Moquin, Heather (2010) Breathing out 'The Songs That Want to Be Sung': a Dialogue on Research, Colonization and Pedagogy Focused on the Canadian Arctic
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Moquin, Heather (2010) Breathing out 'the songs that want to be sung': A dialogue on research, colonization and pedagogy focused on the Canadian Arctic. PhD thesis. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/2146/ Copyright and moral rights for this thesis are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the Author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the Author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Glasgow Theses Service http://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] Breathing out “the songs that want to be sung” 1: A dialogue on research, colonization and pedagogy focused on the Canadian Arctic Heather Moquin Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of PhD Faculty of Education University of Glasgow 1 Excerpt from Ipellie (in Ipellie, 1997, p. 101) Let us write passages that will sway the centuries-old impressions that others have about our true colours. Let us put, without a moment’s hesitation, a voice in the mouth of our silent mind. Let us help breathe out the songs that want to be sung. Let us free ourselves from the chains that shackle our imagination and explore the unknown world that is within us. Let us help our silent mind speak through the beauty of the written word. Let us help to release it from Hell’s world of pure silence. Let us dream forever and write (Ipellie, in Ipellie, 1997, p. 101). 2 Abstract This thesis considers questioning of rigid conceptions of identity with regards the parallel and integrated contexts of the Canadian Arctic and academia. The text has been written as a conversation between texts written by Inuit (the source literature) and non-Inuit. I have searched and analyzed these sources on the broad themes of research, colonization and pedagogy. The theme of research is a guide for the first section of this thesis where I locate the research by detailing my rationales and methodologies. My objective to conduct this research ethically, responsible to writings by Inuit and others represented within this thesis, led me to use a literary approach considered by some as non-standard within the social sciences. Drawing only on secondary texts for this research, reading and writing are my methodologies and I utilize intertextuality as a theoretical and methodological guide. The theme of colonization in the Canadian Arctic provides a main focus for the second and third sections of the thesis. I review perspectives both on colonization in the Canadian Arctic, and contemporary social health challenges, and consider these in relation to the educational sphere most specifically. Colonization is discussed as something that has incurred trauma for Inuit, and as something that Inuit seek to be resilient to, but I emphasize a need to recognize diversities within the colonization and contemporary experiences of Inuit. I discuss that narratives can be misleading and potentially harmful, particularly when there is an overreliance on rigid externally-defined narratives which conflict with internal conceptions of identity. And I discuss how narratives can also be affirming, particularly when an individual has agency over the construction and the sharing processes. I consider the writings within the source literature as enactments of resilience through inherent questioning of hegemonic ‘truths’. Pedagogy is a thematic guide for the fourth section of the thesis. I suggest that under the intangible terminologies of ‘overcoming trauma’ or ‘resilience over colonization’ sit pedagogies that Inuit discuss whereby such ideals may be pursued. Learning theorists focussed more broadly promote critiques of mainstream pedagogies and ideal pedagogies similar to those discussed by Inuit. Considering these connections leads to an articulation of five characteristics of ideal pedagogies for coming to new understandings on difference: 1) a need to revalue diversities and ‘soft’ skills such as imagination; 2) a tolerance of an individual’s need for freedom to define one’s own identity; 3) a conceptualization of pedagogy as a contextualized way of living rather than a decontextualized activity; 4) the importance of a dialogic pedagogy and humility of both teacher/learner; and 5) the promotion of a cognizance, through pedagogy, that essentialisms are necessary but also potentially misleading and damaging. Such an articulation of ideal pedagogies has also guided my own learning within this research. 3 Table of contents Abstract 3 Acknowledgements 7 CHAPTER 1: Introduction 8 Aim and objectives 8 Section summaries 10 A note on sources 13 SECTION 1: LOCATING THE RESEARCH 16 CHAPTER 2: Locating the research: A change in direction 16 Introduction 16 Conference presentation: How can you speak for? 16 Always define: A reflection on questioning 18 Personal ethics and care-full research 22 Summary 25 CHAPTER 3: Locating the research: Listening to context 26 Introduction 26 Researching the research(ers) 26 Questioning stereotypes and returning to the real 33 What truths? 