Journal articles on the topic 'Love stories, Nigerian (English)'

Abstract Sociopolitical phenomena such as corruption, political instability, (domestic) violence, cultural fragmentation, and the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970) have been central themes of Nigerian narratives. Important as these are, they tend to touch on the periphery of the major issue at stake, which is the vector of persecution underlying the Nigerian tradition in general and in modern Igbo Nigerian narratives in particular, novels and short stories written in English which capture, wholly or in part, the Igbo cosmology and experience in their discursive formations. The present study of such modern Igbo Nigerian narratives as Okpewho’s The Last Duty (1976), Iyayi’s Heroes (1986), Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun (2007), and other novels and short stories applies René Girard’s theory of the pharmakos (Greek for scapegoat) to this background of persecution, particularly as it subtends the condition of the Igbo in postcolonial Nigeria in the early years of independence.

The focus of the paper concerns the specific features of characters’ communicative behavior via gender identity. This study deals with two types of correlation and interaction between real and fictional text-creating subjects: the gender identity of the author and the image created in the literary text. The research procedure is based on the discourse analysis. The study proves the influence of psychological and socio-cultural factors on speech organization. Due to the combination of content- and elements of intent-analysis the author’s pragmatic intentions in the communicative process are identified. The main findings of this paper are based on the theoretical basis of gender-specified communicative behavior study and the statistical data analysis. As a result of the research the specific features of gender communicative style are defined. Besides it is claimed, that taboo words differentiate basic features of male and female speech. The further analysis of non-literary vocabulary proves that gender stereotypes in female-written novels determine the choice of language means for the creation of an ideal male and female image: neglect of moral rules (domination of taboo words provoking conflict and rivalry) or compliance of communicative norms (a rare usage of derogatory vocabulary, communication aimed at cooperation and interaction). Gender differentiation of taboo lexicon in male-written novels argues the conventional stereotype of using taboos mainly by men. The research paper represents the differences in male and female speech, connected with the phenomenon of gender stylization. It proves that style imitation of stereotypical features in the opposite-sex speech occurs in two directions: female authors imitate the masculine communicative style of characters by the domination of taboo words, whereas male authors imitate the feminine communicative style by softening expressions of both-sex characters. Thus, in conclusion the study reveals imitating and identifying features of the author’s natural gender identity, such as domination of taboo words like “damn” and “hell” in opposite-sex communication in male-written novels unlike communicative behavior of male and female characters in the novels written by women.

The present paper aims at exploration of Shauna Singh Baldwin’s specific technique implemented to present women predicament in selected stories from feministic point of view. The feministic point of view has developed out of a movement for equal rights and chances for women society. The present search is based on analytical and interpretative methods. Shauna Singh Baldwin is a writer of short fiction, poetry, novels and essays. Her ‘English Lessons and Other Stories’ explores the predicament of earlier neglected women of Sikh community by putting them in the context of globalization, immigration to West and consumerism at Indian modern society. “Montreal 1962” presents a Sikh wife’s attachment, love, determination, struggles and readiness to do anything for survival in Canada where her husband is threatened to remove his turban and cut his hair short to get the job. “Simran” presents the story of sacrifice of individual desire by a young Sikh girl because of her mother’s fundamentalist attitude. The title of story “English Lessons” presents injustice to an Indian woman who has married to an American, who compels her to become a prostitute and a source of his earnings in the States. The fourth selected story “Jassie” tells us about the timely need of religious tolerance in the file of an Indian immigrant old woman. Being a feminist writer, though Baldwin has never claimed directly to be, she has very skillfully presented the issues of feminism through her own technique of presentation. She has used technique of presenting absence or opposite to highlight it indirectly. Thus, true to her technique, though not explicitly declared, Baldwin is one of the feminist writers who skillfully deals with feminine concerns.

The study investigated the attitudes and practices of Nigerian students towards the use languages (English and native) in a culturally diverse society as the native languages are endangered because the English language is taking over the world linguistic environment as a lingua franca. Ten students who speak different Nigerian native languages were selected randomly from an international university (pseudonym) in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). A qualitative research method was adopted for the study using multiple sources of data collection, which include unstructured interview, personal stories, field notes and informal chats. The findings indicated that they acquired their native languages from birth at home, while they learn additional languages in their environment. They have positive attitudes towards the native languages, indicated by the value accorded them while English enjoys its official position. It was found out that the native languages were used for solidarity, prayers, identity and heritage preservation, whereas English language pertains the status of official language. In summary, Nigerian students studying in a culturally diverse context aim at preserving their language, culture, and identity by using it in their daily lives while they prefer using English language only for official purposes.

This is one of the stories that illustrate the failure to marry the woman that a man chooses to marry. Bassim and Salwa love each other, but due to his economic status, he cannot afford the marriage requirements. Like his other stories, Khalil I. Al-fuzai, a Saudi Arabian short story writer, addressed “many social, political, and religious aspects he found in his society” (Dohal, 2013). In this story as it is the case with many other stories written by Al-fuzai, Bassim “struggles to overcome the financial difficulties he faces” (Dohal, 2020). In translating this story, Khalil I. Al-Fuzai (1940- ) will be introduced to new readers as an author of a different culture who has done his utmost to discuss the social issues found in his saudi 1970’s environment. Here, like Khalil I. Al-fuzai’s other protagonists in his collection of stories, Bassim struggles with his economic reality; in his society, marriage requires wealth; without money, a male should not consider getting married. Bassim has a job, yet his job does not provide him with enough money to marry and have a family. Here, like Khalil I. Al-fuzai’s other protagonists in his collection of stories, Bassim struggles with his economic reality; in his society, marriage requires wealth; without money, a male should not consider getting married. Bassim has a job, yet his job does not provide him with enough money to marry and have a family.

The study explored the teachers teaching strategies in six high achieving schools in Banda Aceh. One main purpose of the study was to explore particular strategies teachers use in conducting teaching effectively. The study was approached using the qualitative classroom research. The settings of the study were six high achieving secondary schools in Banda Aceh. The data of the study were collected through in-depth semi-structured Interview, observation and also focus group discussion. The data which was analysed using coding techniques reveals that most teachers interviewed suggested that they feel teaching at schools was at ease, and this due to mostly their extensive teaching experiences, trainings and Students’ learning passion.

Author of several works of fiction and non fiction , Namita Gokhale is a well known name in the field of Indian Writing in English not only as a writer but also as a publisher and as a founder director of Jaipur Literature Festival . Her short stories published under the title The Habit of Love ( 2012) are remarkable for adding a new dimension to the craft of short story writing. The Habit of Love is a collection of thirteen short stories encapsulating the myriad experiences of their female protagonists who lay bare before the readers their inner world – their desires , passions, fear , anxiety, happiness, anger , ennui and sadness – in kaleidoscopic lights. Based mainly on the themes of love, lust and death , these stories are interwoven with the motifs of time, memory , dreams travels and mountains. The writer frequently shifts from present to past or vice versa , making several technical innovations like unexpected , abrupt endings; use of startling similes/ metaphors; choice of queer , quirky titles for these short stories. The use of the technique of first person narrative in many of these stories imparts more intimacy to them as if the narrator is engaged in a tete- a- tete with her readers. Gokhale emphasizes the importance of a convincing narrative voice in making a short story effective. In response to a question as to which is the most critical part of a story: the storyline, the characters or the storytelling, she says, “Finding the right voice that convincingly tells the story, whether in first person or otherwise is the most crucial part.”( Recap: Twitter chat with Namita Gokhale,TNN,22 March 2018 )

AbstractThis article discusses the significance of Indian films in revealing a relatively ignored aspect of the transnational flow of culture. The intra-Third World circulation of Indian film offers Hausa viewers a way of imaginatively engaging with forms of tradition different from their own at the same time as conceiving of a modernity that comes without the political and ideological significance of that of the West. After discussing reasons for the popularity of Indian films in a Hausa context, it accounts for this imaginative investment of viewers by looking at narrative as a mode of social enquiry. Hausa youth explore the limits of accepted Hausa attitudes to love and sexuality through the narratives of Indian film and Hausa love stories (soyayya). This exploration has occasioned intense public debate, as soyayya authors are accused of corrupting Hausa youth by borrowing foreign modes of love and sexual relations. The article argues that this controversy indexes wider concerns about the shape and direction of contemporary Nigerian culture. Analysing soyayya books and Indian films gives insight into the local reworking and indigenising of transnational media flows that take place within and between Third World countries, disrupting the dichotomies between West and non-West, coloniser and colonised, modernity and tradition, in order to see how media create parallel modernities. Through spectacle and fantasy, romance and sexuality, Indian films provide arenas for considering what it means to be modern and what may be the place of Hausa society within that modernity. For northern Nigerians, who respond to a number of different centres, whether politically to the Nigerian state, religiously to the Middle East and North Africa, economically to the West, or culturally to the cinematic dominance of India, Indian films are just one part of the heterogeneity of everyday life. They provide a parallel modernity, a way of imaginatively engaging with the changing social basis of contemporary life that is an alternative to the pervasive influence of a secular West.

This study investigated the extent to which word games and culturally relevant songs and stories could motivate senior secondary school students in Nigeria, thereby enhancing their performance in English. A pre-test/post-test control group design was used. The sample consisted of 100 senior secondary school II students randomly assigned into experimental and control groups. Four instruments were designed, validated, and used for data collection. Four hypotheses were formulated and tested. The findings revealed that the use of word games and culturally relevant instructional activities was beneficial for these students, as they served as an effective motivational strategy that contributed to better performance in English-language learning at the senior secondary school level.

Now at the acme of her slow-burn career—she turned 72 last year—Claire Denis is producing work that is superlative. Her newest works conjure feelings of an unrivalled intensity and tenderness. This article considers her English-language sci-fi film High Life (2018) and her French rom-com Un Beau Soleil Intérieur [Let the Sunshine In] (2017) in parallel, arguing that the two films converge as forceful meditations on love and death. In the world of Denis, tenderness characterizes the gentlest, most delicate feelings, but is also about vulnerability, a sensitivity to pain. Denis brings these qualities into relief as she contemplates death and a finite future through these two stories of a female artist exploring relationships and of convict passengers on a space ship. Through the roles of actress Juliette Binoche in each film, Denis takes a feminist stance on ageing and sexuality, as she also looks openly at other human feelings.

This is a narrative study into the co-construction of teaching identities narrated by twenty-four undergraduate students in the context of an English language teacher education program in Argentina. Teacher identities are defined in the literature as co-authored stories of living and becoming. Our method uses narrative inquiry to study lived experiences as co-narrated phenomena. The narrative analysis of different texts gathered in the teacher education program allowed the co-composition of each participant’s identity story. Results first display thematizations of identity strands in these narratives involving emotions—love, desire, imagination, and fluidity. Next, participants’ negotiation of their processes of becoming through these emotions are retold. The discussion examines results considering state-of-the-art literature. The conclusions summarize the implications of the research for English language teacher initial university education.

Abstract Given their love for Italy, which often represented for them a second home country, it was not unusual for late-Victorian writers and intellectuals to have direct experiences with Italian laws. The article presents four “case studies” of late-Victorian authors living in Italy and analyses their reactions to such diverse issues as homosexuality, madness and artistic heritage in relation to the Italian law system and by providing a comparative perspective with English legislation. The contribution also considers these authors’ narratives of their responses to Italian laws in both published and private writings that cover a variety of genres and evidence cultural differences and conflicts, though not always in an expected way.

Novels, of any time, carry certain stories related to reality. The earlier forms of the Novel, Allegory and Romance, contained religious, philosophical facts. These literary genres took the shape of Novels, which continue to carry moral, philosophical and historical truths. George Meredith, a Victorian novelist, defined Novel as the ‘summary of actual life’. According to William Henry Hudson, an English writer, Novel is an effective medium of the portrayal of human thoughts and actions. The English word, Novel derived from the Italian term, Novelle, which means ‘a fresh story’. It was in 1350 that the Italian writer, Giovanny Boccassio, wrote his world famous collection of love stories in prose, named Decameron. Such stories in prose were called ‘novelle’ and a story in verse was known as ‘romance’. It meant a story of the legendary past. Malory’s Morte d’Arthur is an example. Some experts gave various definitions for a ‘Novel’. According to an American novelist, F. Marion Crawford, a Novel is a pocket theatre; a novel contained all accessories of a drama without requiring to be staged before an audience. George Meredith, an English novelist, called it a ‘summary of actual life’ including both ‘the within and the without’. According to W.H Hudson, Novel is an effective medium of the portrayal of human thought and action, ‘combining in itself the creations of poetry, the details of history and generalised experience of philosophy’.

Indian writing in English has largely changed in its content, characterization and language. There is a significant shift from writing about serious and dark issues to narrating stories about common people. Writing about the day-to-day monotonous lifestyles seems to be the new ‘mantra’ in the Indian style of writing. One of the first authors to write about such type of stories is Chetan Bhagat. His writing has revolutionized and mirrored the postmodern literature. Revolution 2020: Love, Corruption, Ambition is a novel by Bhagat. Revolution 2020 happens in three stages in Chetan Bhagat’s novel and is listed as love, ambition and corruption. All these three stages are played by Gopal, Aarti and Raghav characters in the novel. The ambition of Gopal’s father is to make his son an engineer but Gopal’s passion is different. He meets a politician and opens a technical institute, initiating corruption. Raghav is from a middle - class family and cracks the IIT entrance test but his passion is to be a press reporter writing against corruption and how it has polluted the whole education system from top to bottom. Finally, the most beautiful girl friend of his, right from school days, aspiring to become an air hostess the daughter of the District Magistrate loves Raghav. This paper analyses how the emerging trends of revolution as love, ambition and corruption play a crucial role in the lives of Gopal, Aarti and Raghav .

Abstract Described as one of the leading voices of her generation, Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has become one of the many African authors who through their narratives have succeeded in challenging the literary canon both in Europe and North America while redefining African literature from the diaspora. Her specific use of the English language as well as transcultural writing strategies allow Adichie to skilfully represent what it means to live as a “translated being”. In her collection of short stories, The Thing Around Your Neck (2009), and her latest novel, Americanah (2013), which were greatly influenced by her own experiences as what she has referred to as “an inhabitant of the periphery”, Adichie depicts the way in which different Nigerian characters live in-between Nigeria and America. In this regard, her characters’ transatlantic journeys imply a constant movement between several languages and cultural backgrounds which result in cultural and linguistic translation.

From his childhood in Swansea until his death in New York in 1953, Dylan Thomas was an instinctive actor. During his teenage years he acted in more than twenty-three stage productions, thirteen of them as a member of Swansea's Little Theatre Company. Although his roles were essentially English and his speaking style somewhat mannered, the latter was strongly influenced by the rhythms of the Welsh language spoken by family members and experienced in the chapels of his childhood. Subsequently, radio broadcasts of his poetry and short stories were very much those of an actor, the emphasis on the voice and, in the stories, on the presentation of many varied characters, of which his play for voices, Under Milk Wood, is the supreme example. But Thomas also carried his love of performance into his everyday life, playing the fool and acting outrageously at parties and in pubs. The comment of one of his contemporaries that ‘Dylan was an actor; he acted practically every moment of every day’ could not be nearer the mark. Gwynne Edwards is Emeritus Professor in the Department of European Languages at Aberystwyth University. He is also a playwright, and two of his adaptations of short stories by Dylan Thomas – ‘The Peaches’ and ‘Extraordinary Little Cough’ – have recently been performed by the Swansea Little Theatre Company as part of the Dylan Thomas centenary celebrations.

