Advancing Interdisciplinary Research in Singing Canada Geography •Canada is a North American country comprised of 10 provinces and 3 territories. •The continent reaches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and extends north to the Arctic Ocean. •Canada is the world’s second largest country. •Canada borders the United States of America. Major Cities •Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario is home to the Canadian government. •In the winter, the Rideau Canal in Ottawa becomes the worlds largest ice skating rink. Major Cities (continued) • Toronto is Canada’s largest city. The CN Tower is the largest tower in the Western Hemisphere. Population • Total population: over 34.4 million (2010) • Main ancestors: numerous Aboriginal tribes, Europeans (especially the British, French, Scottish and Irish) Religion • Canada has no official religion and is proud to support many religions • Could be considered historically Christian Catholics (43.6%) Protestants (29.2%) ● 16.5% have no religious affiliation ● Other religions: Animist, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Jewish and Buddhist Language • Two official languages: English (59.7%) and French (23.3%) • More than 85% of the French-speaking Canadians live in Quebec • Over 6 million Canadians cite a non-official language as their mother tongue Most prominent of these are Chinese, Italian, German, Punjabi, and Spanish. Money • The Canadian dollar • •There are 100 cents in one Canadian dollar is the currency of the country. All the coins contain images important to Canadian culture and environment: The polar bear, the loon, the moose, the bluenose sail boat, the beaver, and of course, the maple leaf. Money • Paper bills include important people • • • • • in Canadian history are pictured: $5 bill: Wilfred Laurier, Prime Minister 1896-1911 $10 bill: John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first Prime Minister $20 bill: Queen Elizabeth II $50 bill: William Lyon MacKenzie King, Prime Minister 1921-1948 $100 bill: Robert Borden, Prime Minister 1911-1920 Chief Exports • Canada is one of the world’s largest suppliers of agricultural products such as: • Maple syrup • Wheat • Canola • “Tapping” maple trees for the sap excreted as maple syrup • And natural resources: • Gold • Oil Geography & Climate •Canadians experience four distinct seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter •Temperatures vary across regions. •Some areas have temperatures as low as –25 degrees Celsius, while other areas have temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius Regions • East Coast Halifax beach Townhouses in Newfoundland Regions • Prairies Regions • West Coast •Lake Moraine with the famous Rocky Mountains in Banff National Park, Alberta Regions • The North • The Northern Lights in the night sky Regions • Central Canada: Ontario and Quebec • Henry Hudson, an English sea explorer and navigator claimed a vast area of land for England in 1611, that is modern day Ontario. • This area includes Toronto, the provincial capital and largest city in Canada. Political Divisions of Canada • Canada has a conservative government led by Stephen Harper. • The parliament buildings (left). Located on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario Recreation & Sports • Hockey A sport played on ice, using skates and a hockey stick to place a rubber disc (a puck) into the opponent’s net • In Canada, and especially in the Rocky Mountains, skiing and snowboarding are popular pastimes, making the skiing village a common vacation destination. Recreation & Sports • Canoe trips are a popular getaway from the city for Canadians • National parks, such as Algonquin Park found in Ontario, keep wooded areas safe from destruction Nature & Wildlife The wildlife in Canada is highly varied, most popularly associated with Canada are the: • Moose ● Loon - Also seen on the one dollar coin (the “Loonie”) Food • Regardless of what type of food you are looking for (Italian, Greek, Japanese, Arabic, Indian , etc.), you can find it in the many cities of Canada. • Regional Foods of Canada include: – Seal flipper pie – Poutine (right) – Saskatoon berry pie – Fresh salmon – Maple syrup Inventions & Tourist Attractions • Inventions: – Canadian invented Basketball, Baseball and 5 pin Bowling – Telephone (Alexander Graham Bell) – Television (Reginald Fesseiner) – Music Synthesizer – Insulin (Banting) • Major Tourist Attractions – – – – – – – Niagara Falls (below) Bonhomme Festival – Quebec City Stanley Park (Reversing Falls) Bay