This is a list of resources for learning about sites of memory in Victoria BC.
Websites
Stories of the Holocaust: Local memory and transmission. This website is the result of a class at the University of Victoria thought by Dr. Helga Thorson. The online exhibition tells about the Holocaust from the perspective of (first, second and third generation) survivors and family members living in Victoria BC. Students have collected their stories as well as documents and pictures.
The Jewish Cemetery of Victoria: This website represents the history and present of the Jewish cemetery in Victoria, BC , owned by the Congregation Emanu-El. It describes the monuments to be found at the cemetery, as well as gravesites and the Zachor wall.
Landscapes of Injustice: The website is the outcome of a research project at the University of Victoria led by Dr. Jordan Stanger-Ross. It provides information about the mass displacement and dispossession of Japanese Canadians in the 1940s. The website includes exhibitions, testimonies and teaching resources as well as a research database.
Early Modern Times on James Cook: A blogpost by Simon Now, including some links, about the role of James Cook in colonial violence.
Definitions
Lieux de memoire: Lieux de memoire is a concept by Pierre Nora (born 1931). It defines a place, space or symbol that is a site of memory for a specific social group. It is a place where the collective memory of a social group manifests and is therefore meaningful for the identity of the social group.
Collective memory: Collective memory is a concept coined by Maurice Halbwachs (1877-1945). It is defined as the memory of a social group, as for example a nation, a village, a family or a sports association. The collective memory of a social group builds a bridge between past and present. It is the basis for developing group-specific behaviour, ethics and norms and manifests in traditions and rituals.
Communicative and cultural memory: Collective memory was further defined by Jan Assmann (born 1938). He distinguishes between communicative and cultural memory. Communicative memory is based on oral forms of passing on experiences and traditions. It is bound to people who can share their experiences and stories, and their children and grandchildren. The memory usually fades 3 generations after the event. Cultural memory is a way of creating long-lasting memories, for example in art, literature, music or architecture that are cared for by many generations after.