(Writing group left to right: Beth Hong, Lisa Odland, Claire Ping, Maggie Wang, Mauree Matsusaka).

The following piece was written by our writing workshop participant Lisa Odland, a Grade 12 student at Seycove Secondary in North Vancouver.

More Than Our Stereotypes

What face would Vancouver, Canada show the world? That was the big question on February 12, 2010, at the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Aside from the 61,600 people in attendance at the Games opening ceremonies, millions watched from their homes around the world. My expectations were high as I tuned into the ceremonies in my North Vancouver basement with my Canadian family and friends. It quickly became apparent to us that the overarching theme of the ceremony was 'Canadian stereotypes.'

The opening ceremony featured a giant, sparkly blow up spirit bear, and a tribute to Northern Canada. There was also a tribute to Canada's fiddling traditions, featuring fiddlers dancing around the stage covered in giant red maple leaves. Lastly, a tribute to the Canadian Rockies and Western Canada with Canadians skiing and snowboarding down Whistler slopes. Minus the technical difficulty with one of the four pillars, the majority of people gave the opening ceremonies positive feedback.

The First Nations took centre stage during the ceremonies. The Squamish Nation, Musqueam Indian Band, Lil'wat First Nation, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nation were recognized as the "Four Host First Nations". In their respective languages, greetings were given by members of the each Nations. Following these greetings, other regions of aboriginal peoples in Canada, such as the Peoples of the Plains, the Peoples of the Northwest, the Métis Nation and the Inuit were represented by a dancing act. Next, a welcome circle was formed, having people surround a large drum and perform traditional First Nations welcoming dances.

It all looks so good—but it's a very sugar-coated and misleading version of how I view Vancouver. According to the 2001 Census, First Nations make up two per cent of Metro Vancouver's population. Where were the other visible minority groups who represent 41 per cent of the population? I asked my 15 year old brother to define his country, in which he responded "a vibrant multicultural nation". A non-Canadian might not have gotten the same impression.

I also wondered whether many people outside Canada are aware of the social reality for many First Nations and urban aboriginal people, beyond the signing and dancing. I live in North Vancouver, right next to a First Nations community called the Tsleil-Waututh reserve. The people on the reserve face many problems from many generations back. In the High school graduation rates according to a 2006 Statistics Canada census report is around 40 per cent for residents aged 20 to 24 living on a reserve. It reported that 33 per cent of the First Nations population feels that alcohol abuse is a problem in their household. Did these ceremonies show a true picture of what First Nations life is really like in Canada?


Where were the other visible minority groups who represent 41 per cent of the population?






A broader question to ask: Are these stereotypes or inaccurate portrayals of Canada really completely harmless? I'll answer in a (typically) Canadian fashion: through a story about hockey. In 2010, my hockey team of 15, 16 and 17 year old girls piled into our vans every month and head down to western Washington. We'd leave our houses at 9 am for a 1 o'clock game, and we wouldn't get home until 6pm. The plus side, however, was the drastic difference between playing a Lower Mainland team, and playing Washington. Our Canadian patriotism shined on the ice like you couldn't imagine. After the Canadian men and womens hockey teams won Olympic gold, our games were no longer just a regular league games; we might as well have been sporting the maple leaf, and the American team their stars. In the dressing room before our first game after the Olympics, the energy was higher than ever before, the music louder.


A broader question to ask: Are these stereotypes or inaccurate portrayals of Canada really completely harmless?






On the ice, we laughed at the Americans because they had to wear mouth guards, and they laughed at us for our padded neck guards. We'd boast about our national icon "Sid the Kid" (Sidney Crosby) and the legendary Wayne Gretzky, while they proclaimed Mike Modano superior to both.

We knew we were representing not only our team but Canada as well. As the game got rough and emotions started taking over. Some of my teammates began throwing obesity jokes about Americans left and right. We traded insults mostly in scrums at our nets.

"Cut back on the Twinkies!"

"Go back to your igloos!"

While it may read like silly harmless phrases on paper, on the ice the hostility was near breaking point.

As these scrums grew more intense, so did the insults. They became attacks on stereotypes about Americans' religious zeal and ignorance.

"Bible-bashers!"
I bet you don't even know our capital city; or who our 'President' is."

The Americans also upped their ante.

"You ride polar bears to school, and drink maple syrup from the bottle, eh?"


They became attacks on stereotypes about Americans' religious zeal and ignorance.






Most of the American team are actually decent people, just like my teammates. On the ice, however, both groups quickly spiraled into name-calling and insults based on base stereotypes. I've thought a lot about the games we played against the American hockey team in Washington since the 2010 Olympics. The more I think about it, the more I want to express my frustration with the stereotyping insults that were hurled back and forth on the ice. No, Canada isn't just a country of spirit bears, fiddlers, and singing and dancing First Nations people. Nor is America a country of fat bible-thumpers. Fat bible thumpers exist in Canada too, just as I'm sure they can exist anywhere in the world. What I'd like to see in future events featuring Vancouver is a more accurate portrayal of what I live and feel.

***
About Lisa:
I am a Grade 12 student at Seycove Secondary in North Vancouver. It's my final year, and who knows where I'll be or what I'll be doing. I believe that there is no path laid out for me, but that that it's mine to create. I am a third generation Canadian from Norwegian and Belgian descent (which is really irrelevant).

Related Links
The other two written pieces, by Maggie Wang and Claire Ping.
Forgotten by Maggie Wang
Cultural Milkshake by Claire Ping