What Does Being Canadian Mean To You? (What is Canadian culture)?

CanuckbyNight

CanuckbyNight

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Sep 6, 2018
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I'm new to this forum.


I wanted to know what individual Canadians here believe Canadian identity is truly about, as opposed to the common mainstream narratives that we're usually exposed to.


I was born and raised in Canada, but I lived in one of the major cities, and watched as my hometown turned into an enclave. I've been going all over the internet, seeing current trends in Eurocentric countries, and I recently bought a book called "Canada In Decay", written by Ricardo Duchesne via Amazon (I haven't yet read it, though).



In the mean time, I've been watching documentaries and renting library books, trying to familiarize myself with Canadian history. My hope is to find out what core Canadian identity is, what the original, homegrown culture is (I was raised to believe that Canada had no culture, and that's why we needed "Diversity"). For example, Canadian traditional clothes, food/dishes, social norms, dance, festivals, religion/spirituality, political consciousness, etc.



So far, I haven't completed much reading, but I have learned that Canada was originally meant to be a farming country (which may explain why so many Canadian of older generations that I meet love country music). I've also learned - for instance - in Newfoundland, some local dialects are of Irish origin, their "mummering" tradition is based on a form of traditional street performance from the British Isles (originally Rome, according to some sources). I'm also reading on the Acadians/Cajuns of New Brunswick, and I'm currently learning French, so hopefully Quebec doesn't secede from the country.



Anyways, I don't live in the aforementioned provinces. However, I did take a political test yesterday, in order to find out what my political persuasion is. The website was called "I Side With", and my results for Canada were Right Wing Libertarian, and the site said I would be better off in Saskatchewan. Oh well...


Having said all that, what does being Canadian mean to you. It's amazing how living in a highly "multicultural" region made me so unaware of my own country's culture and history...
 
Liberalman

Liberalman

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Mar 18, 2007
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Government healthcare, poutine, beaver tail, multi-culture people. and much more under the maple leaf flag.
 
White_Unifier

White_Unifier

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Feb 21, 2017
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Being Canadian is to be born in Canada, have Canadian citizenship, or at least living in Canada long enough to feel comfortable identifying yourself as a Canadian.
 
MHz

MHz

Time Out
Mar 16, 2007
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Do what NATO wants us to do without question as we are minions and have no opinions worth hearing.
 
CanuckbyNight

CanuckbyNight

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Sep 6, 2018
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White_Unifier said:
Oh yes, and supporting official bilingualism, the Indian Act, and separate schools?
Click to expand...


I appreciate the reply, but let's be honest; simply living in Canada with Canadian citizenship can't possibly be all there is.


As for bilingualism, I'm trying to learn French, but it feels like punishment. I don't have much of a gift for language and French is not my favourite one to learn. Funny too, because I learned it for nearly ten years in school. Also, I don't really see the point. I have no use for French in my personal life or at my job, and the Quebecois don't even see themselves as Canadians; they want to secede from the country and become independent.



The Indian Act is something I've never given much thought to. I'm not Native American... and what about "separate schools?" Separate for whom?


What I mean is this: What are Canadian traditions and culture distinct from any other country? I'm not talking about Native Americans either; I'm talking about the culture established by the descendants of the settlers (Both British and French). For example, they have mummering in Newfoundland, the Calgary Stampede in Alberta, and in Quebec they have Carnival. Cajuns live in New Brunswick - that sort of thing.


Are there other things that are uniquely Canadian (Clothing, food/traditional dishes, architecture, literature, etc). I mean, it's not like Canadians have been a copy/paste of the British (minus our Coat of arms), or living in a cultural vacuum for 151 years.


Where you live in Canada, is there any sign of a homegrown culture that you take notice of?
 
CanuckbyNight

CanuckbyNight

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Sep 6, 2018
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NZDoug said:
Franglais, mon frere.
Click to expand...


I'm using Duolingo to learn French, but I don't like the language very much. Plus, every trip I've made to Quebec has been unpleasant; I found the locals to be a bit rude and snooty.



Anyways, There has to be more than just language. I mean, what traditions to Canadians have that they can use to distinguish themselves on the world stage?
 
White_Unifier

White_Unifier

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Feb 21, 2017
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Canadian cultures overlap. Canada harbours a national culture, local cultures, religious cultures, and linguistic cultures, all overlapping.

