Dear Deshane,
I'm afraid the truth is not so romantic. I am Canuck's elder sister. A couple of years ago he invited me to join the forum, so here I am. I told you in my previous post that I am a grandmother, married, have children and eight grandchildren.
It is not hard for me to write English because it is my native language just as I am sure it is not hard for you to write your Chinese language. I am glad to share the language I love. It is not perfect, of course not. What is perfect in this world? But it can be beautiful and interesting, and it is very useful all over the world. I went to university after my children were grown, and studied fine arts and I am an artist. I don't sell my work although I have had offers when I have shown it. I sometimes show it, but not often. I write a little poetry for myself. Most people think it is peculiar and hard to understand, and many also feel the same about my art. I always like things that are unusual and that can lead to the viewer's own thoughts and introspection. I hate to be bored,so I try to make pieces that have enough new things to find in them so that one shouldn't become bored with them.
Our family, Canuck's and my ancestry, is a great mixture of Scottish, Bukovinian, Walloon, Dutch, German, and Irish. This is often typical of Canadians. In David's and my case, our ancestors were in North America in 1624. They were Walloon Huguenots from Northern France/southern Belgium, (The Walloon's historic homeland. Caesar called them "the fiercest of the Gauls"). Our family at that time were skilled as dyers in colour and were involved in the international cloth trade and the guilds. They were a well established family who fled from the terrible Spanish Inquisition, first to Holland, and then to America.
They were among the very first European settlers in the United States and there is a monument to our tenth great grandfather on Manhattan Island, New York City because that is where they settled there. Our family is considered among the Founding Families of America but I'm not interested in belonging to that organization. In the American Revolutionary war our ancestors took the British side, which was defeated. They again lost everything they had and had to flee in great hardship. Those who had been loyal to the British crown were granted land and carved homes from wilderness in the 1780s. Their children also received land grants which they could keep if they cleared the land and erected a small dwelling. Those like our family who had fought for the British were given the hereditary title of United Empire Loyalists, which was to be their children's and their children's children's title until the end of time, as they say. Therefore it is Canuck's and mine and our children's through three branches of direct ancestors. It is the only Canadian hereditary title, and is shown by writing U.E. after your name. It has no power. It has some prestige in some parts of the country in certain quickly narrowing circles. It means that our family were among the founders of Canada, and is treasured for its historic meaning. It is rarely used any more, and many with the heritage don't know they have it. It is just part of our cultural heritage.
My husband was born in northern Germany. He came to Canada in 1952 after the Second World War which ended when he was fourteen years old. He had seen too much of war and hated what had happened, so he came here to build a new life, away from European wars and ways. Our own family's religion is Baha'i. My mother and a brother and my husband and all our children, their mates and their grandchildren are too, and live by its broad teachings. Basically it teaches the oneness of God, the oneness of the human race and the basic oneness of all religions. I found it for myself because I was searching for something that worked now in the present time, to help put an end to war and starvation and great disparities of poverty and wealth. So, just as our ancestors had the courage to changed their religion from Roman Catholic to Protestant, and become Huguenots, we have changed our religion to Baha'i.
One of our children is married to a man born in El Salvador, Central America, whose first language is Spanish and our daughter also speaks fluent Spanish. His heritage is Mayan and Spanish. Our second daughter is married to a man whose ancestry is German and who was born in Canada but whose family came from Germany. Our eldest daughter is married to a man whose ancestry is Danish and Ukrainian. He was also born in Canada of an immigrant mother and Canadian born father. Our son is married to a woman who was born in Iran and was one of the persecuted Baha'is from there who had to take refuge with her family in Canada, just as our Huguenot ancestors had to take refuge in American centuries ago.
Canada is made up of many refugees from different places and also the old English and French cultures. We have many new people coming from all parts of the world. Our big city streets are full of Canadians of all colours from many nations. There are many Chinese, many Sikhs and Hindus from India, and all kinds of other people from all over the world. The smaller cities still have more of the previous mix of groups like mine.
Canada has recently been called the world's first post-modern country, by the man who seems likely to become our next Prime Minister. We have proven that people from all over the world can live together here in harmony. We hope that we are setting an example for other countries in this world. If we can maintain our neutrality we will help to continue working to end wars and conflicts and to establish international counsels where the rule of law and justice will help this world to become a better place.
Unless I should happen to have some ancient American Indian ancestry I don't think that I have any Asian heritage. I regret that, and hope to find some day some female ancestor who was a native Indian. I know who the males were, but for many females only their first name was given so it would have to be from among them. It is said that all the very old families in America have some native connection, and as you see, ours is one of those very old families. DNA testing may some day tell the tale.
I hope you have been interested in this. It is a very Canadian family history.
Best wishes to you. I look forward to reading any of your stories.
Maryk
