I wasn't exactly sure what the blog prompt meant when it said to select 5 "significant Edmonton materials" to include in an imagined archive. Were we expected to choose Edmonton literary works such as the ones we studied within class, or simply objects deemed important and representative of Edmonton itself? So instead of wasting time pondering this, I've decided to take my own approach to this prompt. Hey, we aren't supposed to be confined to them anyway so what the hell?
I'm currently enrolled in ENGL 357, a class on American Ideologies in the works of post-apocalyptic fiction. Since I just finished writing my term paper for this class, my mind is still very much wondering what it would be like to experience an apocalypse and its aftermath. Which has lead me to ask the question that if Edmonton were to create a time capsule which could survive any sort of global devastation, what would be put in it to describe this city, its people, history, etc. to whoever may stumble upon it?
My first thought was snow, but that didn't really seem feasible given its melting property. The next idea which came to mind was something to do with Rexall Place or the Oilers. This team has managed to bring together almost an entire city of people in a mutual appreciation for the sport and the city itself. A strong sense of pride comes from a winning team representing its city, and though it may seem trivial, the Oilers and their history have played a role in the creation of what Edmonton is today: "The City of Champions". The organization also managed to birth one of the greatest sports legends in the world, Mr Wayne Gretzky.
I would also include video footage of Edmonton's various music festivals, since Edmonton has recently dubbed itself "Festival City" with its wide range of summer activities bringing together people from not only all over the city, but the world.
If I were to select a representation of Edmonton through literature I would probably select "Edmonton On Location" just for the vast array of different tales it tells within its pages.
Besides these things I'm not really sure what else I would put in such a time capsule. It's actually a very hard decision, much more difficult than I expected. What would YOU include?
I like this take on the archive -- certainly could have helped me out when thinking about the blog prompt.
ReplyDeleteEdmonton has quite a large arts community... I know it's already sort of embodied by the "Festival City" tidbit, but I would include that masks of comedy and tragedy. Cliche, yes... But I think it plays into Edmonton as a center for the arts, and it also captures the ambivalence that pervades Edmonton. (My presentation today is about how Edmonton is an ambivalent city -- so I'm drawing on that since that's all I'm focused on at the moment =P)
You're exactly right that the Oilers and more specifically Wayne Gretzky represent Edmonton. I moved to Kansas after High School and not many people knew too much about Edmonton, but they did know about Wayne. I think something from the mall too. The clothing stores don't mean much to me, but the dolphins, giant fish tanks and skating rink were all apart of my childhood. Thanks for helping me remember Edmonton.
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