Session 3

A Digital Ethnography of Canada’s Multicultural Festivals: The Code-Switching and Facebooking practices of Francophone Musicians – Michelle Thompson

Abstract:  My research explores the way francophone musicians and singers who perform in Canada’s ‘multicultural’ festivals use their Facebooking practices and other strategies such as Code-Switching to promote their work, participate in Canada’s cultural economy, and discuss decolonialism and gender equality. Ultimately, the festivals they perform in are both providing a space for the representation and getting together of BIPOC communities, and re-producing Canada’s image as a diverse welcoming nation and the commodification of culture.

 Biography: I’m a PhD Candidate in my 5th year at SICS. My research interests include social media, Canadian identities, and questions about Canada’s official languages and the representation of francophones. I’ve published several peer-reviewed articles on topics such as the use of ICTs as knowledge and competency-building tools and disruptive agents, and Canada’s francophone minority communities. I also have a Master’s degree in Information Science from the University of Toronto.

Women in the War: Indexing in times of COVID – Rebecca Murray

Abstract: The Second World War (SWW) was the first time women officially served in the Canadian military in capacities other than nursing, breaking into roles historically held by men.  A multi-year project to index an accession of government photographs from the SWW era in an effort to identify servicewomen began as an effort to help family members identify their ancestors in photographs held at Library and Archives Canada.  It has become so much more.  The experience of reviewing half a million photographs has challenged and broadened my own historical study and knowledge.  Furthermore, the experience of working on this project before and now during a global pandemic has been in and of itself an experience worthy of a second look, including but not limited to asking questions about access to and use of primary sources in research.  This paper will describe the evolving project workflow, look at preliminary results, and discuss access to and use of primary sources in the (re)construction of historical narratives.

 Biography: Rebecca Murray is a Senior Archivist in Reference Services at Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa, Ontario.  She holds an MA in Canadian Studies from Carleton University (2012).  Her initial interest in the contributions of servicewomen in the Second World War was inspired by her grandmother’s service in the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Women’s Division.  Rebecca is a voracious reader (find her on #bookstagram @beccareads2021), a little free library steward, mum to two kids and one adorable poodle.

Trailhead to Decolonization: The Use of Indigenous and Multidimensional stories as a starting point to decolonization – Amanda Zotto

Abstract: The deconstruction of colonial ideologies involves a tremendous shift in the way the we think and the tearing down ideals that we once followed. One way to ignite the undertaking of decolonization in Canada can be through the process and maintenance of these four stages: Understanding (being knowledgeable about past and current events without prejudice), Accepting (realizing that there is an unbalanced power dynamic), Acknowledging (recognizing that there are different points of view outside what is considered the standard rhetoric) and Respecting (the ability to value Indigenous ways, knowledge and beliefs). All four of these stages revolve around Indigenous History, the truth, and the consequences of the historical process and are important features for future Reconciliation. These steps could be the first in a complex and ongoing process used in decolonization from a non-indigenous perspective.

Indigenous Memoirs from Canada offer people a personal perspective into intergenerational trauma, healing, resistance, the resurgence of their culture…and much more. These testimonials provide readers with historical evidence and are primary sources that can provide alternative records of past events. The timelines of the memoirs can be followed and analyzed with other historical texts. While the latter can provide readers with information, the reader might not easily be able to relate or empathize with what they are reading. In a sense, we are desensitized to the things we read. Memoirs can give the reader an intimate view into past events and provide the feelings of empathy.

This paper explores two memoirs written by residential school survivors from different areas of Canada: They Called Me Number One: Secrets and Survival at an Indian Residential School by Bev Sellars and Broken Circle: The Dark Legacy of Indian Residential Schools by Theodore Niizhotay Fontaine.  The use and benefits of memoirs can provide contrast to what is considered to be official and accepted historical data. This process allows us to add a layer of human complexity to the narrative of the events told from a non-indigenous perspective.

Biography: My name is Amanda Zotto and I am a student at The University of Valencia located in Spain. My past is a mixture of The United States, Canada and Europe as I have ties to all three places. I grew up in the U.S. until I was 16 and moved to Canada for my last year of high school to a small city called Prince Rupert. Living there, I was a witness to the many prejudices, misconceptions and judgements that Indigenous people face and have faced. My goal is to work hard to decolonize myself and to then find non-invasive ways in which to help other people do the same.