Many women were socially conditioned as children to believe that gender operates on a superiority/inferiority axis – the male has been naturally created to be in charge and to take dominion of all living and non-living things including plants, animals, fishes, birds, children, and women. For the women, they are to be submissive to the biological order of things which patriarchy has worked hard to institutionalise. One of the means patriarchy has adopted to sustain this belief is the divide and rule tactic, where women are taught to believe that they cannot work together, cannot love one another and cannot support one another because they do not like themselves. This belief is propagated through folklore, especially in co-wife rivalry tales. Another common instance is the raging ‘war’ between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law. This paper will analyse the common myth that women are their own worst enemies through selected Nigerian folktales, and in the second part, will analyse contemporary Nigerian women’s autobiographies, with particular emphasis on the 3-volume biographical compendium, Women of Valour, and how these women negated this erroneous belief in their narratives. One of the findings of this paper is that women’s autobiographies have significantly disabuse many of these patriarchal myths about women, thereby rewriting and re-narrating women’s life histories. Another finding is that many of the women featured in the biography used the medium as a platform to voice themselves into being, thereby empowering themselves through the narration of their life stories.

“I am not a religious person but if I were to say I have a religion then I would say I am a nature worshipper.” Ruskin Bond Ruskin Bond, a prolific writer, is known for his short stories, novellas and poems and is widely popular especially in Children’s Literature Circles. His stories can be likened to an ecological narrativedesigned to spread awareness about the bitter consequences of human actions that damage the planet’s basic life support system. He has received the Sahitya Akademi Award for English writing in India for ‘Our Trees Still grow in Dehra’ in 1992. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 and Padma Bhushan in 2014. Ruskin Bond’s stories breathe his great love and sincere concern for nature which is all encompassing and all pervasive.The prismatic portrayal of nature in Bond’s stories enraptures the soul. He draws our sense towards the natural brilliance manifest all around us by presenting a painstakingly drawn out record of the the natural life around him. The amazingly captured landscapes with its myriad forms of life inked by Bond’s imagination and his inimitable style come with a strong lesson on the need to protect and preserve nature. My paper proposes to study Bond’s short story entitled “Tenacity of Mountain Water” that exploresthe interlinked web of life through a simple narrative. Weaving the threads of eco consciousness through the narrative, he marvels at how a tiny rivulet of water becomes a beautiful roaring cascade nourishing and beautifying the entire landscape. The story offers the informed reader a chance to investigate the underlying ecological values and also revisit the human perception of natural resources.

As a translingual American writer, Julien Green (1900-1998) wrote a wide variety of novels, plays, short stories, and essays, as well as one of the longest recorded journals of the twentieth century. Among his bilingual texts Green published an important homoerotic play, Sud (1953), which he later translated into English as South (1959) in collaboration with his sister, Anne Green. Although the homoerotic nature of the characters of Green’s novels has been examined in certain critical texts, the evolution of this homoeroticism in Green’s self-translated play, Sud / South, has not yet been studied in detail. This article will, therefore, show how Green radically transformed the drama of homosexual love from his first play, Sud (1953), in his self-translation, South (1959), and the effects of these linguistic changes on the reader. More specifically, this critical analysis will demonstrate how Green used a translative approach of the moins-dit in order to conceal a substantial portion of his original French play’s central intrigue. Because of multiple omissions, revisions, and additions in self-translation, Ian Wiczewski’s love for the young Erik Mac Clure, as well as Édouard Broderick’s homosexual orientation, are less visible in South than in Sud. Consequently, Sud and South appear as two very disparate versions of the same text.

While from the viewpoint of typology it is often stated that the genre of detective fiction originated with the work of Edgar Allan Poe, this statement can be challenged from the standpoint of literary or reception history. Several recent histories of detective fiction emphasize the importance of employing a wider generic view, yet they hardly expand their perspective beyond English literary traditions. This paper examines how the usual, theorized requirement for detective fiction concerning the work’s exclusive focus on the crime committed and its detection was not characteristic of nineteenth-century detective stories written in Central Europe. Even though the detective story pattern is recognizable in Mór Jókai’s short story, “A három királyok csillaga” [‘The Star of the Magi’], it does not dominate the entire depiction, but rather represents one strand woven into a tragic love story as well as the history of national resistance, aspects bearing equal significance in this very sophisticated work.

As a postcolonial scholar and professor from more than one postcolony, the author knows the British colonizers’ “Divide and Rule” policies and their use of colonial binaries disseminated through the English education system continue to haunt the postcolonies and the diaspora even today. Therefore, awareness that decolonization has been successful only to an extent, as we continue to have internalized racism and oppression, and knowing that pandemics, like the COVID-19, will continue to decimate humanity while the former colonizers, in the form of globalism, will continue to exploit and destroy humans, nonhumans and the earth, the author argues that we need to redefine knowledge so we may learn to speak in altered ways to create change. She shares her stories of struggles and attempts at resistance to colonialism, ideas of modernity, and globalism to speak to generations to come, so that humanity may become interconnected and compassionate in our love for each other and work together toward justice for all through new decolonial epistemologies and ontologies.

Angela Carter was an English fiction writer and journalist. Her female protagonists often take an empowered roles where they rise up against oppression and fight for both sexual and political equality. The actions of these women are direct reflections of the feminist movement that took place in the 1970s. The concepts within this movement relating specifically to the ideologies of radical- libertarian feminist, and regarding the extent to which she promotes feminist due to her style, referred to as "Galm-Rock" feminism. Carter began experimenting with writing fairy tales in 1970, which coincided with the period of second wave feminism in the Unites States. The majority of Angela Carter’s work revolve around a specific type of feminism, radical libertarian feminism and her critique of the patriarchal role that have been placed on women. In this article, the main concentrate is on heroine’s internalized consciousness which echoes in their behavior. All of the female protagonists in carter’s short stories; such as The Courtship of Mr. Lyon, The Tiger’s Bride, The snow child and mainly in The Bloody chamber have similar characteristics with different conditions, in which they are represented in a very negative light with less than ideal roles. In these stories, the protagonist is a young girl who has many conflicts with love and desire. Carter attempts to encourage women to do something about this degrading representation.

Alice Munro (1931—), Canadian author and winner of the Man Booker International Prize in 2009, has written a number of short stories. “The Bear Came Over the Mountain” is a story of love, romantic affairs, family relationship, enigma of romance and psychological disorientation. The story reveals family bond through mental depression and physical inability, which, to a large extent, are traumatic. Munro’s presentation of human relationship and family bond gets a new dimension from psychopathological point of view. The story reveals a bizarre relationship between two unacquainted families, members of which suffer from two different types of trauma: psychic hysteria and physical immobility. Munro shows the effect of such frenzy on individuals as well as on societal connection. This paper attempts to illustrate, from psychoanalytic point of view, the nature of traumatic pathology and its testimony in the lives of individuals and how its outcome can be a major device in understanding human relationship. Stamford Journal of English; Volume 6; Page 103-113 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/sje.v6i0.13906

Two of the tales mentioned in the title are in many ways typical of the great collections of stories (The Canterbury Tales and Il Decamerone) to which they belong. What makes them conspicuous is no doubt the intensity of the erotic desire presented as the ultimate law which justifies even the most outrageous actions. The cult of eroticism is combined there with a cult of youth, which means disaster for the protagonists, who try to combine eroticism with advanced age. And yet the stories in question have roots in a very different tradition in which overt eroticism is punished and can only reassert itself in a chastened form, its transformation being due to sacrifices made by the lover to become reunited with the object of his love. A medieval example of the latter tradition is here the Middle English romance, Sir Orfeo. All of the three narratives are conspicuously connected by the motif of the enchanted tree. The Middle Ages are associated with a tendency to moralize ancient literature, the most obvious example of which is the French anonymous work Ovide moralisé (Moralized Ovid), and its Latin version Ovidius Moralizatus by Pierre Bersuire. In the case of The Merchant’s Tale and The Tale of the Enchanted Pear-Tree, we seem to meet with the opposite process, that is with a medieval demoralization of an essentially didactic tradition. The present article deals with the problem of how this transformation could happen and the extent of the resulting un-morality. Some use has also been made of the possible biblical parallels with the tales in question.

Richard Baxter admired the qualities Giles Firmin brought to religious controversy: ‘Candor, Ingenuitie, Moderation, Love and Peace’. Firmin, Vicar of Shalford, Essex, 1648–62, argued for peace during the Interregnum, at a time when disputes fractured the churches of his county. Factions of Presbyterians and Independents still fought about the right path to religious reform, in terms dictated by polemic of the 1640s, while sects like the Quakers rattled confidence in a united Church. Firmin devised arguments that crossed party lines, to unite against sectarianism. He wrote from an unusual perspective. He had been to Massachusetts and come home. He had taken part in the colony’s bold experiment in Congregationalist church order, which inspired English Independents, but came back into parish ministry in Essex without repudiating his colonial experience. Modern historians, like seventeenth-century Presbyterians, struggle to explain why New England’s churches claimed unity with England, but acted differently. Firmin’s outlook sets contemporary polemic in a fresh light. Nowadays, he is better known for his anecdotes than for his views, because he scattered his tracts with stories about people he had known in colony and homeland. His opinions tend to escape notice. Yet Firmin used his experience in Old and New England to make a distinctive appeal for unity.

Abstract. Ubi caritas et amor. A Comparatist Reading of Le Baiser au lépreux and O Veleiro de Cristal. Le Baiser au lépreux (The Kiss to the Leper), by François Mauriac, and O Veleiro de Cristal (The Crystal Sailboat), by José Mauro de Vasconcelos, are a priori aimed at two different audiences. Le Baiser au lépreux is indeed generally considered to be Mauriac’s first important book, whereas O Veleiro de Cristal belongs to “children’s literature”, like O Meu Pé de Laranja Lima (in English “My Sweet Orange Tree”), by the same author, which was very successful in Brazil but also in France. However, the two stories share deep similarities, so we can draw parallels between them. As far as the narrative level is concerned, both of the books tell the story of a human being who suffers because of his physical appearance; Jean Péloueyre in Le Baiser au lépreux and Eduardo in O Veleiro de Cristal are rejected by their close relatives and hide from other people. They try to escape from their painful experience, thanks to the religion in the case of Jean Péloueyre, even if the latter gives rise to an existential drama, and thanks to the imagination in the case of Eduardo, who discovers in the house where his aunt Anna has led him animals who are able to talk. In both stories, eventually, the theme of charity is fundamental: in Mauriac’s novel, Noémi marries Jean and ends up loving him with a love based on charity and that can be defined as agapè, while in O Veleiro de Cristal Anna renounces all vanity to devote herself to her nephew, her charity echoing the one of the animals who live in the Crystal Sailboat.

I Was Born in Spain to a Spanish Mother and a Nigerian Father. I Moved to Nigeria on the Day That I Turned Seven and remained in the country for nine years. The interplay between my cultural liminality and an early aestheticism has determined my experience of literature—first as a precocious reader and later as a teacher and scholar.My first literary diet, like that of many children, consisted of fairy tales and abridged classics. At primary school in Nigeria, our English textbooks featured passages from African novels to teach reading comprehension. While I found the short storylines interesting, their pedagogical use meant that I did not perceive them as “literature”—a word that I associated with stories to wonder at, get lost in, and daydream about. At the age of nine I graduated to unabridged Dickens novels and Shakespeare plays alongside Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, supplementing my diet with Spanish chivalric romances such as Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo's Amadís de Gaula (1508) and Francisco Vázquez's Palmerín de Oliva (1511). Apart from a sense of intrigue, these two works gave me respite from an unrelenting sense of otherness. They provided vicarious adventure, and their settings reminded me of the Castilian castles that formed part of my early-childhood landscape.

For Abiola Irele, friend, mentor, maître.Language for me is the soul of the text. I love the Arabic language, and I adore writing in it. It is the linguistic mold that I want to fill my personal stories and culture in, distinguished from that of Arabs.—Stella GaitanoI Will Start with Two Stories About This Thing Called Literature and the world it claims to name and possess.The first takes place in Shillong, in the northeast corner of India, a place far removed from the Indian heartland, closer to Bangladesh, Burma, and China than to New Delhi. The setting is the Shillong campus of the English and Foreign Languages University, where I have come to teach a seminar to junior academics and graduate students on decolonization as a theoretical problem. My students and I will embark on a two-week systematic rereading of the philosophical claims made for decolonization in the writings of canonical postcolonial writers, from Mahatma Gandhi's writing on nonviolence to Aimé Césaire's and Léopold Sédar Senghor's on negritude to Frantz Fanon's on the pitfalls of national consciousness to Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak's and Trinh T. Minh-Ha's on the figure of woman in difference. Although my students are attentive, their relation to these texts is ambivalent: they recognize the importance of these texts to understanding the making of the modern world, yet colonialism, as a world-historical event, occurred too long ago to be part of their lived experience. Their ambivalence is compounded by the fact that the urgency with which the authors of decolonization write, the sense that they are operating at the end of time—the time of Europe—belongs to a moment that no longer resonates with people struggling to survive in a more complex, globalized world. It is hard for my students to make the connection between Senghor's negritude and his incarceration in a Nazi prison camp in Poitiers during World War II or to see that event, the imprisonment of an African fighting for France, as connected to a paradigmatic break in the discourse of empire.

This article presents the study of Rudyard Kipling’s early pieces of writing (the collection of stories Plain Tales from the Hills, 1888). The author proposes an alternative view to the consideration of the writer’s literary heritage from the position of jingoism and propagation of the civilizing mission of the British Empire, which can still be encountered in academic research. The analysis of Plain Tales from the Hills suggests that the praise of British imperialism was not the main idea of Kipling’s early works. The researcher comes to the conclusion that Kipling did not regard India as a conquered barbarous land which the British people had to civilize. This remote exotic country became a motherland for a representative of Anglo-Indian society, who was born in Indian environment. Kipling’s love for India is felt in his strive to give a detailed description of exotic locations and ethnographic peculiarities and even to restore the manner of speech of Indian population. The reader of Plain Tales from the Hills can perceive the author’s respect for the English and Indian people, working in harsh climate, his interest and great sympathy with the aboriginal population, living in hard social conditions under the British rule. The sarcastic remarks of his characters, which reflect Kipling’s doubt in the beneficial role of the British Empire in the lives of the Indian people, finally refute the statement about the writer’s glorification of the imperialistic policy of Great Britain as the main aim of his creative art.

