Mirrors, Masks, and Myths - Discovering Identities in Contemporary Canadian Literature: 2015

Thursday 16 April 2015

Coping with Exam Stress

Hi All,

I tried to send you this by email but the email function is no longer working since they changed everything on April 8th :(

Anyway, I hope you will find some of these tips useful:

http://prezi.com/bm6czrygu0rq/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share

Good luck with your exams!

Saturday 28 March 2015

Your Creative Works :)

Hi All,

This is the last post for the term - and yes, finally, the ideal space for all your poems, stories, plays, artworks, videos, performances, etc that you wanted to share.
You are now contributing to Contemporary Canadian Literature!

Thank you :)

Gudrun

Visit to MOA

If you feel like going to the Museum of Anthropology some time before the term is over, please write about any of the artworks there that inspire you. Again - any genre/form is welcome....

Nature Walk

Please post your experiences from your Nature Walk here. Any form/genre is fine - including, of course, poems, stories, plays, songs, etc.

Enjoy!

More Perspectives on the Individual - Part 2

The following ideas are a bit more unusual and not directly related to our texts - but I thought some of you might find some of them quite interesting....

Theme: the Individual and the Physical and/or Metaphysical/Spiritual World

1. Implications of Near-Death Experiences for Our View of Who We Are

* Commonalities of Near-Death Experiences:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTuMYaEB35U

2. Some of Edgar Cayce's Views on the Individual and Reality

Edgar Casey was a psychic, healer, and philosopher

* the soul's jourey - Edgar Cayce's Cosmology:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6Zt37aMROM
* the wisdom of Edgar Cayce - interview with Darrin Owens:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPmYM4j2kAQ

3. Some of Bashar's Views on the Individual and Reality

Bashar is an Extraterrestrial from the future - channelled through Daryl Anka

* the four laws of creation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-EZiN-EVnM
* how we design our reality:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_OJR7PSWOs
* the higher mind and the physical mind:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYyzuq88j54
* manifestation of reality/desires:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f45OK-EdIM
* there is only one moment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyRh_zgbFW4

4. Cymatics, Vibration, Frequency, Sound

* cymatic soundscapes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JizccrBXOY8
* cymatic experiments - harmonics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ-uzJ0h40o
* cymatic experiment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvgmPoFmwa4
* Masure Emoto's experiments with water:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33IiYb8htHk
* the memory of water:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILSyt_Hhbjg&list=PLUTS2Gi7QS6HMcHyhPHIS94lKksaku-OU

5. Sacred Geometry

* the sacred geometry movie by Spirit Science:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMex3NF3EaY

Image from: http://www.mandalasacredgeometry.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/collection-146.jpg

More Perspectives on the Individual - Part 1

I just thought you might want to think about the following 'concepts of self' in the context of our books. Although they are not "Canadian," they might provide some useful background information and/or show interesting parallels or contrasts to some of our texts.

Feel free to add links to other ideas you find interesting and relevant!

Concepts of Self

1. The Four Humours Theory:

Please read the very short intro at:
http://www.kheper.net/topics/typology/four_humours.html

Image from: http://s2.hubimg.com/u/4495339_f520.jpg

2. The Medicine Wheel:

Please listen to this interesting introduction:
Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIGrFHy463g
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK-RdmQwIvI
Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HF1UBY2vjQ

Image from:

http://www.ammsa.com/sites/default/files/html-pages/old-site/buffalospirit/June-2000-images/MedicineWheel.jpg

3. Yin/Yang and the 5 Elements:

Please watch this very short intro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3LJ5HNfNEY
and the highly interesting explanation about Yin and Yang by Alan Watts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3m6_7K0j58

Image from:

http://cdn.tcmwiki.com/image/t/post-traditional-chinese-medicine/yin-yang-and-five-elements.gif

4. The System of Chakras and Nadis:

Please read the following two very short introductions:
1) Chakras: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/what-is-a-chakra
2) Nadis (and Meridians): http://yoganirvana.com/nadis/

If you have time, please also listen to this clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d81Vim2DfaE

Image from: http://www.yogaartandscience.com/pblog/files/page1_blog_entry144_1.jpg

Ann-Marie MacDonald's Good Night Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)

Please post your insights about Ann-Marie MacDonald's play - as well as all comments about Shakespeare's Othello and Romeo and Juliet here!

