16th International Metropolis Conference ‘Emigrant’ narratives in an interplay of language, culture and memory: Luso-Canadian Patterns Irene Maria F. Blayer Brock University- Ontario- Canada

‘Emigrant’ narratives in an interplay of language, culture and memory: Luso-Canadian Patterns “stories are threads that weave cohesion into our existence. They link us to both our ancestors and our descendants […] they adhere to many surfaces and they bond to all manner of things – especially the cultural” —Irene Maria F.Blayer and Monica Sanchez, Storytelling: Interdisciplinary and Intercultural Perspectives (2001)

‘Emigrant’ narratives in an interplay of language, culture and memory: Luso-Canadian Patterns Where is here? (Northrop Frye) Who am I?

‘Emigrant’ narratives in an interplay of language, culture and memory: Luso-Canadian Patterns The Azorean immigrant stories herein, place the immigrant identity within the construction of narrative identity, that is, they highlight the multiple nature of immigrant identity as one that is hybrid, caught between we/us and they/them, self /other, home / away.

‘Emigrant’ narratives in an interplay of language, culture and memory: Luso-Canadian Patterns A sense of a synchronic self-other, versus a sense of diachronic identity

‘Emigrant’ narratives in an interplay of language, culture and memory: Luso-Canadian Patterns E depois ele (filho) dizia: “Mãe eles não sabem falar!” E o meu marido a trabalhar e eu ficava fechada em casa com medo de sair pra fora, a gente não conhecia nada. E dizia (pra o filho): “Fala com eles que eles falam inglês, e tu tens que aprender.” Sra Deolinda, Our Lady of Fatima, Cambridge, Julho 15, 2010

‘Emigrant’ narratives in an interplay of language, culture and memory: Luso-Canadian Patterns Mas quando a gente começamos a aprender inglês, a gente e que fazia translation. So, aqui e mais eles, mais eles. You know? Uma coisa que eles precisavam. A gente tavam numa store. Minha mãe dizia: “Va perguntar àquela senhora ali se ela tem isto noutra cor ou …” you know? So, we became translators and doing … So we took one responsibility. (filha do Sr. João, em casa da sua filha, Cambridge 22 de Julho de 2010)

‘Emigrant’ narratives in an interplay of language, culture and memory: Luso-Canadian Patterns Thank You! Irene M. Blayer