In the violence over Protestant marches in Northern Ireland in the late 1990s much of the debate centered on two towns, Portadown and Drumcree. Students of seventeenth-century Irish history will note that those towns were sites of some of the most infamous stories of rebel atrocities in the 1641 uprising. The continuity of such images reinforces the notion that ethnic and religious conflicts are immutable and perhaps inevitable. A certain fatalism surrounds the acrimony of Arab and Jew, Muslim and Christian, English and Irish arising from the conviction that such conflicts have raged, as if unchanging, over centuries. However, when viewed over time, the struggles between such groups are dynamic rather than static and have helped construct how each group sees the other and how it identifies itself. In the dynamism surrounding Anglo-Irish relations a number of important turning points can be identified. One of the most important is of course the seventeenth century, particularly the 1641 uprising. More than thirty years ago W. D. Love noted how for three centuries Irish historiography and Anglo-Irish intercourse had been molded by the events of the mid-seventeenth century and had compelled historians to support or deny the charges made by each side about the events of the 1640s. In trying to understand the searing nature of those events, and how they came to frame political as well as historical debates from the seventeenth to the twentieth centuries, a number of historians have noted the importance of Sir John Temple and his propagan distic piece, The Irish Rebellion. Temple's work offered not just an interpretation of the 1641 uprising but a portrait of the two peoples, English and Irish, as basically and permanently incompatible—a thesis that has had remarkable staying power. Published in 1646, Temple's work was a departure from the Tudor and early Stuart canon on Ireland. While Temple borrowed much from earlier commentators such as Edmund Spenser and Sir John Davies, his analysis differed from them and set out in a new direction by defining the Irish as ethnically distinct. Spenser and Davies suggested that the problem of Ireland arose not from the land, or even its people (although Spenser devoted considerable discussion to the ways Irish customs undermined English success), but from foolhardy or poorly executed English policy. Even though the late Tudor and early Stuart commentators saw the Irish as barbaric, the Irish were thought to be amenable to the benefits of English culture and rule, although their reformation might require draconian measures. Even the divisive issue of religion was not thought insurmountable. Davies and Spenser argued that a religious reformation begun after peace and stability had been secured in Ireland would succeed. In contrast, Temple viewed the 1641 revolt as conclusive evidence that the Irish were irredeemable and posed a deadly threat to England and its people.

Regional short stories in translation have always been a pasture of research in the field of English literature. It opens a vista of information, debate and discussion on the cultural and social crisis faced by the people lying hidden in the smaller pockets of our country. Jammu region is embedded with a rich heritage of Dogri language with an idiosyncratic regional flavour of its folk-tales and short-stories. Translation of Dogri works into other languages has helped the readers in the country and across borders, to peruse the social and cultural milieu of Jammu region. This paper critically examines the Dogri short story “Caretaker” by Padma Sachdev which reveals the agony, insecurities and position of Dogra women in the male-dominated society. In the earlier Dogra society, women suffered at the hands of complex social‑cultural norms, rituals and patriarchal models of suppression. They were often forced into ill‑matched marriages and dohri (reciprocal marriages). Further, they were expected to become obedient wives to their husbands while their own identity got submerged under the burden of family responsibilities, catering to husband needs and rearing children. They often longed for a “home” of their own blessed with love and respect. However, the marital home failed to provide them this blessed home and the parental home became alien to them after marriage. The relationship between husband and wife seems like that of an orient and the occident as man becomes the agent of power, domination and male-centric prejudices against woman. On the other hand, woman acts as an orient who suffers from the societal prejudices for misinterpreted identity and enslavement for her social-cultural representation. As Simone de Beauvoir in her book, The Second Sex analyzes that man fundamentally tries to oppress women by characterizing them as the ‘Other’. Men impose his will on the other and women are cursed with the feelings of inwardness and suppressed voices. “[Man] attaches himself to woman –not to enjoy her, but to enjoy himself.” Hence, Padma Sachdev tries to echo a critical view of the patriarchal social institutions, which subjugate women’s identity for the gains of male supremacy. She also focuses on an unsaid bonding between women as they can sense the misery of each other. They may get corrupted by the feeling of insecurity at some point of time but soon they reconcile as they realise the pain of the other.

Transhumanism is an international movement which es­pouses the idea that any human organ, function, sense, ability, can be augmented and ameliorated with the judicious use of technology. The ethical, cultural, social, biological, economic implications for this view are far-reaching and point to a number of complex ques­tions whose solution eludes researchers so far. One of the possible sources for answers to these is found in science fiction. While trans­humanism is a relatively recent phenomenon (last 25 years or so), science fiction published in English that mirrors some of its issues and ideas has been flourishing for at least as long. In Italy, science fiction is starting to enjoy popularity and critical depth in no small measure due to the untiring abilities of a number of authors. This article analyzes the intersections between human and machine as they are portrayed in Francesco Verso’s Nexhuman. Francesco Verso has published 4 award-winning science fiction novels and a number of short stories. Nexhuman offers a considerable narrative construct which paints a dystopian future where trash is formed and re-formed, sold and reworked; however, strong emotions are not absent, since love may flourish in this “kipple”-laden setting, as well as violence and obsession. Transhumanist ideas explicitly dealt with in the novel include the end of death, the question of the soul, mind uploading, limb prosthesis, the co-existence of humans with mind-uploaded be­ings. The amalgam between human and machine does away with the Self and the Other(s) as separate entities and constructs a completely different Weltanschauung. Nexhuman is not only a transhumanist trailblazer within the flourishing arena of Italian science fiction, but also a springboard for deeper understanding of what makes us human and the extent to which binary categories need to be overcome in order to create a more accommodating world.

Since my family came to Canada, family story nights have become our daily practice. Within such moments, I explore how I, as a mother, have been sustaining the Vietnamese language and traditions in my family and how, when transitioning to a new land, this has become the core of our familiar curriculum making (Huber, Murphy, & Clandinin, 2011). As I share Vietnamese stories with my children, they reply to me in English. Also, they only have a distant understanding of Vietnamese culture and the intergenerational traditions of our great family back home. Acknowledging these transitional processes allows me to nurture their love and understanding of Vietnamese language, culture and traditions. As I inquire into my own experiences as a mother, I trace my ancestral heritage in my homeland, where, in Thúy’s (2012) words, “a country is no longer a place but a lullaby.” Meaningfully, the following questions have shaped my research puzzles: (a) What are possible ways to build our familial curriculum in integration with our homeland language, culture, and traditions; and (b) How could I as a mother sustain these three essential areas in my children’s lives in Canada? I embrace autobiographical narrative inquiry as the methodology for my paper. Narrative inquiry draws attention to story as both the phenomenon under study and narrative as the methodology for the inquiry (Clandinin & Connelly, 1994). I will be living, telling, retelling, and reliving (Clandinin, 2013) my storied experiences and my children’s in our familial curriculum making through cooking, reading, and painting. By attending to my daughters’ experiences, I inquire into their transitions differently, that is to understand their own transitions narratively (Clandinin, Steeves & Caine, 2013). Significantly, this paper will bring understandings on Vietnamese newcomer mother’s and children’s familial curriculum making as a way to sustain the homeland’s language, culture, and traditions and to support the children in their transition to a new country as well as inform related realities, knowledges, and approaches in education.Keywords: experience; transition; curriculum making; language; culture; traditions

During the second half of the 19th century, while the Ottoman press, publishing and literary platforms were flourishing, a need for a more “practical” language of writing arose to convey ideas, and there was a great need to have a new, a more practical language while writing. A language that can convey an idea, a language that can produce information, and a writing style that can spread both. This need for a new language is emphasized by the prominent figures of “New Literature”, and to these writers and prominent figures in the Ottoman state novel as a genre seemed promising for the modernization of Ottoman society as a whole.This article is focusing on the novel’s function during the second half of the 19th century. At the centre of the matter is the reaction of Ottoman –Turkish intelligentsia to the new genre. The article is trying to depict the relationship between classical forms and the new genre and how writers were motivated to merge and create a local novel genre. While doing that we will be mentioning why and how this new genre made local by the names, such as sergüzeşt and hikaye and it’s communication with the “acaib u garaib – supernatural stories” of the Middle Eastern classical literature.Extended English summary is in the end of Full Text PDF (TURKISH) file. ÖzetOsmanlı basın ve edebiyat ortamının 1850’lerden sonra hareketlenmeye başlamasının da etkisiyle, edebiyatın fikri, düşünceyi ifade edebilecek, bilgi üretecek ve onu yayacak bir “yazı dili”ne ihtiyacı açık bir şekilde anlaşılmıştır. Bu ihtiyaç, “yeni edebiyat”ın önemli temsilcileri ve modernleşmeye çalışan devletin yöneticileri tarafından da sıklıkla vurgulanmıştır. İşte bu yönetici/yazarlar, modernleşmek için ihtiyaç duydukları bu yeni dili, çok yönlü bir şekilde kullanabilecekleri bir araç olan romanla kurabileceklerini fark etmişlerdir.Türün XIX. yüzyılın ikinci yarısındaki serüvenine odaklanan bu çalışmada, işte bu yazı dilinin Osmanlı-Türk edebiyatında yazar, okur, matbuat yani edebiyat kamusu tarafından nasıl algılandığı üzerinde düşünülecektir. Makalede, doğayı, insanı, toplumu anlatan romanın, Osmanlı edebiyatına girişine kadar dolaşımda olan hikâye etme pratikleriyle olan ilişkisi de göz önünde bulundurulacaktır. Ayrıca, bu ilişkinin edebiyat tarihi araştırmalarında yorumlanma tarzı, türe gösterilen davranış kalıpları Osmanlı-Türkiye modernleşme refleksleri üzerinden tartışılacaktır. Bu bağlamda türün sergüzeşt, hikâye kelimeleriyle yerelleştirilmesi, ahlâkı temel alan bir yapıyla yazılması ve Ortadoğu klasik edebiyatlarında görülen “acâib ü gâraib” anlatılarıyla bağlantısı tartışılacaktır.

The article deals with the artistic echoes of the ideas of the German romantic author E.T.A. Goffman in the novel “The Collector” by the English postmodernist J. Fowles. The aim of the study is to prove that Hoffmann’s concept of dividing people into inhabitants and artists, burghers and creative persons, ordinary and elected ones, i.e., philistines and enthusiasts, found its artistic echo in the images and situations of the novel “The Collector” by J. Fowles; as well as to generalize and adapt scientific and theoretical material on this problem to the students of philology while their preparation for practical and seminar classes. The research methodology is to extrapolate Hoffman’s concept of enthusiasts and philistines to the text of the “Collector”, as well as to determine the confrontation between these two types of people as one of the leading themes of Fowles’ novel. Research results. It is emphasized that Hoffman has divided all his characters into two unequal groups: enthusiasts and philistines. It is established that in Hoffmann’s stories the world of enthusiasts symbolizes full of life existence with all the richness of ideas, emotions, contradictory and complex feelings typical for a search person; the world of philistines, instead, personifies a dim imitation of a real life, i.e. a “mechanized” existence, in which there is no creative impulses, creative initiative. In his works Hoffman warns mankind of the danger of such existence emphasizing the need to protect the world of enthusiasts. It is proved that Hoffman’s thoughts were prophesied. Less than 150 years later, their echo has found its artistic reflection in the works of modern English writer John Fowles, in particular in the novel “The Collector”. In the images of the protagonists Miranda and Frederick Clegg, John Fowles depicted two opposite worlds, which are considered a symbolic continuation of the confrontation of Hoffmann’s enthusiasts and philistines. Miranda represents a modern type of enthusiast, a search person who is choked with emotions and feelings, intuitively realizing that this is the meaning of her life. Clegg generalizes a modern type of a philistine – an ambitious, limited tyrant, full of hidden malice and hatred for those who are spiritually richer and smarter. Hoffman’s warnings have also come to the fore in the fact that philistines can make enthusiasts their victims, as it is illustrated in the novel on the example of the tragic fate of Miranda. Scientific novelty. Reminiscences of Hoffmann’s ideas about the confrontation between enthusiasts and philistines, generalized in the images and types of “The Collector” by J. Fowles, reminding of the eternal antagonism between love and hatred, good and evil, creative living principles and a mundane existence, constitute the scientific novelty of this article. Practical significance. The results of the study can be used for further research of J. Fowles’ literary heritage. The article will be also useful for the students of philology while their preparation for seminars and practical classes.

A number of observations provided by the given article are dedicated to a single element taken out of Bunin's plethora of mundane and routine things represented in his prose, i.e. chests and trinket boxes which are traced here in the perspective of symbolic and metaphoric potential of the author’s artistic writing, the ability of the latter to invest intensively the sense into a distinct object – a notion that may serve as a supplement to the mainstream and widespread concept of “enumerating”, cumulative tendency as a predominant in Bunin’s narrative. The reached result of the comparison of chests vs. trinket boxes contains the distinction between the two: whereas the former initiates the anamnesis, the latter – having no correspondence with natural proportions and size of human body – is located much closer to the memory as a spiritual phenomenon. “The Gentleman from San Francisco” is the first story to attract the primary attention. The text contains multiple mentioning of chests and suit-cases. The decisive scene in which both things are involved is the picture of the hero’s preparation for his last appearance among the high society he belongs to. Here, the anonymous gentleman is presented against the background of cases standing wide open in the middle of his room. A consumer transforms into a consumed – this is the inversion of traditional image that Bunin tries to convey to his reader, and this inversion is finally emphasized in an episode of hero’s body’s placement into the box in which English soda water used to be transported. Trinket boxes are pointed out as the second stage on the way of the author’s rethinking of this class of objects. The level of their symbolization now seems to be much higher – first of all because a trinket box yearns away from the “objective” predictability of a chest as an improvised and archetypal coffin compelling a reader to imagine the object of commemorative recreation in a more allegorical and metaphoric way rather than literally and corporally as it was in case with the chests. The primary source for the analysis now is Bunin’s short story “The Grammar of Love”. Its relations with “The Gentleman from San-Francisco” are traced along the leitmotif line of a discovery (“otkrytie” as “discovery”) that contains the sense of a fruitful geographic journey (it’s justly that both stories are travelogues), opening of the trinket box itself (“otkrytie” as “opening”) and revelation as a final result of the entire voyage (“otkrovenie” as “revelation”). What in “The Grammar of Love” becomes a successful embodiment of this mo- tif chain and supplies the plot with the quality of a cycle that leads the main hero right to the point of his psychological rediscovery of himself, in the later story “The Gentleman from San-Francisco” seems to be totally impossible. For the anonymous gentleman the prospect of his revival looks to be closed from the very beginning. In the concluding part of the paper the author basing on the works by Aleida Assmann, develops the idea of projecting Bunin’s im- ages of chests and trinket boxes onto the broad European context. The modern science that deals with the commemorative experience of culture, its practices and representations, has accumulated plenty of data relating to that kind of objects (boxes, chests etc.) as reservoirs of human memory. Their role in Bunin’s poetics is still underrated. However the true meaning of these, at first glance, basically external and unnecessary elements of a narrative is really significant. The author of the article presents a blueprint of possible interpretation of these images in Russo-European comparative perspective.

