Syllabus from Spring 2006

English 182
(Colonial & Post-Colonial World Literature)
SPRING 2006

Recent fiction by Indigenous Writers from Canada, Australia, and New Zealand

Over the past twenty years or so there has been an explosion in the amount of writing published by Indigenous writers from Canada, Australia, and New Zealand/Aotearoa. In this course we will examine recent works of fiction by writers from the First Nations, Aboriginal, and Maori writers from these three countries.

While these peoples and their traditions are remarkably different from one another, each has had to deal with the devastating effects of British colonization, including displacement, forced assimilation, and genocide. Today, in the post-colonial era of these countries, indigenous writers are using the written word, and most frequently the language of the colonizer, as a site of resistance, activism, and as a means of exploring the connections and ruptures between their traditional and contemporary ways of life.

As we read each of the selected texts, we will look for common themes and approaches to these issues, but we will also pay particular attention to the cultural contexts in which each was written. We will also look at how writing by indigenous writers is affected by the unique literary institutions of each country. Where, for instance, do these writers fit within the literary canon of each country? Why are some of these titles published by mainstream, multinational corporations while others are published by small independent publishers like Kegedonce in Ontario, which publishes only books by indigenous authors? How does the fact that the audience for these books is made up mostly of non-indigenous people affect what these writers choose to say?

Required Texts

• Alan Duff, Once Were Warriors. (Vintage)
• Thomas King, The Truth About Stories (Anansi)
• Thomas King, Green Grass, Running Water. (Bantam Doubleday)
• Lee Maracle, Ravensong (Press Gang/Raincoast Books)
• skins: contemporary indigenous writing, Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm & Josie Douglas (eds.) (Kegedonce Press)
• Eden Robinson, Traplines Vintage Canada
• Kim Scott, Benang. (Freemantle Arts Centre Press)
• Films to watch on your own or at a class showing: Rabbit Proof Fence (Australia), Skins (USA), Once Were Warriors (NZ), Whale Rider (NZ), and Atanarjuat (Canada).

Assignments

• Essay – 20% (1500 words), DUE April 4th
• Class presentation – 20%
• Term Paper – 40% (2000 words) DUE last day of class
• Participation and attendance 20%

Tentative Schedule

Jan. 17: Introduction; History of native peoples of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

Jan. 24: History, post-colonial studies etc., First Nations writing in Canada; Thomas King and “The Truth About Stories”

Jan 31: Green Grass, Running Water (Presentation: )

Feb. 7: GGRW

Feb 14: The Truth About Stories (Presentation: Finn, Dede, Betsy )

Feb 21: Ravensong (Presentation: Tom, Doug, Eric)

Feb 28: Traplines (presentation: Lain, Katrina, Rebecca);

March 7: Town Meeting Day

March 14: skins: preface and selections by Campbell, Ipellie, King, and Van Camp (Presentation on Maria Campbell's "Da Teef" by Laura, Alex, and Paul )

March 21: Spring break

March 28: Australia: skins p. 93-124 (Presentations: Steve, Erica, Jill)

April 4: Benang (Presentations: ) First Essay due

April 11: Benang; Film: Rabbit Proof Fence

April 18: NZ/Aotearoa: skins (Presentations: Mike, Jesse, Brittany)

April 25: Once Were Warriors (presentation)

May 3: Once Were Warriors, film, TERM PAPER DUE


LATE POLICY:
Late assignments will be penalized one grade increment per day past the assigned deadline, unless accompanied by a doctor's note outlining medical reasons for the delay. Extensions are available, but must be requested in writing one week in advance of the original due date.