39 ‘Listening’ to writings by Inuit 43 Summary 44 CHAPTER 4: Locating the research: Critically questioning the categories 45 Introduction 45 Inuit writing and literature 45 Native literature 51 Post-colonial literature 53 Resistance literature 55 Testimonial literature 56 Summary 58 CHAPTER 5: Locating the research: Intertextuality 59 Introduction 59 Truths and imaginations behind the text 59 Considering language 62 Considering ‘speaking for’ 64 Addressing the question: How can you speak for? 67 Summary 70 CHAPTER 6: Locating the research: Methodologies 72 Introduction 72 Identifying the methodologies 72 Reconciling misgivings on textual research 73 Situating methodologies 76 Reading as methodology 86 4 Writing as methodology 89 Selection of texts 92 Summary 96 SECTION 2: REAFFIRMING CONTEXT 97 CHAPTER 7: Reaffirming context: The Canadian Arctic 97 Introduction 97 Historical colonization 97 Terminologies of colonization 101 Impacts of colonization 103 Generational experiences of colonization 109 Maintenance of social health challenges 111 Summary 116 CHAPTER 8: Reaffirming context: Education in the Canadian Arctic 118 Introduction 118 Ways of learning prior to colonization 118 Residential schools and settlement 120 Impacts of mainstream education 124 Contemporary education 128 Barriers to higher education 131 Pointing towards changes in education 134 Summary 136 SECTION 3: “BEING INUIT IS JUST A STORY” 138 CHAPTER 9: “Being Inuit is just a story”: Narratives as harmful 138 Introduction 138 Loss of freedoms 139 Multiplicities hidden under discourse terminologies 142 Essentialisms 149 “Education as the practice of freedom” 159 Summary 160 CHAPTER 10: “Being Inuit is just a story”: Narratives as affirmative 162 Introduction 162 Narrative construction 162 Sharing narratives 165 Inuit speaking to and back to these themes 167 Questioning hegemonic ‘truths’ 169 Summary 175 SECTION 4: CONVERSATIONS ON PEDAGOGY 176 CHAPTER 11: Conversations on pedagogy 176 Introduction 176 Inuit pedagogical ideals 177 Wider critiques of mainstream pedagogies 186 Tracing my path to ideal pedagogies: False binaries not false difference 190 5 Ideal pedagogies 194 Recognizing connections 205 Summary 209 CHAPTER 12: Conclusion 211 Aim and objectives 211 Section summaries 211 Audiences 214 A reflection on conclusions 216 Appendix 1 221 References 222 Primary sources 222 Secondary sources 233 Bibliography 235 6 Acknowledgements It is a pleasure to be able to thank those who have supported me throughout my doctoral studies. I would like to first thank my thesis supervisors Prof. Alison Phipps and Prof. Jean Barr. I could not have arrived at such a clear text without working at it in conversation with Alison and Jean. Their reflections have guided me to better see and develop my work. For their generosity with their time and knowledge, I am very grateful. Thanks also to the faculty and support staff of the Faculty of Education at the University of Glasgow, especially Ms. Fiona Green and Ms. Myrtle Porch for their hospitality and assistance with administrative queries. The Faculty Graduate School has been excellent in providing interesting and unique opportunities for graduate students to partake in. I am grateful to the organizations which provided the scholarships and grants for my studies: the Faculty of Education for providing my home fees, the Overseas Research Student Awards Scheme (ORSAS) for providing my international tuition fees, and both ESCalate and the Canadian Centennial Fund for financial grants. These have all been an immense support and are much appreciated. I am also very grateful to my friends and family for their love and support throughout my studies. Firstly, I wish to thank my brother Bruce for reminding me about what’s important. Thank-you to my partner’s family for their enthusiastic support and encouragement. Thank- you also to my parents for the encouragement, for graciously providing support and, particularly over these past few years, for teaching me how to face difficulties in life with resilience and grace. Thanks to my friends, Sarah and Ulrike for the laughs, conversation and encouragement. Finally, I wish to thank my partner, Kurt, who has been beside me throughout this long adventure while also working towards his own doctoral degree. Thank- you for sharing in the adventure and for your calm and patient love and support. 7 CHAPTER 1: Introduction Aim and objectives I originally began this research with a broad aim to better understand resilience of the Canadian Arctic in the face of colonization with regards adult education. My choice of research topic had come out of my past experience living and working within one particular community on Baffin Island and my time working at Inuit representative organizations in Canada, the Ajunnginiq Centre 2 at the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) 3.