Schools in our cities are made up of children from all over the world, whose families have come here for a better, safer life. 🌍And we use a variety of books to teach reading. 📚 Some of these books have names that are unfamiliar to our students. Names we grew up reading. Interesting that they often have a hard time with the names “Biff”, “Floppy”, and “Wilma”.
Recently the school I teach at welcomed 57 children from Afghanistan. 🇦🇫 Coming from trauma, and with limited English, they are finding their way in a new world. 🇨🇦
When my own parents immigrated here in the 1960s, things were different. Our mom, Sukhwinder, shortened her name to ‘Suki’. Easy enough. Our dad, Lakhbir, changed his, to Larry. This was not unique – names that were different, names that were “ethnic” deemed too hard to say. 😞
For this reason, our parents named my brother, sister and I: Jesse, Nina, and Susan. Right or wrong, growing up, it made life easier. 🤷🏻♀️
This month, I was introduced in school to the Robert Munsch picture book From Far Away – a beautiful story about a refugee family from war-torn Lebanon, seeking solace and safety in Canada. 📖 It is a wonderful portrayal of the difficulties immigrant children have adjusting. Saoussan is advised to change her name to Susan, so others can pronounce it. Her mom tells her to change it back. And what a novel idea, keeping your cultural name. Times have changed. People grow. 💯
Knowledge. Tolerance. Awareness. 🙏🏽
And whatever we choose to name our children – be it Biff, Soussan, or Susan – let’s understand that we can adapt to what is around us, while still living our own cultural reality. And it’s a good thing. 👌🏽
As my family celebrates Christmas, in the larger context of living in Canada, I wish you and your loved ones a happiest holiday season. 🎄Be merry, be bright, be whatever and whoever you want. ✨
A culture, within a culture. The best of all worlds. 🌍❤️
Comments