Nora Ikstena’s “Mātes piens” (Mother’s Milk; published in English as Soviet Milk) is one of the novels in the book series “MĒS. Latvija, XX gadsimts” (We. Latvia. The 20th Century). It describes the difficulties that can arise in the mother-daughter relationship, describes the Soviet time’s environment and its impact on everyday life. The historical novel “Mātes piens” has been published in 25 countries, which means that this novel has been translated into many different cultures, which are less familiar with the mentality of the Latvian people and the USSR times in Latvia. Therefore, it is crucial how the text is translated or whether the style and the particular poetics of Nora Ikstena’s language in this novel are accurately reproduced. Therefore, the scientific research work “Quality of Translated Comparisons of Nora Ikstena’s “Soviet Milk” and “Молоко матери”” was developed. Comparisons requiring the translator to take into account both the content and the meaning of the words were analysed, as well as the aspect of language imagery and culture. The novel was translated into English by Margita Gailīts, and into Russian by Ludmila Nukņeviča. The events of the novel “Soviet Milk” take place from the end of the Second World War until the 1980s. The main character is a daughter, whose story is intertwined with the life stories of her mother and grandmother. The novel portrays the daughter’s struggle with her mother’s depression, which has deprived her of emotional intimacy with her mother since birth; the daughter continues to hope and gain her mother’s love, helping in times of crisis and ignoring several rejections. Although the translation process is very old, the question about the translation quality is still relevant. Using sources of information and gaining theoretical knowledge of the translation process, an error estimation method was developed that allows the word “quality” to be quantified. Literary translation is mostly separated from other translation types and put into a separate category, usually because the meaning of a literary work cannot be clarified in simple terms presented today. It is also difficult to analyse what the reader expects from the translation. Since there cannot be one right way of translating literature, the sense of the translator’s ethical duty to the author is the most important. However, this is very limited by how well the translator understands the author’s intentions and what is said and how much freedom the translator is given to change the text to find the most appropriate way to express the idea in the language. (Sager 1994) Four groups were divided by Juliane House’s theory (House 2014; House 2017) about overt errors. Text translation errors are divided into 2 categories – covert and overt. Covert errors are difficult to notice because, superficially, from a grammatical point of view, the sentence is correct, but its content is not logical or acceptable. The overt errors detected are obvious, constitute a systematic error. Overt errors are divided into 7 groups: 1 – not translated; 2 – a slight change in meaning; 3 – a significant change in meaning; 4 – distortion of meaning; 5 – breach of SL system; 6 – creative translation; 7 – cultural filtering. 64 comparisons in Latvian, 64 equivalents in Russian, and 55 equivalents in English were excerpted (9 comparisons were not translated). Translations of comparisons were divided into 4 groups: 1) accurately translated, 2) translations with minor changes, 3) culturally harmonized translations, 4) untranslated comparisons. Translations of comparisons that scored 5 points or more are considered qualitatively translated, given that there are no significant errors. There is no single fundamental criterion for the quality of a translation against which all translated texts can be judged. There are several definitions of quality translation, and quality is affected by many factors. The translations of comparisons in both foreign languages (English and Russian) are of high quality; they received high marks if they were analysed according to the error evaluation table because the maximum number of points that could be obtained was 6 points and no comparative translation was lower than 5 points. The Russian translation is more successful (comparative translations more often scored 6 points) than the English translation, which can be justified by the fact that the Russian language is historically and geographically a neighbor of the Latvian language, but the English language and culture are remote. Phraseological comparisons are translated literally and also more accurately into Russian; there are more of the same equivalents in the target culture. When evaluating comparisons that use the concepts of biblical story motifs or images of Greek mythology, they are mostly accurately translated into the target languages, as the target cultures are well acquainted with this religion and Greek mythology. One of the most important findings – not only literal translations are of high quality; it is much more important to express them in a way that is understandable to the target culture while maintaining the author’s writing style and the text’s main idea, paying attention to details.