Thank you!

Wednesday 18 March 2015

Rohinton Mistry's Tales from Firosha Baag

Here is your discussion forum for Rohinton Mistry's Tales from Firosha Baag. Please post your presentation slides, questions, observations, information about the cultural background and anything else you find of interest in connection with this collection of short stories.

Thursday 26 February 2015

Thomas King's Green Grass, Running Water

Please feel free to post your presentations and/or thoughts on Thomas King's novel Green Grass, Running Water here.

Wayson Choy's The Jade Peony

Please feel free to post your presentations and/or thoughts on Wayson Choy's novel The Jade Peony here.

Saturday 14 February 2015

Cultural Events in Greater Vancouver

Attending Cultural Events is always fun. Here some suggestions - but please do not feel limited to my list. Enjoy - and tell us about your experience!

Café Deux Soleils – Poetry Slam: http://cafedeuxsoleils.com/eventscalendar/

Pandora’s Collective Literary Events: http://www.pandorascollective.com/what-we-do/events

Firehall Arts Centre – Theatre: http://firehallartscentre.ca/whats-on/

The Cultch – Shows: http://thecultch.com/shows/

PUSH Festival (Jan 20 to Feb 8): http://pushfestival.ca

World Hijab Day (Feb 1): http://worldhijabday.com

Nisga’a New Year (Feb 5-7): http://www.pne.ca/showsandevents/community-and-culture.html

Maha Shivatri (Feb 17)

Lunar New Year Celebrations (Feb 19 to 22):

http://vancouversbestplaces.com/events-calendar/festivals-and-events/chinese-new-year/

&: http://www.hellobc.com/servicefelisting/all-events/4585574/lunar-new-year-celebrations-2015.aspx

BC Heritage Week on Main Street (Feb 16 to 22):

http://www.hellobc.com/servicefelisting/all-events/4589404/heritage-week-2015.aspx

Carnival (Feb 16 & 17):

Black History Month (Feb 1 to Feb 28):

http://www.insidevancouver.ca/2015/02/03/where-to-celebrate-black-history-month-in-vancouver/

See also: Black Strathcona Project: http://blackstrathcona.com

Chutzpah Festival (Feb 19 to Mar 16): http://chutzpahfestival.com

Holi – Indian Festival of Colours (March 4-6):

Vancouver Web Fest (Mar 6 to 8):

http://www.hellobc.com/servicefelisting/all-events/4588802/vancouver-web-fest.aspx

Celtic Fest (Mar 7 to 17): http://www.celticfestvancouver.com

International Day of Happiness (Mar 20):

http://unsdn.org/celebrate-international-day-of-happiness-on-the-20th-of-march/

Sharing our Stories – Canadian-Iranian Culture (Oct to March 28^th):

http://www.hellobc.com/servicefelisting/all-events/4589452/sharing-our-stories-exhibit.aspx

Vancouver International Dance Festival (Mar 2-29): http://www.vidf.ca

Pesach (Apr 3 to 11):

Emily Carr & Landon McKenzie (until April 6^th):http://www.hellobc.com/servicefelisting/all-events/4588843/emily-carr-with-landon-mackenzie-wood-chopper-and-the-monkey.aspx

Vaisakhi (Apr 11 to14):

http://surreyvaisakhiparade.ca

&: http://www.meetup.com/MeatlessMeetup/events/194382712/

Sunday 8 February 2015

Spoken Word / Slam Poetry

There is a lot great stuff "out there" - both in the real world and on the internet. So please do your own research and share your findings, in particular if you think they are good!

