1 25 96 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/01d05b371e3902f103adf39215fcab0b.png f42d077a0276005b29e85432c9791842 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/b4472b3d6014c036d936d58b89d0aa5a.png 553aba1dc25f0a701603dc5b22da64dc Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource uOttawa Time Capsule 2025 Subject The topic of the resource According to Google AI, "A digital time capsule is a curated collection of digital assets, like photos, videos, and documents, intended to capture a specific moment, person, or theme and be preserved and shared in the future." In our case, this time capsule reflects important objects, places, and ephemera that illustrate campus life in fall 2025. All were chosen by the students who were participant-observers of their own cultures. The students not only chose and photographed the objects, but they also wrote the stories or narratives associated with them. Description An account of the resource The culture of the University of Ottawa can be understood through the everyday objects that define student life. It begins with the uOttawa student card, the first sign of belonging. Paired with a Gee-Gees lanyard or a bilingual business card, it reflects the university’s bilingual identity and its position as a meeting point between English and French. This duality shapes how students learn, communicate, and represent themselves both on and off campus. Student culture at uOttawa is also reflected in what people wear. Levi’s jeans, University of Ottawa hoodies, sherpa jacket, and Telfer sweatshirts show how clothing blends comfort, pride, and practicality. The 101er Frosh T-shirt and Shine Day shirt add another layer of meaning, symbolizing both community and philanthropy. Frosh week introduces students to campus life, while Shine Day connects them to broader causes like Cystic Fibrosis Canada. Together, they show that school spirit at uOttawa extends beyond academics. The academic side of university life is seen in objects like the Apple products, headphones, notepaper, laptop stickers, syllabus, water bottles, and criminology string bags that fill classrooms and study spaces. These represent both creativity and routine. The Tim Hortons coffee cup might seem simple, but it captures a familiar ritual across campus. Coffee runs are part of the rhythm of student life, a shared pause in busy days. School pride and social life also find expression in items like Panda Game tickets and the Pedro Panda Trophy. These objects represent one of uOttawa’s biggest traditions, a yearly football rivalry with Carleton University that brings students together in celebration. Moments like this create a strong sense of community, even among a large and diverse student body. The Orange Shirt acknowledges the atrocities and suffering experienced by those who attended residential schools in Canada as part of the national Truth and Reconciliation mandate to honor Indigenous peoples. Finally, artifacts such as the U Cup mug, beer glasses from Father and Son's, a Prusa 3D printer, and even O-Frango’s—a popular student food stop, represent the blend of innovation and everyday culture. They show how uOttawa combines research, creativity, and social connection in a way that feels uniquely its own. Taken together, these objects tell a story about identity and community. The culture of uOttawa is defined by hard work, inclusivity, and pride, but also by small moments of connection. From the student card to the Panda Game, each item reflects how students experience and shape university life every day. Physical Object An inanimate, three-dimensional object or substance. Note that digital representations of, or surrogates for, these objects should use Moving Image, Still Image, Text or one of the other types. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "Every Child Matters" Orange T-Shirt Subject The topic of the resource Orange Tee-Shirt representing the history of Residential Schools, and brings awareness to Truth and Reconciliation Day. Description An account of the resource These Orange “Every Child Matters” T-shirts are made specifically for raising awareness of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Day. These T-shirts are representative of the “Every Child Matters” movement with the purpose of spreading awareness and showing support. The University of Ottawa “Every Child Matters” T-shirt is both symbolically supportive to the Indigenous Community as well as financially, with proceeds donated to various charities supporting Truth and Reconciliation. The University of Ottawa students and staff are taught the history of Canadian Indigenous Peoples through guest lectures, and courses throughout the school year, all with the goal of awareness and support. In addition to this education, each course syllabus includes a mandatory land acknowledgement, with many professors adding additional education for their students. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource DGN Marketing SVCS LTD, Art by: Madison Pascal Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Found Online at <a href="https://www.bkstr.com/ottawastore/product/ots-every-chld-mtt-orang-sm---837173-1">University of Ottawa Campus Store</a> In-Person- Boutique Campus Store, University of Ottawa, Jock-Turcot University Centre, 85 University UCU, Level 0, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Curated by- A. Brown Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available University Of Ottawa Boutique Campus Store Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Truth And Reconciliation (September 30th), 2025 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource DGN Marketing SVCS LTD, University of Ottawa Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource 100% Cotton, Screen Print Design, Ranges in Sizes from Small- 2XL Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Apparel, Physical Item Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 120396 GLD2000/ORNG3FR/949 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Sold as Campus Merchandise however online access allows for broader shopping audiences Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Latin American & Caribbean Organizations Subject The topic of the resource collection of organizations designed to support and uplift Latin and Caribbean people in Canada. Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">As the capital of Canada, Ottawa is a city rich in diverse cultures and communities from around the world. Relocating to Canda from the southern hemisphere is a significant shift and challenge. For these immigrants, they face obstacles, including finding people who are culturally similar. Thankfully, there are many aid organizations which connect people with help. In this section of AnthroHarvest, we showcase a few of these groups. They do not just celebrate immigrant cultures, they give them the chance to meet others and learn how to adjust to Canadian life. There are language classes, cultural events, and get-togethers. Each group is different. Some groups focus on keeping languages and traditions alive. Other groups help artists show their work. They provide spaces for people to meet and talk. All of these groups together illustrate the strength of Latin American and Caribbean communities here. In the collections below, you will find more information about them: the Jamaican Ottawa Community Association, the Barbados Ottawa Association, Canada Habla Español, the Humanitarian Organization of Latin American Students, the Latin Hub and the Latin American Soldiers Committee in Canada. Specifically, we hope to emphasize different events, fundraisers, and resources they have, how to contact them and/or join their association, their social media pages, and a short description of the organization itself.</div> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Cover Photo: Day of the Dead altar commemorating Québec artist Jean Paul Riopelle at Maison du Citoyen Photo taken by Noémie Burrs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Taylor Paterson, Soorya Hedayat Omar, Racheal Agofure, Zainab Oyejobi, Amy May Lajeunesse and Roodmya Douge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <a href="https://holascentral.wixsite.com/holas/general-meetings">Holas: The Humanitarian Organization of Latin American students</a> Description An account of the resource The Humanitarian Organization of American Students (Holas) is a non-profit organization based in Ottawa, specifically at Carleton University, which allows them to have a greater reach and collaborate with different organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean. Their mission is to provide humanitarian aid in Latin America through food, shelter, clothing, and education. They want to eradicate food insecurity in Latin America while also raising awareness of these issues. They aim to reduce poverty and inequality. The club was motivated and driven by a commitment to social responsibility, helping communities back home. A non-profit founded in 2007 by students in Ottawa. They have helped with humanitarian development in Latin America and in the Caribbean. They have raised 50,000 in development projects. There are about 200 members in HOLA who are actively participating and volunteering.  On their website, there are many pictures of Latin American and Caribbean dance and celebrations featuring traditional costumes. They are partnered with an NGO that allows others to donate to them. They have fundraisers in which they teach free salsa classes with cultural dance groups and folklore. They also host Spanish and Portuguese lessons free of charge for students to learn, practice, and improve their skills. To maintain the group, they meet once a week to discuss upcoming events, allowing students to network. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Roodmya Douge and Amy May Lajeunesse Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://www.facebook.com/holas.carleton/">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/h.o.l.a.s/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanitarian-organization-of-latin-american-students/?viewAsMember=true">LinkedIn</a> | Email: holacentral@gmail.com Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Latin American & Caribbean Organizations Subject The topic of the resource collection of organizations designed to support and uplift Latin and Caribbean people in Canada. Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">As the capital of Canada, Ottawa is a city rich in diverse cultures and communities from around the world. Relocating to Canda from the southern hemisphere is a significant shift and challenge. For these immigrants, they face obstacles, including finding people who are culturally similar. Thankfully, there are many aid organizations which connect people with help. In this section of AnthroHarvest, we showcase a few of these groups. They do not just celebrate immigrant cultures, they give them the chance to meet others and learn how to adjust to Canadian life. There are language classes, cultural events, and get-togethers. Each group is different. Some groups focus on keeping languages and traditions alive. Other groups help artists show their work. They provide spaces for people to meet and talk. All of these groups together illustrate the strength of Latin American and Caribbean communities here. In the collections below, you will find more information about them: the Jamaican Ottawa Community Association, the Barbados Ottawa Association, Canada Habla Español, the Humanitarian Organization of Latin American Students, the Latin Hub and the Latin American Soldiers Committee in Canada. Specifically, we hope to emphasize different events, fundraisers, and resources they have, how to contact them and/or join their association, their social media pages, and a short description of the organization itself.</div> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Cover Photo: Day of the Dead altar commemorating Québec artist Jean Paul Riopelle at Maison du Citoyen Photo taken by Noémie Burrs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Taylor Paterson, Soorya Hedayat Omar, Racheal Agofure, Zainab Oyejobi, Amy May Lajeunesse and Roodmya Douge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <a href="https://jocainc.com/">Jamaican Ottawa Community Association</a> Description An account of the resource The mission of the Jamaican Ottawa Community Association is to support and empower Jamaican Ottawa-Gatineau residents by creating a community in which all can participate and be involved. They provide services to their members, such as support for elders, resources/information for newcomers, and cultural and educational programs.  The Jamaican Ottawa Community Association was founded in the early 1960s by Carleton University students, and was later federally incorporated in the late 1970s. Also known as the J(O)CA, they are a non-profit organization that aims to support and engage residents in community issues and projects, while also being a pillar of the Jamaican community through its various activities, ranging from celebrations to awareness-raising. This association is currently under the presidency of Claudine Mitchell, who originates from St. Thomas, Jamaica.  The J(O)CA is known for hosting a “JAMDAY” yearly, to celebrate the independence of Jamaica, typically in the first or second week of August. There, you will find good food, music, and a community coming together to celebrate their roots and freedom.  You can sign up to be a member directly on their website, and follow events from their Facebook and Instagram pages. