The Great Canadian Tourism Thread!

[lio45]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I think the takeaway is that while Greenland is physiographically part of North America, ethnoculturally (and psychologically) it is most definitely European.

It should be remembered that the western half of Iceland is on the North American plate, and it also could be argued as being in North America (although nobody would seriously state that Iceland is not European).

Sometimes continental boundaries make no sense........

Back when Panama hadn't yet seceded from Columbia, it was weird to draw a line somewhere in the continuum from Canada to Latin South America.

Same thing applies to Slavic areas when you go east.

Russia, Turkey and Egypt are all like Colombia used to be, bi-continental geographically. As you point out, same thing with Iceland...

I dislike having to religiously stick to continental boundaries when the matter at hand is mostly cultural. Greenland and Yekaterinburg and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta are IMO all pretty clearly "European", despite being technically respectively North American, Asian and African.

[SignalHillHiker]

Originally Posted by lio45

I take from SHH's SPM insight that it's less of an outlier than that. SPM's media/TV connections, flight connections, etc. are apparently slightly more Boston-oriented (and slightly less Canada-oriented) than one would think at first sight.

Oh there were lots of Bruins and Habs displays there. I only took a picture of the best one. But one of the bars we went to, for example, was decked out in Habs merchandise.

It's my impression they turn their noses up a little at Quebec, and that their impression of Canada is largely formed by what they see in Fortune. Canada may want to build a state-of-the-art ferry terminal there as they did with Gander's airport to combat it.

But they're definitely aware of Quebec, of course. It's even referenced in some of their folk songs...

• Video Link

IIRC, the first song includes a line about Quebec being the eyelashes?

[Stryker]

Originally Posted by lio45

Russia, Turkey and Egypt are all like Colombia used to be, bi-continental geographically. As you point out, same thing with Iceland...

Egypt is really that bi-cultural at all, it's been pretty much what it is for thousands of years.

Maybe maybe a place like somalia but even then it's more complicated than that.

Iceland isn't the least bit bicultural, there are almost zero links with boston,st john's, etc other than a few flights. It's really as european as you can get.

Originally Posted by lio45

I dislike having to religiously stick to continental boundaries when the matter at hand is mostly cultural. Greenland and Yekaterinburg and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta are IMO all pretty clearly "European", despite being technically respectively North American, Asian and African.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Stryker

Generally confined to a somewhat defined geographic area is one that I think counts for a lot. ****Pre european introduction****

Technologically wise a large portion of canadian natives didn't have what one would call advanced technology.

The inuit were the first to be able to truly colonize the arctic.

Aboriginal doesn't have to be "First Nations" (American Indians, Amerindians). It applies to any long-established indigenous group anywhere in the world - usually that's been demographically swamped or shoved aside or subjugated by another group.

The Inuit definitely qualify as an aboriginal group. As do the Sami in northern Scandinavia. Aborigines in Australia too. The Maori in New Zealand. Native Hawaiians as well.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by lio45

I take from SHH's SPM insight that it's less of an outlier than that. SPM's media/TV connections, flight connections, etc. are apparently slightly more Boston-oriented (and slightly less Canada-oriented) than one would think at first sight.

I'd be interested in knowing what percentage of people in SPM can speak English, and what channels they get on their cable and satellite packages.

I assume they get the main Quebec networks* in addition to all of the French networks. I also assume that they get CBC, CTV etc. from Newfoundland. But I wonder about the Boston superstations that you get all over Atlantic Canada.

*Well, this I am almost 100% sure of as I've over the years occasionally heard or seen SPM people as contestants or draw winners on Quebec programs.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

It's my impression they turn their noses up a little at Quebec,

Yes, I bet that they do.

What's interesting is that since we're both descended from the same "base population", they provide at least a bit insight into what we'd be if we'd remained under a French régime with closer to France, and we provide insight to them as to what they'd be if they hadn't.

It's kind of a shame that it's not bigger, as that would make the comparison infinitely more interesting.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

IIRC, the first song includes a line about Quebec being the eyelashes?

I listened to it.

It says "La France au bout du monde et le Québec au bout des cils".

Literally, France at the end of the world and Quebec at the end of its eyelashes.

Regarding Quebec, it likely means that SPM is on the fringes of it.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

But they're definitely aware of Quebec, of course. It's even referenced in some of their folk songs...

• Video Link

IIRC, the first song includes a line about Quebec being the eyelashes?

This song in its style, tone and spirit reminded of this one that played on the radio all over Quebec last summer. This is an ode to the Iles-de-la-Madeleine:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28WSVXNp3Fg

[SignalHillHiker]

BBC's doc is posted now, Stryker:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...ings-uncovered

[kwoldtimer]

This is the program that will be shown on PBS on Wednesday evening?

[SignalHillHiker]

I'm not sure but the scientist was the same and it was mostly about Point Rosee. Focused mainly on how they found it rather than what they found. "This is the first site in 55 years that merits excavation."

The buildings are exactly the same sizes and shapes as L'Anse aux Meadows.

[Stryker]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Aboriginal doesn't have to be "First Nations" (American Indians, Amerindians). It applies to any long-established indigenous group anywhere in the world - usually that's been demographically swamped or shoved aside or subjugated by another group.

The Inuit definitely qualify as an aboriginal group. As do the Sami in northern Scandinavia. Aborigines in Australia too. The Maori in New Zealand. Native Hawaiians as well.

Oh I'm well aware and agree, and personally these groups interest the living hell out of me altmost more than vikings do.

However again look at your own definition, Inuit are really not that long established in greenland compared to the norse. I wouldn't call them aboriginal in that context.

[SignalHillHiker]

Regarding the discussion about Greenland being more or less European, and the rest of it - this, hilariously, just appeared on my Facebook feed:

http://www.thislifeintrips.com/why-n...ces-in-europe/

[Stryker]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

I'm not sure but the scientist was the same and it was mostly about Point Rosee. Focused mainly on how they found it rather than what they found. "This is the first site in 55 years that merits excavation."

The buildings are exactly the same sizes and shapes as L'Anse aux Meadows.

Yeah I wasn't really interested in watching it again to be honest. Alot of those types of shows just tend to recycle the same nonsense over and over again, or tangent off into something that has little to do with the interesting aspects of the content.

[Marty_Mcfly]

Newfoundland tourism:

[Stryker]

Originally Posted by Marty_Mcfly

Newfoundland tourism:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJCKvpg6WTg this one deserves an Oscar.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Stryker

Oh I'm well aware and agree, and personally these groups interest the living hell out of me altmost more than vikings do.

However again look at your own definition, Inuit are really not that long established in greenland compared to the norse. I wouldn't call them aboriginal in that context.

Weren't there already aboriginal people living on Greenland when the Norse arrived? Pretty sure there were: descendents of the Dorset people or the Thule people?

[Stryker]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Weren't there already aboriginal people living on Greenland when the Norse arrived? Pretty sure there were: descendents of the Dorset people or the Thule people?

Maybe by a handful of years, but nothing long term in any sense that would deem them native.

[Stryker]

On a more random note, it needs to be said, according to those folks on the east coast there are no sandy beaches in newfoundland.


This site has been found on a sandy beach.


******facepalm*****

[eemy]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Weren't there already aboriginal people living on Greenland when the Norse arrived? Pretty sure there were: descendents of the Dorset people or the Thule people?

The Dorset people predate Norse settlement, but they were displaced by the present Greenlandic people sometime after the Norse settlements were abandoned and disappear from the archaeological record entirely.