Common Cultural Capital
Canada is a country of diverse racial and cultural heritage, and it is this heritage that makes up Canada's common cultural capital. It is also the glue that holds us together as a country. However, in a culturally diverse country as Canada, tolerance and openness in accepting one another as Canadians is essential. This then begs the question, how best to explore the stories of our vast cultural heritage?
Heritage is a two way process, in the sense that the present will influence the future, while being influenced by the past. Canada as a nation has been shaped by its collective history, both good and bad. Those who would attempt to dismiss this prevent us from examining our history with honesty. Knowledge leads to understanding and, hopefully, understanding leads to tolerance.
Whose history is Canadian history? Our stories cannot be ignored. "You rarely see people like me in representations in Nova Scotia," said Sylvia Hamilton, an African-Canadian filmmaker. Why isn't Matthew de Costa, a former slave who helped found Port Royal taught in schools?
Ottawa Citizen; October 26, 2002
|
