Exercise #2 My Personal Environment History
February 3, 2022 By: True St.Denis
All of my relatives are descendants of European settlers who came to Canada. The paternal side of my settler lineage dates back to the late 1700s, when my ancestors arrived on a ship from Scotland. My maternal grandmother was born into a Mennonite family in Manitoba, and my paternal grandparents grew up in Ontario and Quebec. My maternal grandmother grew up on a crop farm in Manitoba, where her family lived off the land and the animals they raised. My paternal grandparents grew up in cities and relied on urban amenities. My maternal grandmother’s parents arrived from Prussia (now known as Ukraine). Additionally, “when Russia took steps to conscript Mennonites for military service and further assimilate them, Mennonites were ready for Canadian recruitment that promised freedom from military service and permission to live in villages and run their own schools” (Dyck, 2013). My maternal grandma grew up in a large Mennonite community and spoke German as her first language.
The Mennonite community heavily relied upon each other for support. They were a self-sustaining community that was known for their farming skills. The land my maternal great-grandparents settled upon to farm was stolen Indigenous land. The government took the land from Indigenous owners and sold it to the Mennonites and other European settlers. “The Canadian government had more than an economic agenda in mind with the settlement of the prairies” (Detre, 2004, p. 115). The goal was to “populate the region with hardworking, white, Protestant farm families who would uplift the moral character of the prairies and ensure that the west would remain “Canadian” (Detre, 2004, p.115). As a result, a large Mennonite settlement in Manitoba has established a city known as Steinbach. “Naturally, since everyone was raising practically the same crops- wheat and some oats, barley and flax- the same general procedures were followed” (Warkentin, 1959, p. 361). The Mennonites were a large part of the cultivation of the land into the farmland that exists today in Manitoba. I know little about my paternal grandparents’ upbringing. What is known is that they both went to large schools, and my paternal grandmother attended university. Both of my paternal grandparents grew up in artificial city center environments. I am not proud of my settler heritage in many ways, as I understand the damage the settlers caused and still cause Indigenous communities today. My parents both grew up in urban centres, which highly differed from the rural farm life.
My mother and father both had working parents, which forced them to become independent at a young age. Therefore, many convenient foods and amenities were utilized to sustain their developing years. My mother does not know how to cook many things or garden as my maternal grandmother does. However, my maternal grandmother had the privilege of retiring and teaching me how to cook and garden.
My heritage has taught me the importance of respect for the land and the value of self-sustaining practices. My maternal grandmother experienced reliance on the land in a way that I have never had to share. However, I have gained an interest in the value of being self-sustaining in recent years. Last year I had the privilege of growing my first garden, and I hope to continue to do this each year. Growing your food connects you with the value of food and the work that produces it. I hope to learn more about how to become self-sustaining in the future. I want to learn more about composting and growing a bountiful garden. I believe that my maternal Mennonite roots significantly contribute to how I wish to become more self-sustaining. Additionally, I desire to cook more meals from scratch, another trait that Mennonites excel in. I hope to learn more about my paternal lineage in the years to come. I would also like to learn more about getting involved in Reconciliation practices with Indigenous communities in my area.
References
Detre, Laura A. “Canada’s Campaign For Immigrants And The Images In Canada West Magazine.” Great Plains Quarterly 24. (Spring 2004): 113-
129.https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ greatplainsquarterly/2451
Dyck, Barry. “Who Are the Mennonites?” Steinbach Online. February 25, 2013. https://stein bachonline.com/community-blogs/mennonite-heritage-village/who-are-the-
mennonites Warkentin, John. “Mennonite Agricultural Settlements of Southern Manitoba.” Geographical Review 49, 3. (July 1959): 342-368.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/211911
Warkentin, John. “Mennonite Agricultural Settlements of Southern Manitoba.” Geographical Review 49, 3. (July 1959): 342-368. https://www.jstor.org/stable/211911