Background and Objective: Suicide attempts are 10-20X more common than completed suicide and an important risk factor for death by suicide, yet most people who attempt suicide do not die by suicide. The process of recovering after a suicide attempt has not been well studied. The Reasons to go on Living (RTGOL) Project, a narrative web-based study, focuses on experiences of people who have attempted suicide and made the decision to go on living, a process not well studied. Narrative research is ideally suited to understanding personal experiences critical to recovery following a suicide attempt, including the transition to a state of hopefulness. Voices from people with lived experience can help us plan and conceptualize this work. This paper reports on a secondary research question of the larger study: what stories do participants tell of the positive role/impact of the mental health system. Material and Methods: A website created for The RTGOL Project (www.thereasons.ca) enabled participants to anonymously submit a story about their suicide attempt and recovery, a process which enabled participation from a large and diverse group of participants. The only direction given was “if you have made a suicide attempt or seriously considered suicide and now want to go on living, we want to hear from you.” The unstructured narrative format allowed participants to describe their experiences in their own words, to include and emphasize what they considered important. Over 5 years, data analysis occurred in several phases over the course of the study, resulting in the identification of data that were inputted into an Excel file. This analysis used stories where participants described positive involvement with the mental health system (50 stories). Results: Several participants reflected on experiences many years previous, providing the privilege of learning how their life unfolded, what made a difference. Over a five-year period, 50 of 226 stories identified positive experiences with mental health care with sufficient details to allow analysis, and are the focus of this paper. There were a range of suicidal behaviours in these 50 stories, from suicidal ideation only to medically severe suicide attempts. Most described one or more suicide attempts. Three themes identified included: 1) trust and relationship with a health care professional, 2) the role of friends and family and friends, and 3) a wide range of services. Conclusion: Stories open a window into the experiences of the period after a suicide attempt. This study allowed for an understanding of how mental health professionals might help individuals who have attempted suicide write a different story, a life-affirming story. The stories that participants shared offer some understanding of “how” to provide support at a most-needed critical juncture for people as they interact with health care providers, including immediately after a suicide attempt. Results of this study reinforce that just one caring professional can make a tremendous difference to a person who has survived a suicide attempt. Key Words: web-based; suicide; suicide attempt; mental health system; narrative research Word Count: 478 Introduction My Third (or fourth) Suicide AttemptI laid in the back of the ambulance, the snow of too many doses of ativan dissolving on my tongue.They hadn't even cared enough about meto put someone in the back with me,and so, frustrated,I'd swallowed all the pills I had with me— not enough to do what I wanted it to right then,but more than enough to knock me out for a good 14 hours.I remember very little after that;benzodiazepines like ativan commonly cause pre- and post-amnesia, says Google helpfullyI wake up in a locked rooma woman manically drawing on the windows with crayonsthe colors of light through the glassdiffused into rainbows of joy scattered about the roomas if she were coloring on us all,all of the tattered remnants of humanity in a psych wardmade into a brittle mosaic, a quilt of many hues, a Technicolor dreamcoatand I thoughtI am so glad to be able to see this. (Story 187)The nurse opening that door will have a lasting impact on how this story unfolds and on this person’s life. Each year, almost one million people die from suicide, approximately one death every 40 seconds. Suicide attempts are much more frequent, with up to an estimated 20 attempts for every death by suicide.1 Suicide-related behaviours range from suicidal ideation and self-injury to death by suicide. We are unable to directly study those who die by suicide, but effective intervention after a suicide attempt could reduce the risk of subsequent death by suicide. Near-fatal suicide attempts have been used to explore the boundary with completed suicides. Findings indicated that violent suicide attempters and serious attempters (seriousness of the medical consequences to define near-fatal attempts) were more likely to make repeated, and higher lethality suicide attempts.2 In a case-control study, the medically severe suicide attempts group (78 participants), epidemiologically very similar to those who complete suicide, had significantly higher communication difficulties; the risk for death by suicide multiplied if accompanied by feelings of isolation and alienation.3 Most research in suicidology has been quantitative, focusing almost exclusively on identifying factors that may be predictive of suicidal behaviours, and on explanation rather than understanding.4 Qualitative research, focusing on the lived experiences of individuals who have attempted suicide, may provide a better understanding of how to respond in empathic and helpful ways to prevent future attempts and death by suicide.4,5 Fitzpatrick6 advocates for narrative research as a valuable qualitative method in suicide research, enabling people to construct and make sense of the experiences and their world, and imbue it with meaning. A review of qualitative studies examining the experiences of recovering from or living with suicidal ideation identified 5 interconnected themes: suffering, struggle, connection, turning points, and coping.7 Several additional qualitative studies about attempted suicide have been reported in the literature. Participants have included patients hospitalized for attempting suicide8, and/or suicidal ideation,9 out-patients following a suicide attempt and their caregivers,10 veterans with serious mental illness and at least one hospitalization for a suicide attempt or imminent suicide plan.11 Relationships were a consistent theme in these studies. Interpersonal relationships and an empathic environment were perceived as therapeutic and protective, enabling the expression of thoughts and self-understanding.8 Given the connection to relationship issues, the authors suggested it may be helpful to provide support for the relatives of patients who have attempted suicide. A sheltered, friendly environment and support systems, which included caring by family and friends, and treatment by mental health professionals, helped the suicidal healing process.10 Receiving empathic care led to positive changes and an increased level of insight; just one caring professional could make a tremendous difference.11 Kraft and colleagues9 concluded with the importance of hearing directly from those who are suicidal in order to help them, that only when we understand, “why suicide”, can we help with an alternative, “why life?” In a grounded theory study about help-seeking for self-injury, Long and colleagues12 identified that self-injury was not the problem for their participants, but a panacea, even if temporary, to painful life experiences. Participant narratives reflected a complex journey for those who self-injured: their wish when help-seeking was identified by the theme “to be treated like a person”. There has also been a focus on the role and potential impact of psychiatric/mental health nursing. Through interviews with experienced in-patient nurses, Carlen and Bengtsson13 identified the need to see suicidal patients as subjective human beings with unique experiences. This mirrors research with patients, which concluded that the interaction with personnel who are devoted, hope-mediating and committed may be crucial to a patient’s desire to continue living.14 Interviews with individuals who received mental health care for a suicidal crisis following a serious attempt led to the development of a theory for psychiatric nurses with the central variable, reconnecting the person with humanity across 3 phases: reflecting an image of humanity, guiding the individual back to humanity, and learning to live.15 Other research has identified important roles for nurses working with patients who have attempted suicide by enabling the expression of thoughts and developing self-understanding8, helping to see things differently and reconnecting with others,10 assisting the person in finding meaning from their experience to turn their lives around, and maintain/and develop positive connections with others.16 However, one literature review identified that negative attitudes toward self-harm were common among nurses, with more positive attitudes among mental health nurses than general nurses. The authors concluded that education, both reflective and interactive, could have a positive impact.17 This paper is one part of a larger web-based narrative study, the Reasons to go on Living Project (RTGOL), that seeks to understand the transition from making a suicide attempt to choosing life. When invited to tell their stories anonymously online, what information would people share about their suicide attempts? This paper reports on a secondary research question of the larger study: what stories do participants tell of the positive role/impact of the mental health system. The focus on the positive impact reflects an appreciative inquiry approach which can promote better practice.18 Methods Design and Sample A website created for The RTGOL Project (www.thereasons.ca) enabled participants to anonymously submit a story about their suicide attempt and recovery. Participants were required to read and agree with a consent form before being able to submit their story through a text box or by uploading a file. No demographic information was requested. Text submissions were embedded into an email and sent to an account created for the Project without collecting information about the IP address or other identifying information. The content of the website was reviewed by legal counsel before posting, and the study was approved by the local Research Ethics Board. Stories were collected for 5 years (July 2008-June 2013). The RTGOL Project enabled participation by a large, diverse audience, at their own convenience of time and location, providing they had computer access. The unstructured narrative format allowed participants to describe their experiences in their own words, to include and emphasize what they considered important. Of the 226 submissions to the website, 112 described involvement at some level with the mental health system, and 50 provided sufficient detail about positive experiences with mental health care to permit analysis. There were a range of suicidal behaviours in these 50 stories: 8 described suicidal ideation only; 9 met the criteria of medically severe suicide attempts3; 33 described one or more suicide attempts. For most participants, the last attempt had been some years in the past, even decades, prior to writing. Results Stories of positive experiences with mental health care described the idea of a door opening, a turning point, or helping the person to see their situation differently. Themes identified were: (1) relationship and trust with a Health Care Professional (HCP), (2) the role of family and friends (limited to in-hospital experiences), and (3) the opportunity to access a range of services. The many reflective submissions of experiences told many years after the suicide attempt(s) speaks to the lasting impact of the experience for that individual. Trust and Relationship with a Health Care Professional A trusting relationship with a health professional helped participants to see things in a different way, a more hopeful way and over time. “In that time of crisis, she never talked down to me, kept her promises, didn't panic, didn't give up, and she kept believing in me. I guess I essentially borrowed the hope that she had for me until I found hope for myself.” (Story# 35) My doctor has worked extensively with me. I now realize that this is what will keep me alive. To be able to feel in my heart that my doctor does care about me and truly wants to see me get better.” (Story 34). The writer in Story 150 was a nurse, an honours graduate. The 20 years following graduation included depression, hospitalizations and many suicide attempts. “One day after supper I took an entire bottle of prescription pills, then rode away on my bike. They found me late that night unconscious in a downtown park. My heart threatened to stop in the ICU.” Then later, “I finally found a person who was able to connect with me and help me climb out of the pit I was in. I asked her if anyone as sick as me could get better, and she said, “Yes”, she had seen it happen. Those were the words I had been waiting to hear! I quickly became very motivated to get better. I felt heard and like I had just found a big sister, a guide to help me figure out how to live in the world. This person was a nurse who worked as a trauma therapist.” At the time when the story was submitted, the writer was applying to a graduate program. Role of Family and Friends Several participants described being affected by their family’s response to their suicide attempt. Realizing the impact on their family and friends was, for some, a turning point. The writer in Story 20 told of experiences more than 30 years prior to the writing. She described her family of origin as “truly dysfunctional,” and she suffered from episodes of depression and hospitalization during her teen years. Following the birth of her second child, and many family difficulties, “It was at this point that I became suicidal.” She made a decision to kill herself by jumping off the balcony (6 stories). “At the very last second as I hung onto the railing of the balcony. I did not want to die but it was too late. I landed on the parking lot pavement.” She wrote that the pain was indescribable, due to many broken bones. “The physical pain can be unbearable. Then you get to see the pain and horror in the eyes of someone you love and who loves you. Many people suggested to my husband that he should leave me in the hospital, go on with life and forget about me. During the process of recovery in the hospital, my husband was with me every day…With the help of psychiatrists and a later hospitalization, I was actually diagnosed as bipolar…Since 1983, I have been taking lithium and have never had a recurrence of suicidal thoughts or for that matter any kind of depression.” The writer in Story 62 suffered childhood sexual abuse. When she came forward with it, she felt she was not heard. Self-harm on a regular basis was followed by “numerous overdoses trying to end my life.” Overdoses led to psychiatric hospitalizations that were unhelpful because she was unable to trust staff. “My way of thinking was that ending my life was the only answer. There had been numerous attempts, too many to count. My thoughts were that if I wasn’t alive I wouldn’t have to deal with my problems.” In her final attempt, she plunged over the side of a mountain, dropping 80 feet, resulting in several serious injuries. “I was so angry that I was still alive.” However, “During my hospitalization I began to realize that my family and friends were there by my side continuously, I began to realize that I wasn't only hurting myself. I was hurting all the important people in my life. It was then that I told myself I am going to do whatever it takes.” A turning point is not to say that the difficulties did not continue. The writer of Story 171 tells of a suicide attempt 7 years previous, and the ongoing anguish. She had been depressed for years and had thoughts of suicide on a daily basis. After a serious overdose, she woke up the next day in a hospital bed, her husband and 2 daughters at her bed. “Honestly, I was disappointed to wake up. But, then I saw how scared and hurt they were. Then I was sorry for what I had done to them. Since then I have thought of suicide but know that it is tragic for the family and is a hurt that can never be undone. Today I live with the thought that I am here for a reason and when it is God's time to take me then I will go. I do believe living is harder than dying. I do believe I was born for a purpose and when that is accomplished I will be released. …Until then I try to remind myself of how I am blessed and try to appreciate the wonders of the world and the people in it.” Range of Services The important role of mental health and recovery services was frequently mentioned, including dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT)/cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), recovery group, group therapy, Alcoholics Anonymous, accurate diagnosis, and medications. The writer in Story 30 was 83 years old when she submitted her story, reflecting on a life with both good and bad times. She first attempted suicide at age 10 or 12. A serious post-partum depression followed the birth of her second child, and over the years, she experienced periods of suicidal intent: “Consequently, a few years passed and I got to feeling suicidal again. I had pills in one pocket and a clipping for “The Recovery Group” in the other pocket. As I rode on the bus trying to make up my mind, I decided to go to the Recovery Group first. I could always take the pills later. I found the Recovery Group and yoga helpful; going to meetings sometimes twice a day until I got thinking more clearly and learned how to deal with my problems.” Several participants described the value of CBT or DBT in learning to challenge perceptions. “I have tools now to differentiate myself from the illness. I learned I'm not a bad person but bad things did happen to me and I survived.”(Story 3) “The fact is that we have thoughts that are helpful and thoughts that are destructive….. I knew it was up to me if I was to get better once and for all.” (Story 32): “In the hospital I was introduced to DBT. I saw a nurse (Tanya) every day and attended a group session twice a week, learning the techniques. I worked with the people who wanted to work with me this time. Tanya said the same thing my counselor did “there is no study that can prove whether or not suicide solves problems” and I felt as though I understood it then. If I am dead, then all the people that I kept pushing away and refusing their help would be devastated. If I killed myself with my own hand, my family would be so upset. DBT taught me how to ‘ride my emotional wave’. ……….. DBT has changed my life…….. My life is getting back in order now, thanks to DBT, and I have lots of reasons to go on living.”(Story 19) The writer of Story 67 described the importance of group therapy. “Group therapy was the most helpful for me. It gave me something besides myself to focus on. Empathy is such a powerful emotion and a pathway to love. And it was a huge relief to hear others felt the same and had developed tools of their own that I could try for myself! I think I needed to learn to communicate and recognize when I was piling everything up to build my despair. I don’t think I have found the best ways yet, but I am lifetimes away from that teenage girl.” (Story 67) The author of story 212 reflected on suicidal ideation beginning over 20 years earlier, at age 13. Her first attempt was at 28. “I thought everyone would be better off without me, especially my children, I felt like the worst mum ever, I felt like a burden to my family and I felt like I was a failure at life in general.” She had more suicide attempts, experienced the death of her father by suicide, and then finally found her doctor. “Now I’m on meds for a mood disorder and depression, my family watch me closely, and I see my doctor regularly. For the first time in 20 years, I love being a mum, a sister, a daughter, a friend, a cousin etc.” Discussion The 50 stories that describe positive experiences in the health care system constitute a larger group than most other similar studies, and most participants had made one or more suicide attempts. Several writers reflected back many years, telling stories of long ago, as with the 83-year old participant (Story 30) whose story provided the privilege of learning how the author’s life unfolded. In clinical practice, we often do not know – how did the story turn out? The stories that describe receiving health care speak to the impact of the experience, and the importance of the issues identified in the mental health system. We identified 3 themes, but it was often the combination that participants described in their stories that was powerful, as demonstrated in Story 20, the young new mother who had fallen from a balcony 30 years earlier. Voices from people with lived experience can help us plan and conceptualize our clinical work. Results are consistent with, and add to, the previous work on the importance of therapeutic relationships.8,10,11,14–16 It is from the stories in this study that we come to understand the powerful experience of seeing a family members’ reaction following a participant’s suicide attempt, and how that can be a potent turning point as identified by Lakeman and Fitzgerald.7 Ghio and colleagues8 and Lakeman16 identified the important role for staff/nurses in supporting families due to the connection to relationship issues. This research also calls for support for families to recognize the important role they have in helping the person understand how much they mean to them, and to promote the potential impact of a turning point. The importance of the range of services reflect Lakeman and Fitzgerald’s7 theme of coping, associating positive change by increasing the repertoire of coping strategies. These findings have implications for practice, research and education. Working with individuals who are suicidal can help them develop and tell a different story, help them move from a death-oriented to life-oriented position,15 from “why suicide” to “why life.”9 Hospitalization provides a person with the opportunity to reflect, to take time away from “the real world” to consider oneself, the suicide attempt, connections with family and friends and life goals, and to recover physically and emotionally. Hospitalization is also an opening to involve the family in the recovery process. The intensity of the immediate period following a suicide attempt provides a unique opportunity for nurses to support and coach families, to help both patients and family begin to see things differently and begin to create that different story. In this way, family and friends can be both a support to the person who has attempted suicide, and receive help in their own struggles with this experience. It is also important to recognize that this short period of opportunity is not specific to the nurses in psychiatric units, as the nurses caring for a person after a medically severe suicide attempt will frequently be the nurses in the ICU or Emergency departments. Education, both reflective and interactive, could have a positive impact.17 Helping staff develop the attitudes, skills and approach necessary to be helpful to a person post-suicide attempt is beginning to be reported in the literature.21 Further implications relate to nursing curriculum. Given the extent of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts and deaths by suicide, this merits an important focus. This could include specific scenarios, readings by people affected by suicide, both patients themselves and their families or survivors, and discussions with individuals who have made an attempt(s) and made a decision to go on living. All of this is, of course, not specific to nursing. All members of the interprofessional health care team can support the transition to recovery of a person after a suicide attempt using the strategies suggested in this paper, in addition to other evidence-based interventions and treatments. Findings from this study need to be considered in light of some specific limitations. First, the focus was on those who have made a decision to go on living, and we have only the information the participants included in their stories. No follow-up questions were possible. The nature of the research design meant that participants required access to a computer with Internet and the ability to communicate in English. This study does not provide a comprehensive view of in-patient care. However, it offers important inputs to enhance other aspects of care, such as assessing safety as a critical foundation to care. We consider these limitations were more than balanced by the richness of the many stories that a totally anonymous process allowed. Conclusion Stories open a window into the experiences of a person during the period after a suicide attempt. The RTGOL Project allowed for an understanding of how we might help suicidal individuals change the script, write a different story. The stories that participants shared give us some understanding of “how” to provide support at a most-needed critical juncture for people as they interact with health care providers immediately after a suicide attempt. While we cannot know the experiences of those who did not survive a suicide attempt, results of this study reinforce that just one caring professional can make a crucial difference to a person who has survived a suicide attempt. We end with where we began. Who will open the door? References 1. World Health Organization. Suicide prevention and special programmes. http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/suicideprevent/en/index.html Geneva: Author; 2013.2. Giner L, Jaussent I, Olie E, et al. Violent and serious suicide attempters: One step closer to suicide? J Clin Psychiatry 2014:73(3):3191–197.3. Levi-Belz Y, Gvion Y, Horesh N, et al. Mental pain, communication difficulties, and medically serious suicide attempts: A case-control study. Arch Suicide Res 2014:18:74–87.4. Hjelmeland H and Knizek BL. Why we need qualitative research in suicidology? Suicide Life Threat Behav 2010:40(1):74–80.5. Gunnell D. A population health perspective on suicide research and prevention: What we know, what we need to know, and policy priorities. Crisis 2015:36(3):155–60.6. Fitzpatrick S. Looking beyond the qualitative and quantitative divide: Narrative, ethics and representation in suicidology. Suicidol Online 2011:2:29–37.7. Lakeman R and FitzGerald M. How people live with or get over being suicidal: A review of qualitative studies. J Adv Nurs 2008:64(2):114–26.8. Ghio L, Zanelli E, Gotelli S, et al. Involving patients who attempt suicide in suicide prevention: A focus group study. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs 2011:18:510–18.9. Kraft TL, Jobes DA, Lineberry TW., Conrad, A., & Kung, S. Brief report: Why suicide? Perceptions of suicidal inpatients and reflections of clinical researchers. Arch Suicide Res 2010:14(4):375-382.10. Sun F, Long A, Tsao L, et al. The healing process following a suicide attempt: Context and intervening conditions. Arch Psychiatr Nurs 2014:28:66–61.11. Montross Thomas L, Palinkas L, et al. Yearning to be heard: What veterans teach us about suicide risk and effective interventions. Crisis 2014:35(3):161–67.12. Long M, Manktelow R, and Tracey A. The healing journey: Help seeking for self-injury among a community population. Qual Health Res 2015:25(7):932–44.13. Carlen P and Bengtsson A. Suicidal patients as experienced by psychiatric nurses in inpatient care. Int J Ment Health Nurs 2007:16:257–65.14. Samuelsson M, Wiklander M, Asberg M, et al. Psychiatric care as seen by the attempted suicide patient. J Adv Nurs 2000:32(3):635–43.15. Cutcliffe JR, Stevenson C, Jackson S, et al. A modified grounded theory study of how psychiatric nurses work with suicidal people. Int J Nurs Studies 2006:43(7):791–802.16. Lakeman, R. What can qualitative research tell us about helping a person who is suicidal? Nurs Times 2010:106(33):23–26.17. Karman P, Kool N, Poslawsky I, et al. Nurses’ attitudes toward self-harm: a literature review. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs 2015:22:65–75.18. Carter B. ‘One expertise among many’ – working appreciatively to make miracles instead of finding problems: Using appreciative inquiry as a way of reframing research. J Res Nurs 2006:11(1): 48–63.19. Lieblich A, Tuval-Mashiach R, Zilber T. Narrative research: Reading, analysis, and interpretation. Sage Publications; 1998.20. Braun V and Clarke V. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qual Res Psychol 2006:3(2):77–101.21. Kishi Y, Otsuka K, Akiyama K, et al. Effects of a training workshop on suicide prevention among emergency room nurses. 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Education in Oceania continues to reflect the embedded implicit and explicit colonial practices and processes from the past. This paper conceptualises a cultural approach to education and leadership appropriate and relevant to the Republic of the Marshall Islands. As elementary school leaders, we highlight Kanne Lobal, a traditional Marshallese navigation practice based on indigenous language, values and practices. We conceptualise and develop Kanne Lobal in this paper as a framework for understanding the usefulness of our indigenous knowledge in leadership and educational practices within formal education. Through bwebwenato, a method of talk story, our key learnings and reflexivities were captured. We argue that realising the value of Marshallese indigenous knowledge and practices for school leaders requires purposeful training of the ways in which our knowledge can be made useful in our professional educational responsibilities. Drawing from our Marshallese knowledge is an intentional effort to inspire, empower and express what education and leadership partnership means for Marshallese people, as articulated by Marshallese themselves. Introduction As noted in the call for papers within the Waikato Journal of Education (WJE) for this special issue, bodies of knowledge and histories in Oceania have long sustained generations across geographic boundaries to ensure cultural survival. For Marshallese people, we cannot really know ourselves “until we know how we came to be where we are today” (Walsh, Heine, Bigler & Stege, 2012). Jitdam Kapeel is a popular Marshallese concept and ideal associated with inquiring into relationships within the family and community. In a similar way, the practice of relating is about connecting the present and future to the past. Education and leadership partnerships are linked and we look back to the past, our history, to make sense and feel inspired to transform practices that will benefit our people. In this paper and in light of our next generation, we reconnect with our navigation stories to inspire and empower education and leadership. Kanne lobal is part of our navigation stories, a conceptual framework centred on cultural practices, values, and concepts that embrace collective partnerships. Our link to this talanoa vā with others in the special issue is to attempt to make sense of connections given the global COVID-19 context by providing a Marshallese approach to address the physical and relational “distance” between education and leadership partnerships in Oceania. Like the majority of developing small island nations in Oceania, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) has had its share of educational challenges through colonial legacies of the past which continues to drive education systems in the region (Heine, 2002). The historical administration and education in the RMI is one of colonisation. Successive administrations by the Spanish, German, Japanese, and now the US, has resulted in education and learning that privileges western knowledge and forms of learning. This paper foregrounds understandings of education and learning as told by the voices of elementary school leaders from the RMI. The move to re-think education and leadership from Marshallese perspectives is an act of shifting the focus of bwebwenato or conversations that centres on Marshallese language and worldviews. The concept of jelalokjen was conceptualised as traditional education framed mainly within the community context. In the past, jelalokjen was practiced and transmitted to the younger generation for cultural continuity. During the arrival of colonial administrations into the RMI, jelalokjen was likened to the western notions of education and schooling (Kupferman, 2004). Today, the primary function of jelalokjen, as traditional and formal education, it is for “survival in a hostile [and challenging] environment” (Kupferman, 2004, p. 43). Because western approaches to learning in the RMI have not always resulted in positive outcomes for those engaged within the education system, as school leaders who value our cultural knowledge and practices, and aspire to maintain our language with the next generation, we turn to Kanne Lobal, a practice embedded in our navigation stories, collective aspirations, and leadership. The significance in the development of Kanne Lobal, as an appropriate framework for education and leadership, resulted in us coming together and working together. Not only were we able to share our leadership concerns, however, the engagement strengthened our connections with each other as school leaders, our communities, and the Public Schooling System (PSS). Prior to that, many of us were in competition for resources. Educational Leadership: IQBE and GCSL Leadership is a valued practice in the RMI. Before the IQBE programme started in 2018, the majority of the school leaders on the main island of Majuro had not engaged in collaborative partnerships with each other before. Our main educational purpose was to achieve accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), an accreditation commission for schools in the United States. The WASC accreditation dictated our work and relationships and many school leaders on Majuro felt the pressure of competition against each other. We, the authors in this paper, share our collective bwebwenato, highlighting our school leadership experiences and how we gained strength from our own ancestral knowledge to empower “us”, to collaborate with each other, our teachers, communities, as well as with PSS; a collaborative partnership we had not realised in the past. The paucity of literature that captures Kajin Majol (Marshallese language) and education in general in the RMI is what we intend to fill by sharing our reflections and experiences. To move our educational practices forward we highlight Kanne Lobal, a cultural approach that focuses on our strengths, collective social responsibilities and wellbeing. For a long time, there was no formal training in place for elementary school leaders. School principals and vice principals were appointed primarily on their academic merit through having an undergraduate qualification. As part of the first cohort of fifteen school leaders, we engaged in the professional training programme, the Graduate Certificate in School Leadership (GCSL), refitted to our context after its initial development in the Solomon Islands. GCSL was coordinated by the Institute of Education (IOE) at the University of the South Pacific (USP). GCSL was seen as a relevant and appropriate training programme for school leaders in the RMI as part of an Asia Development Bank (ADB) funded programme which aimed at “Improving Quality Basic Education” (IQBE) in parts of the northern Pacific. GCSL was managed on Majuro, RMI’s main island, by the director at the time Dr Irene Taafaki, coordinator Yolanda McKay, and administrators at the University of the South Pacific’s (USP) RMI campus. Through the provision of GCSL, as school leaders we were encouraged to re-think and draw-from our own cultural repository and connect to our ancestral knowledge that have always provided strength for us. This kind of thinking and practice was encouraged by our educational leaders (Heine, 2002). We argue that a culturally-affirming and culturally-contextual framework that reflects the lived experiences of Marshallese people is much needed and enables the disruption of inherent colonial processes left behind by Western and Eastern administrations which have influenced our education system in the RMI (Heine, 2002). Kanne Lobal, an approach utilising a traditional navigation has warranted its need to provide solutions for today’s educational challenges for us in the RMI. Education in the Pacific Education in the Pacific cannot be understood without contextualising it in its history and culture. It is the same for us in the RMI (Heine, 2002; Walsh et al., 2012). The RMI is located in the Pacific Ocean and is part of Micronesia. It was named after a British captain, John Marshall in the 1700s. The atolls in the RMI were explored by the Spanish in the 16th century. Germany unsuccessfully attempted to colonize the islands in 1885. Japan took control in 1914, but after several battles during World War II, the US seized the RMI from them. In 1947, the United Nations made the island group, along with the Mariana and Caroline archipelagos, a U.S. trust territory (Walsh et al, 2012). Education in the RMI reflects the colonial administrations of Germany, Japan, and now the US. Before the turn of the century, formal education in the Pacific reflected western values, practices, and standards. Prior to that, education was informal and not binded to formal learning institutions (Thaman, 1997) and oral traditions was used as the medium for transmitting learning about customs and practices living with parents, grandparents, great grandparents. As alluded to by Jiba B. Kabua (2004), any “discussion about education is necessarily a discussion of culture, and any policy on education is also a policy of culture” (p. 181). It is impossible to promote one without the other, and it is not logical to understand one without the other. Re-thinking how education should look like, the pedagogical strategies that are relevant in our classrooms, the ways to engage with our parents and communities - such re-thinking sits within our cultural approaches and frameworks. Our collective attempts to provide a cultural framework that is relevant and appropriate for education in our context, sits within the political endeavour to decolonize. This means that what we are providing will not only be useful, but it can be used as a tool to question and identify whether things in place restrict and prevent our culture or whether they promote and foreground cultural ideas and concepts, a significant discussion of culture linked to education (Kabua, 2004). Donor funded development aid programmes were provided to support the challenges within education systems. Concerned with the persistent low educational outcomes of Pacific students, despite the prevalence of aid programmes in the region, in 2000 Pacific educators and leaders with support from New Zealand Aid (NZ Aid) decided to intervene (Heine, 2002; Taufe’ulungaki, 2014). In April 2001, a group of Pacific educators and leaders across the region were invited to a colloquium funded by the New Zealand Overseas Development Agency held in Suva Fiji at the University of the South Pacific. The main purpose of the colloquium was to enable “Pacific educators to re-think the values, assumptions and beliefs underlying [formal] schooling in Oceania” (Benson, 2002). Leadership, in general, is a valued practice in the RMI (Heine, 2002). Despite education leadership being identified as a significant factor in school improvement (Sanga & Chu, 2009), the limited formal training opportunities of school principals in the region was a persistent concern. As part of an Asia Development Bank (ADB) funded project, the Improve Quality Basic Education (IQBE) intervention was developed and implemented in the RMI in 2017. Mentoring is a process associated with the continuity and sustainability of leadership knowledge and practices (Sanga & Chu, 2009). It is a key aspect of building capacity and capabilities within human resources in education (ibid). Indigenous knowledges and education research According to Hilda Heine, the relationship between education and leadership is about understanding Marshallese history and culture (cited in Walsh et al., 2012). It is about sharing indigenous knowledge and histories that “details for future generations a story of survival and resilience and the pride we possess as a people” (Heine, cited in Walsh et al., 2012, p. v). This paper is fuelled by postcolonial aspirations yet is grounded in Pacific indigenous research. This means that our intentions are driven by postcolonial pursuits and discourses linked to challenging the colonial systems and schooling in the Pacific region that privileges western knowledge and learning and marginalises the education practices and processes of local people (Thiong’o, 1986). A point of difference and orientation from postcolonialism is a desire to foreground indigenous Pacific language, specifically Majin Majol, through Marshallese concepts. Our collective bwebwenato and conversation honours and values kautiej (respect), jouj eo mour eo (reciprocity), and jouj (kindness) (Taafaki & Fowler, 2019). Pacific leaders developed the Rethinking Pacific Education Initiative for and by Pacific People (RPEIPP) in 2002 to take control of the ways in which education research was conducted by donor funded organisations (Taufe’ulungaki, 2014). Our former president, Dr Hilda Heine was part of the group of leaders who sought to counter the ways in which our educational and leadership stories were controlled and told by non-Marshallese (Heine, 2002). As a former minister of education in the RMI, Hilda Heine continues to inspire and encourage the next generation of educators, school leaders, and researchers to re-think and de-construct the way learning and education is conceptualised for Marshallese people. The conceptualisation of Kanne Lobal acknowledges its origin, grounded in Marshallese navigation knowledge and practice. Our decision to unpack and deconstruct Kanne Lobal within the context of formal education and leadership responds to the need to not only draw from indigenous Marshallese ideas and practice but to consider that the next generation will continue to be educated using western processes and initiatives particularly from the US where we get a lot of our funding from. According to indigenous researchers Dawn Bessarab and Bridget Ng’andu (2010), doing research that considers “culturally appropriate processes to engage with indigenous groups and individuals is particularly pertinent in today’s research environment” (p. 37). Pacific indigenous educators and researchers have turned to their own ancestral knowledge and practices for inspiration and empowerment. Within western research contexts, the often stringent ideals and processes are not always encouraging of indigenous methods and practices. However, many were able to ground and articulate their use of indigenous methods as being relevant and appropriate to capturing the realities of their communities (Nabobo-Baba, 2008; Sualii-Sauni & Fulu-Aiolupotea, 2014; Thaman, 1997). At the same time, utilising Pacific indigenous methods and approaches enabled research engagement with their communities that honoured and respected them and their communities. For example, Tongan, Samoan, and Fijian researchers used the talanoa method as a way to capture the stories, lived realities, and worldviews of their communities within education in the diaspora (Fa’avae, Jones, & Manu’atu, 2016; Nabobo-Baba, 2008; Sualii-Sauni & Aiolupotea, 2014; Vaioleti, 2005). Tok stori was used by Solomon Islander educators and school leaders to highlight the unique circles of conversational practice and storytelling that leads to more positive engagement with their community members, capturing rich and meaningful narratives as a result (Sanga & Houma, 2004). The Indigenous Aborigine in Australia utilise yarning as a “relaxed discussion through which both the researcher and participant journey together visiting places and topics of interest relevant” (Bessarab & Ng’andu, 2010, p. 38). Despite the diverse forms of discussions and storytelling by indigenous peoples, of significance are the cultural protocols, ethics, and language for conducting and guiding the engagement (Bessarab & Ng’andu, 2010; Nabobo-Baba, 2008; Sualii-Sauni & Aiolupotea, 2014). Through the ethics, values, protocols, and language, these are what makes indigenous methods or frameworks unique compared to western methods like in-depth interviews or semi-structured interviews. This is why it is important for us as Marshallese educators to frame, ground, and articulate how our own methods and frameworks of learning could be realised in western education (Heine, 2002; Jetnil-Kijiner, 2014). In this paper, we utilise bwebwenato as an appropriate method linked to “talk story”, capturing our collective stories and experiences during GCSL and how we sought to build partnerships and collaboration with each other, our communities, and the PSS. Bwebwenato and drawing from Kajin Majel Legends and stories that reflect Marshallese society and its cultural values have survived through our oral traditions. The practice of weaving also holds knowledge about our “valuable and earliest sources of knowledge” (Taafaki & Fowler, 2019, p. 2). The skilful navigation of Marshallese wayfarers on the walap (large canoes) in the ocean is testament of their leadership and the value they place on ensuring the survival and continuity of Marshallese people (Taafaki & Fowler, 2019; Walsh et al., 2012). During her graduate study in 2014, Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner conceptualised bwebwenato as being the most “well-known form of Marshallese orality” (p. 38). The Marshallese-English dictionary defined bwebwenato as talk, conversation, story, history, article, episode, lore, myth, or tale (cited in Jetnil Kijiner, 2014). Three years later in 2017, bwebwenato was utilised in a doctoral project by Natalie Nimmer as a research method to gather “talk stories” about the experiences of 10 Marshallese experts in knowledge and skills ranging from sewing to linguistics, canoe-making and business. Our collective bwebwenato in this paper centres on Marshallese ideas and language. The philosophy of Marshallese knowledge is rooted in our “Kajin Majel”, or Marshallese language and is shared and transmitted through our oral traditions. For instance, through our historical stories and myths. Marshallese philosophy, that is, the knowledge systems inherent in our beliefs, values, customs, and practices are shared. They are inherently relational, meaning that knowledge systems and philosophies within our world are connected, in mind, body, and spirit (Jetnil-Kijiner, 2014; Nimmer, 2017). Although some Marshallese believe that our knowledge is disappearing as more and more elders pass away, it is therefore important work together, and learn from each other about the knowledges shared not only by the living but through their lamentations and stories of those who are no longer with us (Jetnil-Kijiner, 2014). As a Marshallese practice, weaving has been passed-down from generation to generation. Although the art of weaving is no longer as common as it used to be, the artefacts such as the “jaki-ed” (clothing mats) continue to embody significant Marshallese values and traditions. For our weavers, the jouj (check spelling) is the centre of the mat and it is where the weaving starts. When the jouj is correct and weaved well, the remainder and every other part of the mat will be right. The jouj is symbolic of the “heart” and if the heart is prepared well, trained well, then life or all other parts of the body will be well (Taafaki & Fowler, 2019). In that light, we have applied the same to this paper. Conceptualising and drawing from cultural practices that are close and dear to our hearts embodies a significant ontological attempt to prioritize our own knowledge and language, a sense of endearment to who we are and what we believe education to be like for us and the next generation. The application of the phrase “Majolizing '' was used by the Ministry of Education when Hilda Heine was minister, to weave cultural ideas and language into the way that teachers understand the curriculum, develop lesson plans and execute them in the classroom. Despite this, there were still concerns with the embedded colonized practices where teachers defaulted to eurocentric methods of doing things, like the strategies provided in the textbooks given to us. In some ways, our education was slow to adjust to the “Majolizing '' intention by our former minister. In this paper, we provide Kanne Lobal as a way to contribute to the “Majolizing intention” and perhaps speed up yet still be collectively responsible to all involved in education. Kajin Wa and Kanne Lobal “Wa” is the Marshallese concept for canoe. Kajin wa, as in canoe language, has a lot of symbolic meaning linked to deeply-held Marshallese values and practices. The canoe was the foundational practice that supported the livelihood of harsh atoll island living which reflects the Marshallese social world. The experts of Kajin wa often refer to “wa” as being the vessel of life, a means and source of sustaining life (Kelen, 2009, cited in Miller, 2010). “Jouj” means kindness and is the lower part of the main hull of the canoe. It is often referred to by some canoe builders in the RMI as the heart of the canoe and is linked to love. The jouj is one of the first parts of the canoe that is built and is “used to do all other measurements, and then the rest of the canoe is built on top of it” (Miller, 2010, p. 67). The significance of the jouj is that when the canoe is in the water, the jouj is the part of the hull that is underwater and ensures that all the cargo and passengers are safe. For Marshallese, jouj or kindness is what living is about and is associated with selflessly carrying the responsibility of keeping the family and community safe. The parts of the canoe reflect Marshallese culture, legend, family, lineage, and kinship. They embody social responsibilities that guide, direct, and sustain Marshallese families’ wellbeing, from atoll to atoll. For example, the rojak (boom), rojak maan (upper boom), rojak kōrā (lower boom), and they support the edges of the ujelā/ujele (sail) (see figure 1). The literal meaning of rojak maan is male boom and rojak kōrā means female boom which together strengthens the sail and ensures the canoe propels forward in a strong yet safe way. Figuratively, the rojak maan and rojak kōrā symbolise the mother and father relationship which when strong, through the jouj (kindness and love), it can strengthen families and sustain them into the future. Figure 1. Parts of the canoe Source: https://www.canoesmarshallislands.com/2014/09/names-of-canoe-parts/ From a socio-cultural, communal, and leadership view, the canoe (wa) provides understanding of the relationships required to inspire and sustain Marshallese peoples’ education and learning. We draw from Kajin wa because they provide cultural ideas and practices that enable understanding of education and leadership necessary for sustaining Marshallese people and realities in Oceania. When building a canoe, the women are tasked with the weaving of the ujelā/ujele (sail) and to ensure that it is strong enough to withstand long journeys and the fierce winds and waters of the ocean. The Kanne Lobal relates to the front part of the ujelā/ujele (sail) where the rojak maan and rojak kōrā meet and connect (see the red lines in figure 1). Kanne Lobal is linked to the strategic use of the ujelā/ujele by navigators, when there is no wind north wind to propel them forward, to find ways to capture the winds so that their journey can continue. As a proverbial saying, Kanne Lobal is used to ignite thinking and inspire and transform practice particularly when the journey is rough and tough. In this paper we draw from Kanne Lobal to ignite, inspire, and transform our educational and leadership practices, a move to explore what has always been meaningful to Marshallese people when we are faced with challenges. The Kanne Lobal utilises our language, and cultural practices and values by sourcing from the concepts of jouj (kindness, love), kautiej (respect), and jouj eo mour eo (reciprocity). A key Marshallese proverb, “Enra bwe jen lale rara”, is the cultural practice where families enact compassion through the sharing of food in all occurrences. The term “enra” is a small basket weaved from the coconut leaves, and often used by Marshallese as a plate to share and distribute food amongst each other. Bwe-jen-lale-rara is about noticing and providing for the needs of others, and “enra” the basket will help support and provide for all that are in need. “Enra-bwe-jen-lale-rara” is symbolic of cultural exchange and reciprocity and the cultural values associated with building and maintaining relationships, and constantly honouring each other. As a Marshallese practice, in this article we share our understanding and knowledge about the challenges as well as possible solutions for education concerns in our nation. In addition, we highlight another proverb, “wa kuk wa jimor”, which relates to having one canoe, and despite its capacity to feed and provide for the individual, but within the canoe all people can benefit from what it can provide. In the same way, we provide in this paper a cultural framework that will enable all educators to benefit from. It is a framework that is far-reaching and relevant to the lived realities of Marshallese people today. Kumit relates to people united to build strength, all co-operating and working together, living in peace, harmony, and good health. Kanne Lobal: conceptual framework for education and leadership An education framework is a conceptual structure that can be used to capture ideas and thinking related to aspects of learning. Kanne Lobal is conceptualised and framed in this paper as an educational framework. Kanne Lobal highlights the significance of education as a collective partnership whereby leadership is an important aspect. Kanne Lobal draws-from indigenous Marshallese concepts like kautiej (respect), jouj eo mour eo (reciprocity), and jouj (kindness, heart). The role of a leader, including an education leader, is to prioritise collective learning and partnerships that benefits Marshallese people and the continuity and survival of the next generation (Heine, 2002; Thaman, 1995). As described by Ejnar Aerōk, an expert canoe builder in the RMI, he stated: “jerbal ippān doon bwe en maron maan wa e” (cited in Miller, 2010, p. 69). His description emphasises the significance of partnerships and working together when navigating and journeying together in order to move the canoe forward. The kubaak, the outrigger of the wa (canoe) is about “partnerships”. For us as elementary school leaders on Majuro, kubaak encourages us to value collaborative partnerships with each other as well as our communities, PSS, and other stakeholders. Partnerships is an important part of the Kanne Lobal education and leadership framework. It requires ongoing bwebwenato – the inspiring as well as confronting and challenging conversations that should be mediated and negotiated if we and our education stakeholders are to journey together to ensure that the educational services we provide benefits our next generation of young people in the RMI. Navigating ahead the partnerships, mediation, and negotiation are the core values of jouj (kindness, love), kautiej (respect), and jouj eo mour eo (reciprocity). As an organic conceptual framework grounded in indigenous values, inspired through our lived experiences, Kanne Lobal provides ideas and concepts for re-thinking education and leadership practices that are conducive to learning and teaching in the schooling context in the RMI. By no means does it provide the solution to the education ills in our nation. However, we argue that Kanne Lobal is a more relevant approach which is much needed for the negatively stigmatised system as a consequence of the various colonial administrations that have and continue to shape and reframe our ideas about what education should be like for us in the RMI. Moreover, Kannel Lobal is our attempt to decolonize the framing of education and leadership, moving our bwebwenato to re-framing conversations of teaching and learning so that our cultural knowledge and values are foregrounded, appreciated, and realised within our education system. Bwebwenato: sharing our stories In this section, we use bwebwenato as a method of gathering and capturing our stories as data. Below we capture our stories and ongoing conversations about the richness in Marshallese cultural knowledge in the outer islands and on Majuro and the potentialities in Kanne Lobal. Danny Jim When I was in third grade (9-10 years of age), during my grandfather’s speech in Arno, an atoll near Majuro, during a time when a wa (canoe) was being blessed and ready to put the canoe into the ocean. My grandfather told me the canoe was a blessing for the family. “Without a canoe, a family cannot provide for them”, he said. The canoe allows for travelling between places to gather food and other sources to provide for the family. My grandfather’s stories about people’s roles within the canoe reminded me that everyone within the family has a responsibility to each other. Our women, mothers and daughters too have a significant responsibility in the journey, in fact, they hold us, care for us, and given strength to their husbands, brothers, and sons. The wise man or elder sits in the middle of the canoe, directing the young man who help to steer. The young man, he does all the work, directed by the older man. They take advice and seek the wisdom of the elder. In front of the canoe, a young boy is placed there and because of his strong and youthful vision, he is able to help the elder as well as the young man on the canoe. The story can be linked to the roles that school leaders, teachers, and students have in schooling. Without each person knowing intricately their role and responsibility, the sight and vision ahead for the collective aspirations of the school and the community is difficult to comprehend. For me, the canoe is symbolic of our educational journey within our education system. As the school leader, a central, trusted, and respected figure in the school, they provide support for teachers who are at the helm, pedagogically striving to provide for their students. For without strong direction from the school leaders and teachers at the helm, the students, like the young boy, cannot foresee their futures, or envisage how education can benefit them. This is why Kanne Lobal is a significant framework for us in the Marshall Islands because within the practice we are able to take heed and empower each other so that all benefit from the process. Kanne Lobal is linked to our culture, an essential part of who we are. We must rely on our own local approaches, rather than relying on others that are not relevant to what we know and how we live in today’s society. One of the things I can tell is that in Majuro, compared to the outer islands, it’s different. In the outer islands, parents bring children together and tell them legends and stories. The elders tell them about the legends and stories – the bwebwenato. Children from outer islands know a lot more about Marshallese legends compared to children from the Majuro atoll. They usually stay close to their parents, observe how to prepare food and all types of Marshallese skills. Loretta Joseph Case There is little Western influence in the outer islands. They grow up learning their own culture with their parents, not having tv. They are closely knit, making their own food, learning to weave. They use fire for cooking food. They are more connected because there are few of them, doing their own culture. For example, if they’re building a house, the ladies will come together and make food to take to the males that are building the house, encouraging them to keep on working - “jemjem maal” (sharpening tools i.e. axe, like encouraging workers to empower them). It’s when they bring food and entertainment. Rubon Rubon Togetherness, work together, sharing of food, these are important practices as a school leader. Jemjem maal – the whole village works together, men working and the women encourage them with food and entertainment. All the young children are involved in all of the cultural practices, cultural transmission is consistently part of their everyday life. These are stronger in the outer islands. Kanne Lobal has the potential to provide solutions using our own knowledge and practices. Connie Joel When new teachers become a teacher, they learn more about their culture in teaching. Teaching raises the question, who are we? A popular saying amongst our people, “Aelon kein ad ej aelon in manit”, means that “Our islands are cultural islands”. Therefore, when we are teaching, and managing the school, we must do this culturally. When we live and breathe, we must do this culturally. There is more socialising with family and extended family. Respect the elderly. When they’re doing things the ladies all get together, in groups and do it. Cut the breadfruit, and preserve the breadfruit and pandanus. They come together and do it. Same as fishing, building houses, building canoes. They use and speak the language often spoken by the older people. There are words that people in the outer islands use and understand language regularly applied by the elderly. Respect elderly and leaders more i.e., chiefs (iroj), commoners (alap), and the workers on the land (ri-jerbal) (social layer under the commoners). All the kids, they gather with their families, and go and visit the chiefs and alap, and take gifts from their land, first produce/food from the plantation (eojōk). Tommy Almet The people are more connected to the culture in the outer islands because they help one another. They don’t have to always buy things by themselves, everyone contributes to the occasion. For instance, for birthdays, boys go fishing, others contribute and all share with everyone. Kanne Lobal is a practice that can bring people together – leaders, teachers, stakeholders. We want our colleagues to keep strong and work together to fix problems like students and teachers’ absenteeism which is a big problem for us in schools. Demetria Malachi The culture in the outer islands are more accessible and exposed to children. In Majuro, there is a mixedness of cultures and knowledges, influenced by Western thinking and practices. Kanne Lobal is an idea that can enhance quality educational purposes for the RMI. We, the school leaders who did GCSL, we want to merge and use this idea because it will help benefit students’ learning and teachers’ teaching. Kanne Lobal will help students to learn and teachers to teach though traditional skills and knowledge. We want to revitalize our ways of life through teaching because it is slowly fading away. Also, we want to have our own Marshallese learning process because it is in our own language making it easier to use and understand. Essentially, we want to proudly use our own ways of teaching from our ancestors showing the appreciation and blessings given to us. Way Forward To think of ways forward is about reflecting on the past and current learnings. Instead of a traditional discussion within a research publication, we have opted to continue our bwebwenato by sharing what we have learnt through the Graduate Certificate in School Leadership (GCSL) programme. Our bwebwenato does not end in this article and this opportunity to collaborate and partner together in this piece of writing has been a meaningful experience to conceptualise and unpack the Kanne Lobal framework. Our collaborative bwebwenato has enabled us to dig deep into our own wise knowledges for guidance through mediating and negotiating the challenges in education and leadership (Sanga & Houma, 2004). For example, bwe-jen-lale-rara reminds us to inquire, pay attention, and focus on supporting the needs of others. Through enra-bwe-jen-lale-rara, it reminds us to value cultural exchange and reciprocity which will strengthen the development and maintaining of relationships based on ways we continue to honour each other (Nimmer, 2017). We not only continue to support each other, but also help mentor the next generation of school leaders within our education system (Heine, 2002). Education and leadership are all about collaborative partnerships (Sanga & Chu, 2009; Thaman, 1997). Developing partnerships through the GCSL was useful learning for us. It encouraged us to work together, share knowledge, respect each other, and be kind. The values of jouj (kindness, love), kautiej (respect), and jouj eo mour eo (reciprocity) are meaningful in being and becoming and educational leader in the RMI (Jetnil-Kijiner, 2014; Miller, 2010; Nimmer, 2017). These values are meaningful for us practice particularly given the drive by PSS for schools to become accredited. The workshops and meetings delivered during the GCSL in the RMI from 2018 to 2019 about Kanne Lobal has given us strength to share our stories and experiences from the meeting with the stakeholders. But before we met with the stakeholders, we were encouraged to share and speak in our language within our courses: EDP05 (Professional Development and Learning), EDP06 (School Leadership), EDP07 (School Management), EDP08 (Teaching and Learning), and EDP09 (Community Partnerships). In groups, we shared our presentations with our peers, the 15 school leaders in the GCSL programme. We also invited USP RMI staff. They liked the way we presented Kannel Lobal. They provided us with feedback, for example: how the use of the sail on the canoe, the parts and their functions can be conceptualised in education and how they are related to the way that we teach our own young people. Engaging stakeholders in the conceptualisation and design stages of Kanne Lobal strengthened our understanding of leadership and collaborative partnerships. Based on various meetings with the RMI Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL) team, PSS general assembly, teachers from the outer islands, and the PSS executive committee, we were able to share and receive feedback on the Kanne Lobal framework. The coordinators of the PREL programme in the RMI were excited by the possibilities around using Kanne Lobal, as a way to teach culture in an inspirational way to Marshallese students. Our Marshallese knowledge, particularly through the proverbial meaning of Kanne Lobal provided so much inspiration and insight for the groups during the presentation which gave us hope and confidence to develop the framework. Kanne Lobal is an organic and indigenous approach, grounded in Marshallese ways of doing things (Heine, 2002; Taafaki & Fowler, 2019). Given the persistent presence of colonial processes within the education system and the constant reference to practices and initiatives from the US, Kanne Lobal for us provides a refreshing yet fulfilling experience and makes us feel warm inside because it is something that belongs to all Marshallese people. Conclusion Marshallese indigenous knowledge and practices provide meaningful educational and leadership understanding and learnings. They ignite, inspire, and transform thinking and practice. The Kanne Lobal conceptual framework emphasises key concepts and values necessary for collaborative partnerships within education and leadership practices in the RMI. The bwebwenato or talk stories have been insightful and have highlighted the strengths and benefits that our Marshallese ideas and practices possess when looking for appropriate and relevant ways to understand education and leadership. Acknowledgements We want to acknowledge our GCSL cohort of school leaders who have supported us in the development of Kanne Lobal as a conceptual framework. A huge kommol tata to our friends: Joana, Rosana, Loretta, Jellan, Alvin, Ellice, Rolando, Stephen, and Alan. References Benson, C. (2002). Preface. In F. Pene, A. M. Taufe’ulungaki, & C. Benson (Eds.), Tree of Opportunity: re-thinking Pacific Education (p. iv). Suva, Fiji: University of the South Pacific, Institute of Education. Bessarab, D., Ng’andu, B. (2010). Yarning about yarning as a legitimate method in indigenous research. International Journal of Critical Indigenous Studies, 3(1), 37-50. Fa’avae, D., Jones, A., & Manu’atu, L. (2016). Talanoa’i ‘a e talanoa - talking about talanoa: Some dilemmas of a novice researcher. AlterNative: An Indigenous Journal of Indigenous Peoples,12(2),138-150. Heine, H. C. (2002). A Marshall Islands perspective. In F. Pene, A. M. Taufe’ulungaki, & C. 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Shashi Deshpande, the recipient of 1990 SahityaAkademi Award, penned her first short story collection The Legacy and Other Stories in the year 1978. She started writing short stories at a mature age of thirty to record her trip to England with her husband. Since then, she has published five collections of short stories. The fifth collection The Intrusion and Other Stories got published in 1993 when she was already an established Indian writer writing in English. The anthology narrates nineteen stories of women protagonists. All the protagonists of these stories have one or the other wish to fulfil, during the course of the action; they struggle hard to fulfil their dreams and aspirations. The author captures the touching knots of these women, either young or old, struggling against disappointment, failed love, and the death of their near ones. At times funny, at times disturbing, these stories

