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Maps of Our Own Making: Practicing Divination in 21St Century Canada

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Maps of Our Own Making: Practicing Divination in 21St Century Canada MAPS OF OUR OWN MAKING: PRACTICING DIVINATION IN 21ST CENTURY CANADA by ©Kari Sawden a thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Folklore Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Memorial University of Newfoundland St. John’s, Newfoundland October 2018 Abstract Divination in 21st century Canada is rooted in paradox. Frequently the site of challenge, reductionism, and dismissal, it continues to thrive in individual lives and defy cultural expectations. Through an ethnographic study of over thirty divination practitioners (those who use tools such as tarot cards or astrology charts to uncover information deemed otherwise unknowable), primarily located in central Alberta, I explore the ongoing functions of this practice within individual lives and the larger communities they serve. In doing so, this thesis counters claims of divination’s erroneous, at best, and harmful, at worst, presence within this modern, rational country. Built on the personal narratives of my participants and the research of scholars from multiple disciplines on divination and folk belief, I explore what the term divination means within both academic frameworks and lived experiences. Once terminology is established, I examine how it fits within the worldviews constructed by those who undertake divination and the ways they reconceptualise ideas of proof and truth. Recognising that a key role of the diviner within their community is that of storyteller, this thesis goes on to explore the literary strategies they utilise and the means by which their rituals, and the tools used within, form alternative languages through which identity is constructed and communicated. Divination as a site of power contestation is an essential part of this thesis, and I focus particularly on the ways diviners confront the larger social narratives that cast them into the role of charlatan by reframing the relationship between the monetary and the spiritual. Furthermore, the role of gender, significant due to the large number of women i who participate in this act, and divination’s role in claiming personal power, in general, are also addressed. Finally, the relationship between divination and that of good and evil is explored, revealing how the concept of darkness is transformed through these practices to support a deeper process of individual development. It is impossible to understand divination and its ongoing presence within Canada without listening to the voices of those who choose to practice it. By engaging with them and bringing their stories into academic spaces, I challenge the stereotypes of divination that emerge from popular culture and the ivory tower. This thesis provides a new framework for divinatory discourse beyond that of the pre-established vocabularies and theories of other disciplines and cultures. In doing so, I explore the paradox of divination in Canada and how this practice is proving to be a growing alternative resource for knowledge, healing, and hope. ii Acknowledgements I sit in front of a blank page and am struck by the inadequacy of language. Twenty-six letters, in any combination, are not enough to articulate the support of all of those who have been with me during this journey. But ever undaunted by a challenge, as is befitting a PhD candidate, I shall try while begging the forgiveness of all those who will remain nameless here, but never forgotten. First, I must extend my deepest thanks to all of those who participated in my research. You shared deeply personal stories with me, made me laugh, challenged my preconceptions, and revealed new possibilities in my research that I could have never imagined. It was a privilege to listen to and learn from you and to share your experiences with others. Additionally, the welcome I received from the Edmonton Astrological Society was more than I could have hoped for as they allowed a stranger with almost no fluency in the language of astrology to crash their retreat. Finally, my thanks to Richard for inviting me to the Evening with Spirit, introducing me to various members of the St. Brigid’s Spiritualist Church during the break, and ensuring that my experience was as rich as possible. Memorial University and the Department of Folklore, in particular, never hesitated to support me and my research. My deepest thanks to Dr. Mariya Lesiv for agreeing to be my supervisor and providing insight and feedback in exactly the way that I needed. This support was matched by my committee members, Dr. Diane Tye and Dr. Holly Everett, through their comments on this thesis and the courses that I had the privilege to take with them. Throughout my years studying at this department, I have had iii the opportunity to learn much from the classes offered and the conversations that took place within and outside of the classroom. My thanks to all the students and professors who shared their thoughts with me about the profound and the mundane alike. And I could not have succeeded without the ongoing work of the administrative staff, the archivists, and the librarians who tirelessly pursued whatever obscure text I requested. Before Memorial, there was the Department of Folklore at University College Cork that welcomed a former English major into the discipline of folklore. It was here, spending afternoons looking through the National Archives of Ireland, that I first came upon the vernacular methods of divination that would form the basis of my master’s work and the foundation for this thesis. In particular, my sincere thanks to my supervisor, Dr. Clíona O’Carroll, for all her support. In a perfect world, graduate students would not need to concern themselves with finances. Alas, this is not such a place; nevertheless, I was fortunate to receive funding in order to undertake my studies with the focus they deserve. This research was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada through a doctoral fellowship and a Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship - Doctoral Award. It was also supported directly by the university and department through a Dean’s Award of Excellence, a Doctoral Fellowship, the Maurice J. Burke Memorial Scholarship, and the David Buchan Graduate Research Award. There have been numerous people who have provided me with refuge during my research, space wherein to ponder the questions of divination and engage with the stories of those who shared their lives to me. Beverly repeatedly went above and beyond my expectations to ensure that I have had a beautiful home within which to reside during my iv studies. Marianne provided me with shelter (and countless cups of tea and conversations about our preferred topic of books) while I conducted my fieldwork in Alberta. Ginny and Rich never hesitated to open up their home to me while I worked and studied in Edmonton – our scintillating evening conversations are a treasured memory. I have been fortunate to have the unfailing support of many friends during this process, those who came with me on this journey and those who joined up with me once I got here. Cynthia, with whom I was lucky enough to share an office with one semester, has provided invaluable insight into the processes of thesis writing. With Xuan I have shared many lovely conversations about the program and our courses. And then there are those who have become family. Jennifer, unfailing as always, keeps reminding me that there is life outside of academia and that I need to take a break, on occasion, from the ever-expanding checklist that haunts all graduate students. Saeede, I still remember the first time I met you; who could have imagined that we would be fortunate enough to traverse this path together. I could not ask for a better teammate. It has been my greatest fortune to have grown up with a family who encouraged intellectual pursuits and whose only reaction to my announcement to undertake a PhD in Folklore was to wonder what took me so long to begin. How blessed I am. I’ve spent countless hours in deep (and sometimes not-so-deep) conversations with my beloved sister, exploring many of the topics that are discussed within these pages. With her purple pompoms waving, she is a source of endless strength. Alan (and co.), who may not have quite known what you were getting into when you met my mother, thank you for welcoming me into your family. Jerrot, my much older brother, thank you for always having a welcome refuge ready when I am in your neck of the woods. Finally, Mumsie, v my first and best editor. You are grace and beauty personified; all that is good within me is because of you. In undertaking this research, the topic of spirits was an ever-present topic, and so I conclude with my own. My grandmother, who passed on her deep love of learning to me, lived long enough to see me begin the program but not finish it. I think she was more excited by my acceptance than I was, if such a thing is possible. And my dad. It was not long enough, but what our lives together lacked in length they made up for in depth. No child could ask for more love than you gave to me. Words fail. vi Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................. i Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ iii List of Figures ....................................................................................................................
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