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A Focus on Somali Children As Cultural Brokers, and As Ambassadors of Language and Culture

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A Focus on Somali Children As Cultural Brokers, and As Ambassadors of Language and Culture THE SOMALI-DIASPORA EXPERIENCE: A FOCUS ON SOMALI CHILDREN AS CULTURAL BROKERS, AND AS AMBASSADORS OF LANGUAGE AND CULTURE BY Abdinasir Farah Mohamud, B.A (Honours Criminology) Ryerson University, 2016 A Major Research Paper presented to Ryerson University in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Arts in the program of Immigration and Settlement Studies Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2017 © Abdinasir Farah Mohamud, 2017 AUTHOR’S DECLARATION FOR THE ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS OF A MAJOR RESEARCH PAPER (MRP) I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this Major Research Paper. This is a true copy of the MRP, including any required final revisions. I authorize Ryerson University to land this MRP to other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. I further authorize Ryerson University to reproduce this MRP by photocopying or by other means, in total or in part, at the request of other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. I understand that my MRP may be made electronically available to the public. Abdinasir Farah Mohamud ii THE SOMALI-DIASPORA EXPERIENCE: A FOCUS ON SOMALI CHILDREN AS CULTURAL BROKERS, AND AS AMBASSADORS OF LANGUAGE AND CULTURE Abdinasir Farah Mohamud Master of Arts, 2017 Immigration and Settlement Studies Ryerson University ABSTRACT This paper examines the Somali-Canadian Diaspora experience, and in particular, focuses on the role children in immigrant families play as cultural brokers and as ambassadors of language and culture. Utilizing the literature on language acquisition, this paper’s aim is to include the Somali-Canadian Diaspora’s voice into the vast literature that exists, which examines the importance of bilingual children, who assist their families in integrating and settling in a host nation. The second component of this paper examines the role language has on identity, and utilizing cultural brokers’ language acquisition, investigates how cultural brokers’ identity is formed by their bilingualism. The paper posed two research questions: 1. In what ways do cultural brokers play a role as ambassadors of language and culture to assist their families in navigating the challenges of a new country? 2. In what ways do the cultural brokers’ bilingual abilities inform their identity? Keywords: Cultural Broker, Bilingual child, Acculturation, Familism, Biculturalism, Hyphen-identity, Somali- Diaspora iii Acknowledgment I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Francis Hare, who was patient throughout the process of completing my MRP. His guidance and feedback were greatly appreciated. My gratitude as well goes to Dr. Julian Hasford, who agreed to be my second reader, and provided great insight and critical feedback that made the difference in my MRP. To the five participants of this study, who provided their time and voice, you have my utmost appreciation and your voice was an integral part of this study. iv Dedication: I dedicate this work to my family, and especially to my mother, who has shown courage in adversity and always supported me and encouraged my adventures. To my wife, thank you for your love, patience and encouragement, and believing in me, while completing this work. Finally, to the ISS cohort of 2016-2017, I appreciate every one of you and wish you much success in the future, and specifically to the GLC, your support and friendship have been greatly appreciated. v Table of Contents Author’s Declaration ..................................................................................................................................... ii Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................ iii Acknowledgment ........................................................................................................................................ iv Dedication .................................................................................................................................................... v 1 - Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1 2 - Personal Location: The Researcher’s positionality .................................................................................. 3 3 – Research Questions & Literature Review................................................................................................ 4 3.1 - Research Questions ......................................................................................................................... 4 3.2 - Literature Review: Introduction ....................................................................................................... 5 3.3 - Language Acquisition Literature: Overview ...................................................................................... 6 3.4 - The Somali - Diaspora Experience: ................................................................................................. 11 4 - Theoretical Framework: Overview ........................................................................................................ 14 4.1 – Acculturation Theory...................................................................................................................... 16 4.2 – Construction of Childhood ............................................................................................................. 18 4.3 – Familism Theory ............................................................................................................................. 20 4.4 – Adultification, Parentification, and Role Reversal ......................................................................... 22 4.5 – Para-Phrasing ................................................................................................................................. 22 4.6 – Biculturalism & Identity formation ................................................................................................ 23 5 - Conceptual Framework: Method, Auto - ethnography, Participants, and Procedure .......................... 26 5.1 - Method: Qualitative Research; In-Depth Interviewing................................................................... 26 5.2 - Auto-ethnography: ......................................................................................................................... 28 5.3 - Sample - Participants: ..................................................................................................................... 31 5.4 - Procedure: Data Collection and Analysis: ....................................................................................... 33 5.5 - Strengths and Limitations: .............................................................................................................. 34 6 - Findings and Analysis: Thematic and Narrative Analysis ....................................................................... 35 6.1 – Demographics: Participants and Qualitative Data ......................................................................... 35 6.2 - The Somali Refugee and Settlement Experience: ........................................................................... 37 6.3 - Acculturation: Language acquisition of the Somali-Canadian youth .............................................. 40 6.4 - Cultural Brokers’ role as Advocates ................................................................................................ 43 6.5 – Familism: Family Obligation ........................................................................................................... 45 6.6 - Hyphenated Identity: Biculturalism ................................................................................................ 48 6.7 - Multiculturalism – Identity Discourse ............................................................................................. 52 vi 7 – Discussion and Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 54 8 - Recommendation - Further Studies ...................................................................................................... 56 Appendices .................................................................................................................................................. 58 A.1 - Constant Form ............................................................................................................................ 58 A.2 – Recruitment Poster .................................................................................................................... 64 A.3 – Interview Questions ................................................................................................................... 65 References .................................................................................................................................................. 66 vii 1 - Introduction With the introduction of Canada’s multiculturalism policy, which has been problematized since then from different vantage points, Canada as a settled land opened its borders and expanded the categories of refugees and immigrants it accepted as candidates. As such, refugees and immigrants from different parts of the world arrived in Canada’s borders seeking haven, and for Somalis fleeing civil war, Canada became their new home. However, Somali immigrants faced barriers,
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