What I have found and would like to share in this context is the following:

Shane Koyczan - TED Talk:
http://www.ted.com/talks/shane_koyczan_to_this_day_for_the_bullied_and_beautiful?language=en

Francis Arevalo - TED Talk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFmNdv_9hEo

Ikena Onyegbula (& Nathanael Larochetto), "Misfit's Lullaby":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27oQnfS3Emw

Chris Tse, "I'm Sorry I'm a Christian":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EieFdXy_HwM

Boona Mohammed, "Signs Canadian":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIPVNkGmO70&feature=player_embedded

Zacceus Jackson, "Revolution":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfrkUOq0ehg

Liam coady, "Big Bang Masterpiece":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFiPJk34pqc

Mary Pinkoski - TED Talk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9L17V5SNA3E

Ian Keteku, "Something You Might Not Know about Canada":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nguOvZDb4C8

Of course, this is only a start....

Please feel free to comment on any of these poems/ performances or on other poems/performances that you would like to comment on in this context.

Again, you are most welcome to share your own spoken word performance here - preferably in the form of a youtube link since this is probably the easiest way of sharing a recording in the comment section.

Please also check out the live slam sessions at the Cafe Deux Soleils on Commercial!
Link: http://cafedeuxsoleils.com

Image from: https://thebottomline.as.ucsb.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/poetry_slam.jpg

Sound Poetry & Visual (Concrete) Poetry

Please have a look at the following clips and comment on some of them:

Phyllis Webb - Interview with Bill Bissett and bp nichol - two parts:

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBmxvfktZaM

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv8BN2NA6nk

Selected Poems by Bill Bissett and bp nichol:

"What Is a Poem?":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGlz2fDoWzU

"Love Poem for Gertrude Stein":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK4bRjK__gY

"Gypsy Dreamer":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh9FzN6oh5w&feature=related

"Four Horsemen":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnuTeB5o6y0

"Chant":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0KqtN0GczY

"First Screening":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEdUSQ7WCSM

-> See youtube sidebar for more options :o)

You are also welcome to share your own sound or visual poem here! Enjoy!

Hugo Ball's "Karawane"

[Please note: Hugo Ball is one of the German Dadaists; this means he is not Canadian!]

Image from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Hugo_ball_karawane.png

Creating Meaning

Writing a poem can be a form of play, an attempt to create something out of the infinite possibilities that feels true. It can also be an attempt to make sense out of what otherwise might look like a series of coincidences. Or it can be something like a prayer, a form of spiritual expression. In any case, it can be something that helps create a more meaningful life.

Please comment on one or more poems that in some way or other create meaning - or share one of your poems that fits this category.

Image from: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dharma_Wheel.svg

Identity through Poetry

Please find a poem about identity and comment on it - or share your own poem about identity here!

Image from: http://pixabay.com/p-158195/?no_redirect

Love and the Absence of Love

Love - well, what else makes the world tick? So please find some Canadian expressions of this hottest topics of all :)

Oh yes, and don't forget to do something nice for your Loved Ones on Valentine's Day....

Image from: http://pixabay.com/p-34998/?no_redirect

Family

Two topics that have also been very popular in many Canadian poems and stories:

1) relationships to fathers, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers, children, siblings, etc
2) remembering (lost) family members

Please select two or more poems or other texts that fall in one of the two categories and compare them with each other.

Image from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Family_Portrait.jpg

Language

In many poems, language draws attention to itself - either as topic for reflection or as the material out of which the poem is made. Please choose two or more Canadian poems that focus on and/or foreground language and describe their similarities and differences.

You may (but you don't have to) consider the conditions (historical, cultural, philosophical, political, social, etc) under which the poems of your choice were written in this context.

You can also share your own poem that thematizes or plays with language here.

Image from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/A_LAKE_A_LANE_A_LINE_A_LONE_-_bpNichol.jpg

Poetry and Music

From the beginning of poetic expression on, poetry has always bee closely linked to music. Please select two or more Canadian poems in which music and/or sound are foregrounded and/or become an important topic.

