I heard on the news this morning that our iconic Royal B.C. Museum is in the process dismantling “Colonial” displays. Without seeing these displays, I could easily render their meaning: the time of settlement of the white man in Canada. And we can’t speak of that without acknowledging the Indigenous tribes who were here first.
What the museum reps are saying, is they want to make room for Indigenous voices. Okay, that’s good. Do we take away one history to make room for another? Apparently. Especially in light of the current and tragic revelation of the Residential Schools.
We all know the answer to that. It doesn’t. Dismantling a historic display because of shame (and that’s what this truly is about) is not the answer. Maybe the answer is to leave those displays as reminders that it was real. There was a time when…
In the US, for example, there has been a swift dismantling of history. In light of the Black Lives Matter movement, many monuments are seen to be (and correctly so) representing a time of black enslavement, black oppression. Therefore, these monuments should be ‘dismantled’ or trashed in the night. Either way, the result is the same; History is being erased.
It doesn’t make it go away though.
Consider our history as individuals. Can we erase our history? No, not unless we undergo that operation in the movie, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
It’s impossible and unreal to change our own personal history. All this talk of growing from our mistakes is true but not if we erase it all. And maybe if I don’t admit I was ever married, I’m not a divorced woman. Or if we don’t admit that we did that something we are still ashamed of, then it never happened. We erased it out of respect for someone else? Still not going away.
It’s unrealistic and nonsensical.
We can’t erase our past and say it never happened. So how can we erase the past of a nation and pretend it never happened out of respect for a segment of society that has been wronged.
All we can really do is honor it by acknowledging the wrong. Dismantling it doesn’t make it go away. It doesn’t make amends to anyone. Maybe placing new monuments/displays side by side with the old, would put an exclamation point on the history.
Thoughts? Do share in the comments.
first image source: We Are Not Canada, But We Could Learn A Thing or Two | Native America: A History (michaelleroyoberg.com)
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John Anderson
March 26, 2022 at 1:51 amI agree on this. History can’t erase but we can put it out in our mind like we should not think over and over again and short is to move on so that we can move forward in our future. Beside that we just cherish it because of our mistake in our past, we grow, strong and better person now. Thanks Lisa for sharing, this blog make us inspired and motivational on how we fix this kind of problem. Keep sharing to us and keep it up.
lisa
April 1, 2022 at 11:57 amThanks, John 🙂
Sujain
March 9, 2022 at 7:07 amI agree with your saying . History teach us and lead us to improvement
lisa
March 9, 2022 at 10:52 amIt sure does, but it can repeat, too.
Condo in the Philippines
November 29, 2021 at 12:20 amIndeed, we can’t alter the history, but we can fully embrace it as we go on with our everyday lives. This way, we can face what’s ahead of us prepared.
lisa
November 30, 2021 at 11:50 amYes, we can try.
Tamara
November 8, 2021 at 4:36 pmThe PM dressing in headdress is a little cringe, right? How was that widely perceived?
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is my favorite movie! It’s so tempting, and also so horrifying. I don’t think you can erase or deny or appease. It’s like.. in the movie.. they tried that, but the heart still knew what the heart knows.
We have to do better.
lisa
November 8, 2021 at 6:44 pmYes, it is. I don’t think overly well.
Loved that movie, too. Exactly. Indeed the heart does know. It’s written there.
I agree.
Balroop Singh
November 7, 2021 at 7:47 amWhile I agree that history can never be erased and should be displayed in the museums, glorifying the barbaric treatment of fellow human beings in the form of monuments or sculptures should be done away. What is most outrageous is to erase shameful historical events from history books to keep the next generation in the dark. An objective historical lesson goes a long way in instilling the right values and forming opinions. Thanks for highlighting the most relevant issue.
lisa
November 7, 2021 at 10:21 amExcellent point, Balroop. the word “glorifying” is apt. That is at the heart of the problem with monuments or statues of leaders representing ugly eras. Absolutely, the generations to come must learn true history–the facts. And brings home the point of the recent revelations of the Residential Schools, at least recent revelation to my generation. It shouldn’t be glossed over or neglected in history lessons. Thanks for your input.
DGKaye
November 5, 2021 at 8:48 pmI agree Lis, we can’t change history, nor should we hide it. The good and the bad should be acknowledged, the fake appeasements are unnecessary. <3
lisa
November 5, 2021 at 10:04 pmThank you, Deb. If we erase or hide history, we aren’t really owning up and then it all does become ‘fake’. 😛 Thanks for sharing your thoughts. <3
LA CONTESSA
November 5, 2021 at 1:41 pmAGREE TOTALITY WITH WHAT YOU ARE SAYING!XX
lisa
November 5, 2021 at 6:08 pmThank you, LA CONTESSA. I wrote this to figure out what I think of it. It’s kind of confusing times. Our flag has been half mast since last June and apparently will remain that way until who knows when. The messages we are getting to make amends—well I don’t think it’s working. Thanks for reading and chiming in. xoxo
Jeff
November 5, 2021 at 11:15 amI like how you bring it back to us as individuals. We all have shame, individuals and cultures. While we can’t erase history, we need to erase the mythology around history. This is especially true when it comes to Civil War monuments in America, or even the “conquest” of the West. Mythology tends to “white wash” history.
lisa
November 5, 2021 at 6:06 pmThank you, Jeff. So true. “…we need to erase the mythology around history”. Excellent point! I agree. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.