Does Removing a Few Statues Deal with Colonialism?

OK, it’s late, and I’m sick with the flu, tired, and cranky. But. . .

So all these places that are taking down statues of colonial oppressors (Victoria [Sir John A], New Westminster [Judge Begbie] . . . )

(BTW I am not opposed to removing them. . .)

Why aren’t they changing their names?

Could you be any more colonial than having a name like Victoria? New Westminster?

I live in a ‘hood in Burnaby (named after an alien “explorer”) with streets around me like Nelson, Victory, Royal Oak. . . Sheesh.

Just because Robert Burnaby happened to be one of the first white folks in this area (coming after thousands of years of indigenous settlement) he got tons of stuff named after him, not only the city.

The Ghost of Marugame Castle

Yumi playing the role of The Ghost of Marugame Castle, on Shikoku Island, Japan, a few weeks ago.

I’ve never heard of a Ghost of Marugame, but Yumi makes a pretty good one. . .

I am aware that some castle construction sites in Japan do have ghosts in the form of labourers who were tossed down into pits or well shafts as sacrifices, hundreds of years ago  . . .

yumi ghost marugame castle shikoku japan

yumi keys to marugame castle
Dang, I thought I left the keys to the castle in here somewhere. . .

Streamkeeping, sustainability, community, business, photography, books, and animals, with occasional forays into social commentary. Text and Photos © Paul Cipywnyk