of Canada. The group encountered resistance but eventually became world famous.

Modern Canadian Artists

The following is a list of modern artists that may prove helpful for your Canadian Identity Project.

• Maud Lewis
• Shawn Skeir
• Alan Syliboy
• Kenojuak Ashevak
• Douglas Cardinal
• Denise Comeau
• Jack Humphries

Musicians Reflect Identity

Like art, music can reflect a sense of Canadian Identity. There are many musical genres, which are popular in Canada. Many Canadian musicians feel they face challenges to be recognized.

Assignment – page 10

Brainstorm with classmates Canadian musicians. Divide your list into different genres. Listen to at least five different selections (five different musicians) and attempt to answer the following questions. /25

1. Do the different genres reflect Canadian Identity?
2. Are all Canadians represented across these genres?
3. What genre deals with Canadian Identity more so then the others?
4. Are stereotypes about Canadians reflected in some genres? Provide examples.
5. Which genres of Canadian music are most popular today?

Critical Thinking – Do you think Canada’s sense of identity has been overshadowed by the United States? Support your position. This question is to be answered in paragraph form. Be sure to include all the necessary elements of the proper paragraph. /15

The CRTC –

As early as 1929, the Canadian government believed that the Canadian radio airwaves should be owned by the public for the purpose of providing Canadian content. At times, some musicians felt they had to leave Canada for the US or elsewhere to have a good career. In 1958, the federal government passed the Broadcasting Act, creating the Board of Broadcast Governors (BBG) which is meant to ensure that the Canadian system was “basically Canadian in content and character”. The act was later expanded to include television and cable television.

In 1968, a new Broadcasting Act was passed which replaced the BBG with the Canadian Radio – television and Cable Commission (CRTC). In 1979, the name was changed to the Canadian – Radio Television and Telecommunications Commission. The CRTC’s purpose is to protect and promote Canadian culture and to ensure that Canadians offered information and entertainment “from a Canadian point of view”.

Assignment – Page 12

Apply and Extend - CRTC questions

Writers Reflect Canadian Identity

Children’s literature, ballads and poems all express ideas about Canadian Identity to a wide variety of readers. Authors like Maxine Trotter (Claire’s Gift), David Booth (The Dust Bowl), Cora Weber-Pillwax (Billy’s World), and Roch Carrier (The Hockey Sweater) all expose young readers to different ideas about Canadians and their identity.

Ballads are a popular poetic form of narrative writing used to tell a story. Ballads are often sensational stories that grow out of real events. Many ballads become songs, while many songs become ballads. Canadian ballads tell us of ordinary and extraordinary events of our past. We also learn what people valued at the time. “The Cremation of Sam McGee” by Robert Service is a famous ballad of the gold rush in the Yukon in 1898. “Peter Emberly” is a ballad about death in the lumber camps of New Brunswick during the 1800’s.

Test Preparation – Unit in Review

If you are able to answer the questions on page 18 without looking back at your notes, you will be more than prepared for your test!!