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Bassili, Monica

Canada, Land of the Identity Crisis | Monica Bassili

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Canada is called the “mosaic,” including diverse cultures and identities, yet, this mosaic eerily resembles the United States melting pot. Contrary to national narratives on multiculturalism in Canada, one of the most successful tactics in succeeding personally and professionally is to assimilate. But assimilate into what? 

Assimilating depends on your positionality in Canada. Whether it is Edmonton, Alberta or Halifax, Nova Scotia, assimilation functions to transition (im)migrants to the dominant socio-cultural space. Most of the time, this space is white, Eurocentric, and values the principles and beliefs of white Europeans. 

For instance, changing your name from a long, traditional term from your home country to a Euro-Christian name like John or George. These are the gradual steps of erasure, the steps of which will benefit (im)migrants to the detriment of their authentic identity.

 

Surviving Diversity

 

The one commonality among Canadians is not culture, religion, or ethnicity; instead, it is the Canadian passport. When you become a Canadian citizen, hanging onto your religious and cultural beliefs isolates and fails to bring communities together. For instance, small and closed-off ethnoreligious communities such as the Coptic Orthodox Christian community from Egypt fail in most Canadian cities to connect with those outside their race or religion.

 

Such a failure is not on the Coptic community or the “Canadian” or white-dominated majority. The loss does not exist because there is no failure at this point. Diversity in Canada means preserving traditions and beliefs that cannot conform to modern society. The Coptic Orthodox people will never shun or manipulate their faith in favour of Western society, and the same goes for Canadian cities. 

 

If communities like the Coptic Orthodox people integrate into Canadian society, there would be conflict and tension. For orthodox Christians, topics such as LGBT+, abortion, interracial marriage, and other societal issues that deter fundamentalist Christian dogma would clash with the psuedo-liberated feminism and social justice in Euro-Canadian society. Some communities must segregate for racial and religious diversity to survive.

 

Who Am I?

 

In this way, an identity crisis remains in the (im)migrants and their descendants. What happens to the next generation of children and their identity? For the children of (im)migrants, identity crisis is a given life experience.

Knowing whether you fit into the “Canadian” group or your cultural group is a lifelong process of learning and re-learning; by re-learning, I am alluding to the willingness to question the beliefs of your parents, their culture, and religion to know your place in Canada fully.

 

As a Coptic Orthodox Christian, an  Egyptian woman who has never travelled to Egypt, the gatekeeping for cultural and ethnic validation occurs daily. From failing to speak your home country’s language to failing to remember specific religious necessities in the church, there are many ways in which I fail to attain the Coptic Orthodox and Egyptian identities.

 

On the other hand, I cannot meaningfully integrate into a “Canadian” group or community as I present as an Arab with curly hair and brown skin. Assimilating into a white-dominant group is challenging not only due to outward appearance but due to religious indoctrination.

Moving past the apparent contradiction between liberal democratic countries like Canada, and directorship-military coup’ed countries like Egypt, holding onto religious beliefs is required to pass the traditions down to the next generation.

 

Social Isolation and Converging Beliefs

 

As a result, religious indoctrination and the reality that ethnic communities segregate themselves means that their descendants struggle to enter Canadian social circles. Even as an atheist, it took me almost a decade to understand why how I communicate reflects the ways I was raised.

For instance, I struggled to integrate into social circles with women because I was not socialized to wear makeup, dress in trendy clothing, and date at a young age. Among the dominant forms of female socialization are how young Canadian women learn and grow.

If you fail to conform to the female conditions of a post-social media society, it is much easier to remain segregated in your racial and religious community. This is not a negative thing, but the beauty of Canada. Depending on whether you are, where you are from, and where you are going, you, as an individual, have the power to change as you see fit.

People from different cultures or religions should not be pitied; instead, they should be thought of as strong and resilient people, able to shift from one country to the next with the skill and imagination to envision a better future for themselves and their families. Ultimately, one’s culture, language, and religious background are not watered down or reduced to accommodate Euro-Canadian interests or ideals. 

 

In response, such diverse communities are uniquely positioned to advance their identities as they choose. This is the beauty of Canada. Not the Canadian passport. Not the so-called multiculturalism. But the beauty lies in our collective and individual capacities to align with what we want when we want and the realization that these beliefs can change over time.

As is the process of aging and reflecting on your experiences, we can begin to understand where we stand in Canada, in Edmonton, and whichever one of the many diverse and beautiful landscapes we inhabit in this city. 

 

Communities like Millwoods up against communities like Eaux Claires paint a beautiful picture of culture, language, and religious beauty that does not require assimilation into dominant society to realize its potential.

Learning to value the reasons communities develop can help shape your understanding and, hopefully, challenge your assumptions and delve into a new way of being and knowing.

 

 

 

 

Read more here: 

Women and Honour | Monica Bassilli

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