Kamala Das Suraiya (1934-2009), who also wrote under the pen name of Madhavikutty, was a bilingual writer from the South Indian state of Kerala and one of the most popular and most controversial poets of Indian English. As a major Indian poet of contemporary times, Das has attracted international attention by her bold and previously unarticulated expressions of womanhood. The recognition of Das as an Indian poet in English came with the PEN Asian Poetry Prize in 1963. Since then her poems have been published in many anthologies including the World Anthology of Living Poets (1973). Her initial poetry collections in English are: Summer in Calcutta (1965), The Descendants (1967), The Old Playhouse and Other Poems (1973) and Tonight, this Savage Rite (Kamala Das and Pritish Nandy, 1979). Many other collections were published subsequently, incorporating both new poems and poems from the above collections.Some of them are: Collected Poems (1984), The Best of Kamala Das (1991), Only the Soul Knows How to Sing (1996), Encountering Kamala (2007) and a posthumous collection, Wages of Love ed. Suresh Kohli in 2013. Collected Poems won the Sahitya Akademi (New Delhi) award in 1984. Other works in English include her novel, Alphabet of Lust (1976), her autobiography, My Story, and short stories A Doll for the Child Prostitute (1977) and Padmavati the Harlot and Other Stories (1992).The initial part of this literary dialogue on Kamala Das between Usha Kishore and Dr B. Hariharan took place at the Institute of English, Thiruvananthapuram, where Usha was on a study trip from Edinburgh Napier University. The following is an email dialogue, incorporating the initial face to face discourse.

