I am Canadian Because It is a Nation of Many Cultures (satire)

According to the article about France's love of Inuit culture, I am left with the impression that my fellow Canadians are based about Inuit culture. That may be because of their myopia about what culture means to them, especially an unwillingness to accept the Inuit people as equals. Nevertheless the French are willing to embrace the Inuit due to their love and respect of culture.

This may be because the Inuit were not political rivals like the former European empires such as the British, the Dutch, the German and the Russian empire.

Hence are the majority of Canadians jaded due to their ambivalence about the Inuit.

Perhaps this is the legacy of Canadian multiculturalism, for Canada is a commonwealth of cultures, each of which adhere to the notion that my people are my people and your people are your people but never shall we meet as equals.

Thus, it would be a rare day for a Canadian to become a tourist within Canada unless she develops the respect demanded by the appreciation of a democracy arising from the mutual love and esteem of all cultures that make up Canada.

For the monoculture that often represents Canadian culture today - the cultural artefacts called Western civilisation - is only a facsimile of true culture. Indeed, true culture demands that each culture and their respective peoples be appreciated by Canadians as worthy of such regard that each of us are willing to explore them.

Otherwise, Canadian culture is but an artefact of postmodern culture that is barren of any culture save stereotypes based on hockey, Canadian beer, and figures of speech.

I am Canadian not because of our cultural icons, but because of the richness of being the citizen of a multicultural state.

I am Canadian because I am proud that Canada is a nation of many cultures.

Indeed, I am a Canadian who is proud that my tax dollars are at work in Tourism Canada keeping Inuit culture alive.

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Reference:

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/m/article/inuit-culture-all-the-rage-in-france/

The Japanese and the Shared History of Ainu, Hawaiians and Native Americans

Vancouve Buddhist Church is a cool place. While there on Sunday - an hour late - I got a perpetual calendar, a schedule for 2011 and another BDK Buddhist "bible". Everywhere in Hawaiian motels, this book is in the drawer beside your bed, so you can preach the dharma to the cockroaches, or best yet, all kinda happy people in the former Republic of Hawaii.

King Kamehameha III, the last rightful king of Hawaii, won independence recognized by England & France, on Nov.28, 1843, approximately a decade before Perry forced Japan to recognize America's right to trade with the Japanese without being plagued by pirates.

Only America chose not to recognize Hawaii as a republic, due to its economic interests.

50 years later, America chose to annex Hawaii with a somewhat sedate "rebellion" where scions of businessmen were protected by US Navy as they "liberated" Hawaii.

This was preceded by the Bayonet Constitution which force Hawaii to become a constitutional monarchy with the pretender David Kalâkaua. He won because his name-calling left Queen Emma furious, and her supporters such poor sports that both the British and US troops came in to suppress the Emmaites.

During this time, legitimacy of rightful kings was Christian. So David was rightful only due to Kamehameha III being convinced to write it into the constitution.

This shut out illegitimate heirs such as Keelikolani, the defender of traditional Hawaiian ways. It was through her that Mauna Loa was quieted by her intercession with the god Pelé in 1880. Pelé is a nature god associated with the volcano.

My roots in Hawaii began circa 1890s near the end of Hawaiian Kingdom. Investment in Hawaii also came from Japan, as cheap labour was high in demand. Japanese workers were willing to come Hawaii because of earlier trade agreements made afteer Hawaii gained independence.

Also through Chinese traders and Japanese fishermen, Hawaii was known on the return back from trading with Haida Gwaii, who share common ancestry with the ancestors of the older Hawaii families of chief before Kamahameha I.

As well, Ainumushiri had trade ties with the Aleuts, and share a common genetic history that extends to the Inuit (Eskimo), though the oral traditions of Inuit peoples deny this so that their land claims in Nunavut are not mussed up by the truth.

so my roots are both here, in Hawaii and back in Japan. The First Nations people are my distant cousins, more so than Chinese.