CONSTRUCTUYG NATIONAL Hlstory at PIER 21
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CONSTRUCTUYG NATIONAL HlSTORY AT PIER 21 National Library ~lmnationale l*l of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acq$siiimet Bibliographic Sewices se- bPkgtaphqu85 395 Wellington Street 395. Onawa ON KIA ON4 -W KlAW4 Canada Cuirdi The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence aüowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Cana& to Bhiiothbque nationale du Canada & reproduce, lom, distriiute or se1 reprodriire,prêter,disûi'bnerou copies of this thesis in microfonn, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. Ia forme de microfiche/fiim, de reproduction sur papier ou sur fonnat électnmique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neitha dre droit d'auteur qPi protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial exmds hmit Ni lathèse ni des exûaits substanîieis may be printed or othexwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. lzida Zorde Mmters of Ar@ 2001 Ontario lnstitute for Snidin im EdamLian aftbe Usiversity of Toronto This research examines how national historical mmtiyes help amîwt bth bwwe sce the past and how we interpret and act upon our paent cùemstances. This study focuses on Pier 7 1 as a site in Canada where immigdm and Cadian hisîary are taught and exhibited through the reconstruction of immigrant "expericllce*. Between 1928 and 197 !. Pier 2 1 was one of the major Canadian ports of emy for immigrants. In this thesis, 1 examine the Pier 2 1 exhibit and the institutionai relations at work in its poduction and continual operation. t contend that îbe ivays in which the museum reprpsents itself, and is presented by the media as well as how iî repesents immigration expxbx,shapes public understandings and &finitions, and hi~t~cizesthe Canadian nation 1aqw ht there is a disj unaure between the way the Pier 2 1 exhiit has been eoasmicted withm public discourse, and its dproject of -011 Tnere are many people that helped me in producimg this -S. I am mast gratefut for the enduring support of my hvo supervisors. My graîihrde to Dr. Kathy Biclrmorc, my advisor and teacher. Her insights have helped me to make seme of tbe Pier 21 exhiiit, as wel l as to cantextualize the history qxescnted there witbin larger mwements for citizenshi p education. My appmiation to Dr, John Porteni for bis insauction and nuidance. I am very fortunate to have haà the oppmity to work with, and leam hm, kseNO people. I 'd li ke to thank everyone at Pier 2 1 COt theu support, intieriest ad assistance in ihis project. The staff at Pier 21 were remarhbly weicoming and ùelpful. i'd especially like to thank Came Ann Smith, fier 2 1 reswrce li- for her tire1ess assistance in searching out sources of infimation. A lot of ppiehelped me get throiigh the day-tcFday wrk required to poduce a thesis. .4mish Morrell for his intellectusl cmmkship and for lending me his apartmebt wbtn mi ne becarne a stopping place for wayward summer txavders. Esther and Mike Zotdc for their love and support over the long years that 1 have spnt in University. Paul Labun for the years spent sitting around the kitehen table bning our skiils of debaie. 1am also thankful for the summer nights spent in Kensington Market playiag neighborbood hi& and go seek and the formation of"team thesis" over beers adcoffces. These werr a m uch-needed distraction fiam the !mg Iiaurs of wri- I'd especidy like to th& Amanda Birdsell for krcarefid editing ami her tifeless support, Maria Fowler fOr hcr fnendship, and Laura Cowll for htastic summer outings aad midme of the night dog wal ks. Pier 3 f .............................................................................. 56 SyrnboIiUng the Past ............................................................. 60 Creating the Nation - The Exhiit ............................................. 62 Inverning Multiculturalism...................................................... 65 The People ......................................................................... 66 Testimonials ...................................................................... -68 Who the Immigrants were ....................................................... 69 How the State Responded ....................................................... 70 Conclusion ........................................................................ 71 Cbapter Five: Posiîioniag Pior 21 Introduction ....................................................................... 73 Locating the Pier 2 1 .Cmting a Uniîjing Discourse ..................... 74 Creating the Nation .............................................................. 77 The Discoutse at pier 2 1 ........................................................ 