Abstract Background As the immigration population continues to grow; little is known about this phenomenon from the immigrants’ perspective. In recent years, nurses have embraced narrative inquiry to better understand the human experience. When relaying their stories, vulnerable groups legitimize their behavior, share their emotional experiences, and amplify their voices that may have otherwise remained silent. Objective Eight elderly Portuguese women who immigrated to the United States (US) were interviewed about their experience of immigration by nursing students from Portugal and U.S., as part of a student exchange. The objective of this project was to better understand the impact of immigration through narrative inquiry. Results On average, the women lived in the US for approximately fifty years; immigrating in their early twenties. Most women arrived alone or accompanied by spouse and/or children. Their first memories were related to snow, and solitude of being in a new country. The participants attended classes to obtain documents or learn English. All worked in the textile industry; their greatest accomplishment was buying their own house. Challenges faced were related to language and difficult jobs. Overall, they had no regrets except in leaving family members behind. Their message to the students was that love and family are most important in the world. Students were able to realize emigration and immigration from their respective countries. Conclusions Rich descriptions provided an in-depth understanding of the details of the women’s experience. Student nurses gained valuable skills and knowledge to understand the impact of immigration among Portuguese women using narrative inquiry. Key messages The use of narrative inquiry proved to be a valuable method to interview Portuguese immigrant women. Every immigrant has a unique narrative to share that allowed for nursing student’s appreciation of the experience across generations.