of Fundy Whistler, British Columbia Calgary Stampede Banff National Park Music • Canada is home to all genres of music from classical to pop. • Some famous artists include: Celine Dion Glenn Gould Songs Land of the Silver Birch Land of the Silver Birch •Folk song used to keep rhythm while paddling a canoe through lakes surrounded by birch trees • The song brings to mind many images of Canadian nature and wildlife. •Often sung around campfires in a round •Text based off of work by poet Pauline Johnson Land of the Silver Birch • Images of Canadian nature and wildlife (e.g. • beaver, moose) Aboriginal culture (e.g. wigwam mentioned) http://www.youtube.co m/watch?v=OUgHzMPfl ek Land of the Silver Birch Ah! Si mon moine voulait danser Ah! Si mon moine voulait danser There is controversy as to the origins of this song. • One group believes that it came to French Canada from France in the 18th Century with the early settlers; •Others say that it was created in Quebec as a singing game for children. Ah! Si mon moine voulait danser Lyrics: Ah! si mon moine voulait danser, Ah ! si mon moine voulait danser, *Un capuchon je lui donnerais, un capuchon je lui donnerais. Danse, mon moine, danse, tu n'entends pas la danse, Tu n'entends pas mon moulin, lon, là, tu n'entends pas mon moulin marcher? *In subsequent verses these lyrics should be replaced with the following: 2nd: Un ceinturon je lui donnerais, Un chapelet je lui donnerais. 3rd: Un chapelet je lui donnerais, Un ceinturon je lui donnerais. 4th: Un beau psautier je lui donnerais, Un beau psaultier je lui donnerais. 5th: Bien d'autres chos' je lui donnerais, Bien d'autres chos' je lui donnerais. Ah! Si mon moine voulait danser English Translation: Oh, if my monk would dance with me! *A big brown hood I would give to thee. Come, my monk, let's dance now, Together let us skip now, As lightly on the measures go, Our feet move merrily to and fro. *In subsequent verses these lyrics should be replaced with the following: 2nd:A fine wide sash I would give to thee. 3rd: A rosary I would give to thee. 4th: A psalter rich I would give to thee. (a psalter is the Book of Psalms from the Bible) 5th: Many a thing I would give to thee. Ho, Ho, Watanay Ho, Ho, Watanay • Ho,ho watane is a Mohawk lullaby collected by Alan Mills on the Kahnawake (Caughnawaugha) Reserve in the 1950’s . • A popular children’s song all across Canada, and has been translated into numerous languages in children’s songbooks in many countries around the world. Ho, Ho, Watanay • The most famous Mohawk man in history is said to be Theyebdabegea (Joseph Brant) who convinced the Mohawks to side with the British during the Revolutionary War between the British colonists in Canada and the United States. • For further information, see http://www.mohawktribe.com/ I’se the b’y I’se the b’y •“I’m the boy” •Newfoundland folk song highlighting the region’s unique dialect •Words and phrases distinct to Newfoundland Harrington, Newfoundland fishing village •Origins: 1870’s fishing villages •Story of a fisherman who catches fish to take home to his wife, Liza http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbQn9DtgUA http://www.tourismlowernorthshore.com/h arrington.asp The Huron Carol The Huron Carol •Written by Jean de Brébeuf in 1643 as a gift to the Huron/Wendat people •Originally written in the Huron’s native language (“Jesous Ahatonhia” : “Jesus is born”) •Huron: Aboriginals who lived on the Georgian Bay near Lake Huron in Ontario, powerful group in the French fur trade •Fur trade became a political and cultural alliance for the French and Huron people The Huron Carol • Melody taken from 16th • century French carol “Une jeune pucelle” Tells the story of Jesus being born with Aboriginal themes (e.g. hunters instead of shepherds, Magi bringing fox and beaver pelts) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6IG6F6E5Ac (in Wendat/Huron, French & English) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D-m-PwKVsM (English version) The Red River Valley The Red River Valley • Region in Manitoba • Controversial in origin • Thought to have been written around the time the British military came into Manitoba to confront the Métis (Frenchspeaking aboriginals) in the Red River Rebellion • Melody adapted from popular 19th century American song “In the Bright Mohawk Valley” Painting of the Red River Valley by Robert E. Wood, a famous Canadian artist • Song about separated lovers, also called ‘Cowboy Love Song’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gooN9iu4EbM&feature=related