79 The Nation ........................................................................ 80 hagining Community .......................................................... 81 Embodying National Values through Multiculturalism .................... 82 Discussion ........................................................................ 84 C hapter Six: Conclusioas Introduction ...................................................................... 87 The Exhibit ....................................................................... 88 Locating a Disjunctue ......................................................... 89 Framing the Exhibit and Repoducmg ldeology ............................ 90 References ............................................................................... 93 Appendixes ............................................................................... 100 This site wimessed the arriva1 of appoximately one million immigraats, who have enriched the cultural mosaic of Canada Opened in 1928, Pier 21 served as one of Canada's principal reception centers mtil it closed 1971. It typifies the large, self- contained immigration facilities tbat the Canadian government had begun to establish at major ports near the turn of the 2ob cem\ny. The MatPier 21 bandled large volumes of irnrnigants rapidly, checkiag their citiljeaship and medical mtsditioas, and poviding quarantine, detention, customs and social services (Heriîage Canada, Sites and Monuments Board Plaque) Wt. intrnd to recognizc the contributions of al1 immigrants of al1 ages. tt doesn't maîter if you came here in 1928 or 1998" (Rutb ûoldblwm in the Tmmo Star, January 23, 1999 1. WC are blessed to live in out country. What are important are tbe values that we shafe. People came from al1 over the world to shate this couuûy. Here in Canada we are al1 equal. we can live with different color and languages, religions and we are sharing the advantages and responsibility of king Canadians (PM Jean Men,Pier 21 Opening Ceremonies, CNN,July 1, 1999). Chapter 1: introduction Situating the Project This project is an examination of Pier 2 1, an immigration history museum in Halifax, Nova Scotia Between 1928 and 1971, Pier 2 1 was one of the major Canadian ports of entry for immigrants, refugees, and soldiers arriving to Canada by sbip. It was through Pier 2 1 that many newcomers to Canada had their first contact with both Canadian society and the Canadian srate. The Pier 21 exhibit recreates the "expenence" of coming through the pier as a new immigrant and contextualizes it within major histo rical events such as the economic depression of the 1930s. and the Second Wodd War. The museum contains stories, artifacts and exhibits that deal specifically with three major tields; citizenship, genealogy/family history and Canadian history. Accotding to museum documents, the Pier 21 facility was designed to allow visitors to leiun more about Canada's history and heritage'. The purpose of the study is to examine the Pier 21 museurn exhibit as wetl as the difterent institutions that brought the museum into king in light of theoies of power, hrsemony and citizenship education. I examine the history that is rep~sentedand its implications in the context of citizenship education and non-formai ldng I undertook this research with the understanding that the represeatation of public history is always partial, subjective and ideological. With this in minci, this thesis has tivo main objectives. The first is explorhg some of the content of the Pier 21 exhibit Specifically t am interested in what, fiom the histoiy of the past forty-three years re1ated to imrni-gants and immigration, was selected by exhiidors for the museum. 1 explore ! See. Pirr 2 1 Society,A Brief ûvuvïcw, 1999: 1 what is included and left out of this institutionai rendition of immigration history and examine narratives that address both immigration and the Canadian state. The content of the eshibit. I believe, throws notions of, as well as prescriptions and actions for citizenship and "nationhood" into relief. I am most interested in examining the framing of the rxhibit as a symbol of the nation in public discourse as well as the production of the exhibit and its associated meanings. The second part of this project explores sorne of the individuai and institutional relat ions at work in the making of, and continual operation of the Pier 21 exhibit, and thereby raises questions about the positionhg and accountability of the history reprcsented there. Through an exploration of institutional coordination, I uncover part of the terrain on which a pamcular version of national history and identity is organized, shaped and determined by relations that go beyond ourencounter with the museum and its content.