Alternatively, play with this topic yourself and post your creative piece.

Image from: http://pixabay.com/p-104602/?no_redirect

Seeing and Sight

Photographs and paintings - as well as sight in general, including vision and imagination - have intrigued many poets, storytellers, and novelists in Canada and elsewhere. Please choose two (or more) poems or fictional texts that focus on the seen world in some way or another and comment on them in detail.

If you prefer, you can write a poem or short story yourself instead (or in addition) in which sight plays an important role and publish it as comment.

Image from: http://pixabay.com/p-161558/?no_redirect

Laws, Rights, and the Freedom to Choose Your Life

Margaret Atwood's poem "Marrying the Hangman" and Afua Cooper's poem "Confessions of a Woman Who Burnt Down a Town" seem to have some similarities despite all their differences. Please read and compare the two poems with each other.

Links:

Margaret Atwood:
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/177287

Afua Cooper:
http://www.library.utoronto.ca/canpoetry/cooper/poem6.htm

Alternative: write a more creative/fictional response to the poem(s) or to the topic(s) raised in them if you feel inspired to do so.

Image from: http://pixabay.com/p-311363/?no_redirect

Perspectives on History and/or Society

When different people describe the same event, we usually get many different stories about "what happened." The same holds true for the writing of history, of course - as well as for the analysis of social and/or political situations.

Please choose one or two poems that deal with Canadian history or society and discuss the historical/ political/ social events in question - as well as the perspective(s) from which these events are described.

If you like, please comment also on the truth of poetry (and fiction) in comparison to the "truth" you find in history books and media reports.

Image from: https://aleris.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/elephant.gif

Depiction of the Natural World in Poetry

The depiction of the natural world has been one of the most popular topics in mainstream Canadian poetry since the first Europeans set foot on the North American continent. Please read some of these early - and/or more recent - poems that deal with the Canadian landscape and comment on them.

Feel free to compare the poems to paintings with similar topics, for instance, to paintings by Emily Carr or by the Group of Seven if you wish.

Alternatively, feel free to illustrate one of the poems yourself and post a picture of your illustration - or write a poem or a piece of music about your favourite Canadian landscape or landscape painting and share it with us. Enjoy!

Jack Pine by Tom Thomson

Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Canadian#mediaviewer/File:The_Jack_Pine,_by_Tom_Thomson.jpg

Myths Told by the First Nations of Canada

Just a few hundred years ago, what is now called Canada has been the home of many different First Nations Cultures. And each of these Cultures had a variety of stories and/or myths. Please do some research about at least one of these First Nations and find out more about this particular culture's mythology. Please share here what you have learned from your research - in particular, what you think contemporary Canadians/ North Americans should learn from these earlier cultures.

Bill Reid's The Raven and the First Men - at MOA

Sunday 18 January 2015

Western Myths Retold in Canada

Many of the traditional Western myths have been re-told in Canadian poems of the late 20th and/or early 21st century. Please compare these contemporary poems to either the original myth or to one (or more) of the non-Canadian retellings of the same myth.

Examples

Genesis:

Lorna Crozier, "On the Seventh Day"

-> https://books.google.ca/books?id=L9LfAgAAQBAJ&pg=PR10&dq=crozier+before+the+first+word+on+the+seventh+day&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Wa68VPGLF9f_yQTMj4LQAw&ved=0CCcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=crozier%20before%20the%20first%20word%20on%20the%20seventh%20day&f=false (pp 19-20)

Ted Huges, "Apple Tragedy" (from: Crow Poems)

-> http://www.shigeku.org/xlib/lingshidao/waiwen/hughes.htm

Leda and Zeus:

William Butler Yeats, "Leda and the Swan"

-> http://www.online-literature.com/yeats/865/

Robert Bringhurst, "Leda and the Swan"

-> Robert Bringhurst, The Calling. 90-91.

Icarus:

P.K. Page, "This Heavy Craft"