Fri May 7 detailed schedule

Settler Colonialism and the Eclipsing of Stó:lō Legendary Narratives Reflecting Elite Women’s Perspectives on Territoriality

Abstract

Like many other historians, I’ve drawn inspiration from Thomas King’s assertion that “The truth about stories is, that's all we are.”  Earlier, I worked with Stó:lō people to examine ancient legendary oral narratives that in the early-through-mid 19^th century provided Stó:lō people with historical precedents that in turn helped them navigate the vagaries of early settler colonialism. In this presentation I share some of the findings emerging from a subsequent collaborative research project with Stó:lō Knowledge Keepers that examines the way in which particular aspects of settler colonialism in the late 19^th and early 20^th century caused particular legendary narratives to recede from the forefront of the Stó:lō oral cannon.  In particular, I focus on the way colonialism worked to especially undermine and eclipse those narratives that featured prominent female characters and that were illustrative of inter-community and inter-personal collaboration and sharing. The resulting narrative gender imbalance illustrates (and perhaps worked to emphasize) male gendered notions of territorial exclusivity vis a vis female understandings of territorial inclusivity. The implications of this previously overlooked aspect of settler colonialism continues to create problems for Stó:lō communities and leaders to this day. 

Presenter(s)

Keith Thor Carlson , University of the Fraser Valley

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