In the article �The Lemon Table� by Julian Barnes is analyzed from the point of view of �the mighthave-beens� plot functioning in this storybook. This plot is an essential part of the fundamental for this book plot of aging and associated with its physical and mental processes that heroes of these short stories are experienced. The analysis of the majority of the short stories makes it possible to talk about �the might-have-beens� as metaplot that ties separate short stories of this storybook with each other and forms the unity of the storybook as an artistic whole. A metaplot in prosaic text is understood as that invariant plot that permeates the texts of one or another writer, which is realized in these texts in various versions of event scenarios and expressed in a figurative-motive complex, at the ideological-thematic and narrative levels, at the level of stylistics and artistic tropes of writer�s works. �The might-have-beens� metaplot repeats and manifests itself in the short stories in its different event variations and with especial completeness and emphasis in such short stories as �Story of Mats Israelson�, �Hygiene�, �The Revival�, �Bark�, �The Fruit Cage�, �The Silence�. Thus each short story enters into dialogical relationships with other stories, due to the formed internal intertextuality of this storybook and made metatext of J. Barnes� fictional prose, as a consequence of the invariant plot of �the might-havebeens� as the source code of the generation of meaning in the artistic consciousness of the English writer evinced in many of his other works. So the main aim of this article is to discover and analyse the plot of �the might-have-beens� that becomes metaplot and metamotif of �The Lemon Table� by J. Barnes. The elements of motif, comparativetypological, receptive-interpretive, and intertextual methods of analysis have been used in this work, which helped to achieve our aim. In �Story of Mats Israelson� the invariant of �the might-have-beens� plot is presented in its fullest expression, and this plot in different variations will be repeated in other stories of the storybook. It will become its key motif, which will be related with other central motifs of other short stories of this storybook (the motif of loneliness, love, vanity of life, old age, death and immortality). �The might-have-beens� metaplot will determine the development of event situations of the short stories with a predictable culmination of misunderstanding and dissatisfaction and with the denouement of feelings or actions that have not found their embodiment, which reveals itself in a separation, alienation or death of the heroes. �The might-have-beens� metaplot will show the peculiarities of the heroes� characters and their reactions to life situations, which will be the result of their individual life fears and complexes, aggravated by the limit situation of imminent death. �The might-have-beens� metaplot is supported by specific chronotope, which becomes space and time of the unrealized and non-embodied. This plot and motif are evinced in the short stories of �The Lemon Book� with the help of artistic metonymy and a discourse of silence, that fully expresses the impossibility of embodying the heroes� feelings and their deepest desires. But in any event variations, �the might-have-beens� metaplot keeps structural and semantic core that is the life path of the short stories� heroes determined by non- embodiment of their innermost desires, intentions and expectations. However, the precise impracticability of dreams, the unfulfillment of aspirations cause the piercingly sad and universal meaning of life of the heroes of �The Lemon Table� by J. Barnes.

Spring is upon us, and the new season has ushered in a splendid assortment of books to captivate children of all ages. In this issue, we are delighted to provide our first video-recorded author interview, which can be accessed by clicking on the hyperlink in the review of Thomas Wharton’s The Fathomless Fire. Wharton is a highly accomplished author and assistant professor of English at the University of Alberta who is currently working on a fantasy trilogy for young readers. We are thrilled that he granted us an interview in December 2012 to discuss his latest book and love of storytelling. We plan to offer additional video content in future issues whenever opportunities arise for our reviewers and editors to speak with storytellers, illustrators or publishers. If you believe, like I do, that young readers reap significant benefits by having access to a wide variety of books, then you’ll certainly be pleased to see the range of titles in this issue. If you’re looking for stories from the steampunk genre, do have a look at the highly recommended stories in Steampunk! (Our reviewer awarded it four stars!). If a dystopian novel is more to your taste, you may find enjoyment in reading Carrie Ryan’s The Dark and Hollow Places if you don’t mind that a legion of terrorizing zombies features prominently in the plot. Granted, reading about the living dead is not for everyone, so you might also consider Maile Meloy’s The Apothecary, a prize-winning work of historical fiction, or Kelly Armstrong’s The Calling, the second installment of her Darkness Rising trilogy. Of course, there are numerous picture books in this issue that deserve your consideration, such as Dream Away and The Great Sheep Shenanigans; both were awarded the highest rating by our reviewers. There are many more excellent books that explore a range of themes like health and nutrition, team sports, fun facts, and historical events, but for more topics you’ll have to check out the issue yourself. Enjoy! Best wishes, Robert DesmaraisManaging Editor

Bouchard, David. The Song Within My Heart. Markham: Red Deer Press, 2015. Print.Similar to Nokum is My Teacher, David Bouchard and Allen Sapp team up to tell the story of a young boy and his Nokum, his grandmother. Drawing upon his memories, illustrator Allen Sapp paints rich, expressive images of his own Nokum while Bouchard, in the form of a poem, tells the story of a young boy’s first experience of a Pow-wow. Bouchard and Sapp warmly guide the reader to more deeply understand the sacredness of story and song. They highlight the importance of learning to listen with one’s whole being and not just with one’s ears; to crave more than a direct understanding of the words of a story or a song, but to feel its broader presence as a teaching, as a living part of the teller, and as part of an ongoing journey of learning and self-discovery. Through the wisdom of his Nokum both the narrator and we, as readers, come to know that “[a] story is a sacred thing,” and that stories – especially those we carry in our hearts and “call our own” – are more valuable than “toys or clothes,” than “jewels or cars.” Given the sacredness of stories, we are cautioned to “never use another’s tale, [u]nless he knows and he approves.” The book, along with the drum beats and voices present on the accompanying CD, invites us to think differently about what it means to learn and what it means to respect our own voices and internal knowing. As if to remind us that gentleness is always required in processes of learning, the book ends with a reminder not to worry if we cannot yet understand its message and encourages its readers to continue to listen in these more complex ways, to keep listening for a story they might come to hear, that no one else hears - a story of their very own. The book is written for elementary children and yet appeals to all ages. For those wanting to create spaces for the stories of Indigenous children and families, books such as The Song Within My Heart are essential. Not only does it give equal space upon the page for both English and Cree text but with the CD, also inclusive of both English and Cree Language versions and the music of Northern Cree, it also honours oral storytelling traditions.Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewers: Trudy Cardinal & Sulya FenichelDr. Trudy Cardinal is a Cree/Métis scholar from the University of Alberta whose research interests center on the experiences of Indigenous children and families on and off school landscapes. Her passion for stories and storytelling includes a love of children’s literature especially literature written by and portraying the multiplicities in the lives of Indigenous youth and families.Sulya Fenichel is a doctoral student at the University of Alberta. Mindful of important, and increasing, mandates to include Indigenous approaches to living and learning into contemporary curricula she is fascinated by the ‘how’ of interconnection and communication between people(s) and disciplines. In her research, she hopes to explore the ways in which key, and sometimes ideologically entrenched, ‘stakeholder’ groups might improve communication and collaboration in processes of education and sees storytelling, in all its forms, as central to this process.

Kilabuk, Elisha. The Qalupalik. Iqaluit: Inhabit Media Inc., 2011. Print. This volume is the first in the Unikkaakuluit Series from Inhabit Media. It is currently available in English and South Baffin Inuktitut editions, with other Inuktitut dialects in the works. Contemporary Inuit storyteller, Elisha Kilabuk, leads off this series with a story that he learned from his mother, who learned it from her father. It is not unusual to find a myth appearing in different cultures or subcultures in different forms. This cautionary story is about the qalupalik has many variants. The qalupalik is a scary monster that lives under the sea ice, and captures small children who wander too close to the water. The monster is outwitted by a small orphan child, who convinces the creature that his toes, which are poking out of his shoes, will eat her. Inhabit Media has recently published similar stories in Stories of the Amautalik: Fantastic Beings from Inuit Myths and Legends. In that version, the creature comes from underground, but is still outwitted by a child who tells the creature that his toes eat Amautaliks. The Qalupalik is a single story in a picture book. There are a few sentences on each text page and a full colour image on the facing page. Joy Ang’s artwork is evocative and effective. Her qalupalik is green and slimy with a huge nose, white eyes, webbed feet and long claws. It is scary enough to keep any child from roaming too close to the water’s edge. The images of this disgusting creature will also cause this book to be in high demand among those 6 to 8 year olds who love “gross” pictures. In contrast to the qalupalik, Ang’s images of the children are more cartoon-like and light-hearted. They are a nice balance to the scary monster. While the text will be too difficult for early readers, the images tell the story and the book will work well as a “read aloud”. Overall The Qalupalik is an excellent presentation of the myth and is recommended for public and elementary school libraries. Highly Recommended: 4 stars out of 4 Reviewer: Sandy CampbellSandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines. Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give.

March 2020 marks the coming of bad news to this country. COVID-19 pandemic began to strike and its domino impacts have affected almost all aspects of life, including academic and scientific writing on journal. In the midst of the spirit of working and researching from home, the International Review of Humanities Studies Journal is back to publish for July 2020 edition. The issues discussed are increasingly diverse, marked by the diverse expertises of the respective authors. Domestic contributions can be seen from the articles of the researchers from Universitas Indonesia, particularly from the Faculty of Humanities and the School of Strategic and Global Studies which are interconnected with the scholars from the Indonesian Police College and Al Azhar University.Since this journal is intended to be available internationally, it is also necessary to pay attention to the contributions of foreign authors. Researchers from the University of Uyo, the University of Ilorin, the University of Benin, the University of Lagos, and Delta State University provide interesting views on the issues of humanities in Nigeria. Five articles from various universities in Nigeria are interconnected with independent researchers from the People's Republic of China, who without links to universities or colleges have sent their own independent research articles.This edition begins with Darmoko's writing that discusses the moral complexities of Javanese in the Asmara Djibrat Ludira novel. Darmoko's research emphasises the spiritual role of knight figures who defended their territory and romance. The second article is from Letmiros who also discusses Java. Letmiros saw a mosque in Jogjakarta, namely the Jogokariyan Mosque, as an agent of change as well as a legend. Letmiros argued that by having activities – whether it is spiritual, economic, cultural, or politics – that are conducted in the mosque, mosque can be ordained as an agent of change and branded as legendary, especially in the city of Jogjakarta.The third article is a research carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fera Belinda saw how a new normality, in a tourist village in the Badung-Bali area, is interconnected with local wisdom and health protocols. Fera Belinda's study shows that health science on pandemic like COVID-19 can be analysed together using the humanities approach. Then in the fourth article, we are invited to take a walk to explore Nigerian drama. Inegbe and Rebecca see that a theatre, titled Cemetary Road, has a significant impact on Nigerian society; to the extent that it can be considered a radical impact. Inegbe and Rebecca's research provides new treasure of knowledge, especially for readers in the regions outside Nigeria.In the fifth article, we are invited to see how online studies, especially the use of video technology, are utilised by teachers. Silalahi and Halimi see how the use of two methods, namely the use of video teaching and the use of textual textbook teaching, are compared between the experimental class and the control class. In conclusion, they find that video-based teaching provides better results in the learning process. The next article, by Soekarba and Rosyidah, invites us to see the contribution of the Hadrami group to a community in the Tegal area, Central Java.The impact of the Hadrami (Al Irsyad) group movement was mostly felt in the social and educational fields in the area.The seventh article invites us to get to know Nigeria. Okpevra's research discusses pre-colonial aspects in the Delta State, Nigeria. This research concludes that intergroup relations in the region are influenced by factors of origin, equality of geographical conditions, and similarity of cultural practices. The eighth article invites us to get acquainted with humanities research that is associated with psychological studies of the police. Mayastinasari and Suseno discussed how strengthening the current role of the police influences the public satisfaction, especially in North Sumatra where this research took place.The ninth article is an issue that has been discussed lately. Nwosu discusses the issue of homosexuality in the Catholic group in Nigeria which is interconnected with its society. Although the discussed issues are quite sensitive, the scientific explanation could vividly answers the questions regarding these issues. Next, the tenth article from Akpan and Edem discusses how a film, in this case Frozen, is examined from the perspective of digital technology and digital costumes which is a new contribution in analysing a child-friendly content. The eleventh article of Ademakinwa and Smith discusses a film adapted from a well-known Nigerian novelist in the United States, Chimamanda Adichie. Ademakinwa and Smith's findings state that collective memory, reconstructed through film, can have a more significant impact than that of novels. It can even create a crisis within society if not properly controlled.The twelfth article from Filia and Nurfitri invites us to explore the expression of confessions of love in Japanese. Data on love expressions from these researchers were collected via video interviews. It is interesting to find that the expression of love turns out to depend on the cultural context associated with togetherness and sustainability. The next article, the thirteenth, is a contribution of an independent Chinese researcher named Zhang Guanan. He analysed Chinese folklore, Pi Ying, with wayang kulit – leather puppet – stories. It is interesting to follow how Guanan managed to find the uniqueness of both in his research.The fourteenth article by Sugiharto and Puspitasari discusses the online stalking activities of urban millennial. It is their second research which found that cyber stalking is a natural thing for millennial generation living in urban areas, including following colleagues, friends, spouses, even ex-spouses and friends who have not been associated for a long time. The fifteenth paper from Guanah Akbanu and Obi discusses the practice of online journalism in Nigeria, using artificial intelligence. The case study they chose was how journalists in Edo, Nigeria, perceived the use of AI in their journalistic methods. It was found that the use of AI turned out to be more positive for journalism in the area.The sixteenth article by Sonya Suganda discusses how a commemorative object, stolperschwelle, is useful as an object for narrative of the death. The object that was initially used to commemorate Nazi victims has developed to be the object to commemorate those who are marginalized, including homosexuals, gypsies, and those who are exiled because of political differences. The next contribution, the seventeenth, comes from Zaqiatul, Al Azhar University who discusses how the functioning of suffixes and verbs is interconnected in the realm of Arabic conjugation. The eighteenth article by Hutapea discusses a quite sensitive issue, namely the conflict between the native people of Jogja and the Papuans living in Jogjakarta. This conflict was examined from the perspective of the police, especially how they controlled it. The nineteenth article from Arif Budiman discusses the strategy used by the French interpreter in the film Marlina Murder in Four Acts. The last article by Basuni discusses the problem of the Arabic-Indonesian translation, in the context of the increasingly contextual scripture.Hopefully, this current edition along with the entire articles can enlighten the readers and contribute significantly to the knowledge of humanities studies.

Swerts, An, and Jenny Bakker. Get Well Soon, Grandpa! New York: Clavis, 2013. Print. Get Well Soon, Grandpa! is written by An Swerts and beautifully illustrated by Jenny Bakker. This 2013 English edition is translated from the original Dutch title, Lieve opa, ik help je wel (2012). It tells the heart-warming story of a caring strawberry-haired girl, Faye, her doting Grandpa Bert, and their experiences of dealing with Grandpa Bert’s unexpected health issue, a stroke.The story starts with Faye’s exciting sleepover with Grandpa Bert. Their close relationship and fun together are evident in their messy pancake-cooking, habitual bedtime stories, and Faye’s special role in Grandpa Bert’s morning shaving rituals. The story is well paced and satisfyingly realistic and whimsical. Young readers would gain insight that a stroke can happen suddenly, and a child, like Faye, can react calmly and appropriately. The medical aspect of stroke is skillfully and aptly explained through colourful lovely images and Faye’s simple questions and dialogue with a gentle physician. The story shows that when an aging relative sustains a stroke, it can be a confusing, stressful, and worrisome time for both young children and adults, as experienced by Faye and Faye’s mother. For passionate and eager Faye, being unfamiliar with the hospital environment and rules, she devises a special and bold plan to make sure Grandpa Bert’s hospital stay is not lonely over the summer, and that he gets to see his dog, Toby.Another noteworthy element of the story is that it superbly highlights the multidisciplinary and rehabilitative nature of stroke therapy with visits from Tom, the physical therapist, and Lena, the speech therapist. Their interactions with Grandpa Bert and Faye are friendly and beneficial. Finally, the move-in of Grandpa Bert to Faye’s home and her ability to help with Grandpa Bert’s exercises and activities of daily living indicate the importance of family’s love, adjustment and involvement in the healing process.With an age-appropriate portrayal of stroke and its manifestation, and the admirable bond between a grandparent and grandchild, this is an excellent book for public libraries and elementary school libraries.Highly recommended: 4 stars out of 4Reviewer: Liza ChanLiza Chan is a Research Librarian, cross-appointed at Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions and University of Alberta John W. Scott Health Sciences Libraries. She is also a proud auntie to 2 nephews, with whom she often enjoys visiting local libraries.