Of course we can point out our Canadian literature and other such productions, poutine, beavertails, and different indigenous and French-Canadian cuisines. In terms of lifestyle, we eat foods from around the world, speak different languages, practice different religions, etc.

If you're looking for a truly common culture beyond Canada's constitutional, legal, and policy culture, you won't find one. Heck, Canadians don't even share a common language, the most basic cultural glue that exists. Most French Canadians couldn't hold a conversation in broken English if their lives depended on it.

That's actually one reason I learnt Esperanto. I just don't see how we can build a common culture without a common language and English and French are just too difficult to learn, not built for the purpose. An easy-to-learn and grammatically-precise language like Esperanto could achieve what English and French haven't; a common second language on which to lay the foundations of a common national culture beyond just a legal one. Heck, even the CBC and SRC present different content and Quebecers are often not familiar with English Canadian personalities and vice versa.
 
White_Unifier

White_Unifier

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Feb 21, 2017
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CanuckbyNight said:
I'm using Duolingo to learn French, but I don't like the language very much. Plus, every trip I've made to Quebec has been unpleasant; I found the locals to be a bit rude and snooty.
Anyways, There has to be more than just language. I mean, what traditions to Canadians have that they can use to distinguish themselves on the world stage?
Click to expand...

A flag of Canada will do the trick. Aside from that, an English or French Canadian accent I suppose.
 
Liberalman

Liberalman

Senate Member
Mar 18, 2007
5,623
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CanuckbyNight said:
I'm new to this forum.


I wanted to know what individual Canadians here believe Canadian identity is truly about, as opposed to the common mainstream narratives that we're usually exposed to.


I was born and raised in Canada, but I lived in one of the major cities, and watched as my hometown turned into an enclave. I've been going all over the internet, seeing current trends in Eurocentric countries, and I recently bought a book called "Canada In Decay", written by Ricardo Duchesne via Amazon (I haven't yet read it, though).



In the mean time, I've been watching documentaries and renting library books, trying to familiarize myself with Canadian history. My hope is to find out what core Canadian identity is, what the original, homegrown culture is (I was raised to believe that Canada had no culture, and that's why we needed "Diversity"). For example, Canadian traditional clothes, food/dishes, social norms, dance, festivals, religion/spirituality, political consciousness, etc.



So far, I haven't completed much reading, but I have learned that Canada was originally meant to be a farming country (which may explain why so many Canadian of older generations that I meet love country music). I've also learned - for instance - in Newfoundland, some local dialects are of Irish origin, their "mummering" tradition is based on a form of traditional street performance from the British Isles (originally Rome, according to some sources). I'm also reading on the Acadians/Cajuns of New Brunswick, and I'm currently learning French, so hopefully Quebec doesn't secede from the country.



Anyways, I don't live in the aforementioned provinces. However, I did take a political test yesterday, in order to find out what my political persuasion is. The website was called "I Side With", and my results for Canada were Right Wing Libertarian, and the site said I would be better off in Saskatchewan. Oh well...


Having said all that, what does being Canadian mean to you. It's amazing how living in a highly "multicultural" region made me so unaware of my own country's culture and history...
Click to expand...

Do you like new fees?
 
H

Hoid

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 15, 2017
20,408
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"The Indian Act is something I've never given much thought to. I'm not Native American..."

because you're only interested in Canadian history?

btw Canada was not originally about farming - it had far more to do with fishing and hunting
 
Ron in Regina

Ron in Regina

"Voice of the West" Party
Apr 9, 2008
23,195
8,035
113
Regina, Saskatchewan
Canadian Culture? Just like everywhere else, if you just try to be a good citizen and a good person you'll be fine. Pay your taxes, mow your lawn, don't kick the neighbour's dog, get a job and be self sufficient, obey the law, don't be an entitled arsehole, look after yourself and those around you, be polite, tip well......the same things you'd do and be anywhere and it'll all work out.
 
Danbones

Danbones

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Sep 23, 2015
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Hoid said:
"The Indian Act is something I've never given much thought to. I'm not Native American..."
because you're only interested in Canadian history?
btw Canada was not originally about farming - it had far more to do with fishing and hunting
Click to expand...

No...?
*Place rolling eye smiley here*
...white man just learned fertilization, companion planting, and half his american vegetables from the indjuns...
 
Hoof Hearted

Hoof Hearted

House Member
Jul 23, 2016
4,254
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Constantly asking yourself the question, "What does it mean to be Canadian?"...is a very Canadian thing to do. ;)
 
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