Borders

[steambread]

The article "Borders", written by  Thomas King, demonstrates a story about a "blackfoot" mother never admits she is American or Canadian when she pass the national border. The main border in this article is not the physical national border. As far as i concerned, it is the border between the aborigines(blackfoot) and non-aborigines( Canadian or American citizenship). Also, I think there is a border between what "mother"  believed and are proud of in her mind, and what others want she to be in the real world. When stay in the national dividing border, "Mother" always admit she is "blackfoot" and never said she is from Canada or America. Obviously, "mother" is proud of her identity of "blankfoot",However, the border guards want her to tell the true citizenship and don't approve her identity as a blackfoot. In page 135 and 136, the border guard just asks mother the same questions several time. Though the guards are just do their jobs, we can see that the identity of blackfoot does not work when you want to pass the national border in the old years. Mother's abiding beliefs are not same as the real life she has. 

Questions: Telling the border guard the true national citizenship is the wise way to pass the national border. Why mother does't want to admit her citizenship? Why she insists that?

Comments

Borders

[sunshine88]

Hi, I like your idea about the border in the mother's mind. I hadn't thought of that. In regards to your question, I think that she keeps insisting that she is Blackfoot because she wants to show the guard that the Blackfoot people are who she identifies with. She also may be wanting to make a point about how First Nations people historically have not been treated as full Canadian citizens.

[japanlove]

I don't think she did not want to admit her citizenship. In her mind, I think she stood firm on her idea of living as a "Blackfoot"- this is her citizenship. I live in the Cowichan Valley and have many Aboriginal friends. Their communities are divided by each dedicated traditional names, so my observation is that they seem to have pride of preserving their native heritage. From historical point of view, Canada is such a young country, but the Aboriginal people are the first settlers here. Back to the "Borders" story, it is no wonder why the mother stood firm in front of the Authority to show her Aboriginal pride.

[honeycani]

I think it might be the first time for the mother to go to another country and need to pass the border. She might be a woman who lacking the connect with society so she thinks Blackfoot is seen as a citizenship by the world.

One's identity

[kibuno]

I believe her uncooperative attitude wasn't because of the lack of a citizenship or an act of rebellion but simply as a demand for recognition of her origin and personal identity.