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Roodmya Douge and Amy May Lajeunesse Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jamcottawa">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jamcottawa/">Instagram</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Latin American & Caribbean Organizations Subject The topic of the resource collection of organizations designed to support and uplift Latin and Caribbean people in Canada. Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">As the capital of Canada, Ottawa is a city rich in diverse cultures and communities from around the world. Relocating to Canda from the southern hemisphere is a significant shift and challenge. For these immigrants, they face obstacles, including finding people who are culturally similar. Thankfully, there are many aid organizations which connect people with help. In this section of AnthroHarvest, we showcase a few of these groups. They do not just celebrate immigrant cultures, they give them the chance to meet others and learn how to adjust to Canadian life. There are language classes, cultural events, and get-togethers. Each group is different. Some groups focus on keeping languages and traditions alive. Other groups help artists show their work. They provide spaces for people to meet and talk. All of these groups together illustrate the strength of Latin American and Caribbean communities here. In the collections below, you will find more information about them: the Jamaican Ottawa Community Association, the Barbados Ottawa Association, Canada Habla Español, the Humanitarian Organization of Latin American Students, the Latin Hub and the Latin American Soldiers Committee in Canada. Specifically, we hope to emphasize different events, fundraisers, and resources they have, how to contact them and/or join their association, their social media pages, and a short description of the organization itself.</div> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Cover Photo: Day of the Dead altar commemorating Québec artist Jean Paul Riopelle at Maison du Citoyen Photo taken by Noémie Burrs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Taylor Paterson, Soorya Hedayat Omar, Racheal Agofure, Zainab Oyejobi, Amy May Lajeunesse and Roodmya Douge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <a href="https://latinhubcanada.com/">Latin Hub Canada</a> Description An account of the resource Latin Hub Canada is a non-profit organization that operates in Ottawa. Their mission is to foster the growth of local artists by being the leading platform for international Hispanic and Latin artists, while providing a safe space for them to connect with Canadian audiences. Latin Hub Canada is a local club where Latin artists are able to perform and connect with a Canadian audience on stage, in a way that creates cultural exchange. They are located in Gatineau at 94, rue du Patrimoine. They were founded by a Cuban-born pianist named Miguel de Armas, and, as of 2023, they are a non-profit organization based in Ottawa, Ontario. They organize activities and soirées showcasing Latin and Hispanic artists in Canada, while helping them gain visibility and opportunities. They host multiple events such as the Ottawa Latin Jazz Conference, which explores the dynamics of jazz music and includes art exhibits, workshops, and discussions. The Latin Jazz Conference has diverse music and promotes unity. They also host the Fiesta Cubana Fest, which explores Cuban culture, dance, and literary work, with top salsa bands, authentic Cuban cuisine, and cocktails, offering a multitude of flavours. They have 4,307 attendees, 42 activities, 27 bands, and 184 artists. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Roodmya Douge and Amy May Lajeunesse Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LatinHubCanada">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thelatinhubcanada/">Instagram</a> | <a href="mailto:latinhubcanada23@gmail.com">Email</a>: latinhubcanada23@gmail.com Language A language of the resource English Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Latin American & Caribbean Organizations Subject The topic of the resource collection of organizations designed to support and uplift Latin and Caribbean people in Canada. Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">As the capital of Canada, Ottawa is a city rich in diverse cultures and communities from around the world. Relocating to Canda from the southern hemisphere is a significant shift and challenge. For these immigrants, they face obstacles, including finding people who are culturally similar. Thankfully, there are many aid organizations which connect people with help. In this section of AnthroHarvest, we showcase a few of these groups. They do not just celebrate immigrant cultures, they give them the chance to meet others and learn how to adjust to Canadian life. There are language classes, cultural events, and get-togethers. Each group is different. Some groups focus on keeping languages and traditions alive. Other groups help artists show their work. They provide spaces for people to meet and talk. All of these groups together illustrate the strength of Latin American and Caribbean communities here. In the collections below, you will find more information about them: the Jamaican Ottawa Community Association, the Barbados Ottawa Association, Canada Habla Español, the Humanitarian Organization of Latin American Students, the Latin Hub and the Latin American Soldiers Committee in Canada. Specifically, we hope to emphasize different events, fundraisers, and resources they have, how to contact them and/or join their association, their social media pages, and a short description of the organization itself.</div> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Cover Photo: Day of the Dead altar commemorating Québec artist Jean Paul Riopelle at Maison du Citoyen Photo taken by Noémie Burrs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Taylor Paterson, Soorya Hedayat Omar, Racheal Agofure, Zainab Oyejobi, Amy May Lajeunesse and Roodmya Douge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <a href="https://www.canadahablaespanol.org/copy-of-saskatchewan">Canadá Habla Español (Ottawa Chapter)</a> Description An account of the resource Canada Habla Español (CANHE) is a Canadian-based organization that operates in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario - Ottawa, that encourages the preservation and promotion of the Spanish language. Their mission, here, in Ottawa, is to help expand access to Spanish-language education, while also celebrating the identity and traditions of Spanish speakers of the region. They actively support the development of Spanish-speaking communities across Canada and the preservation of the Spanish language. It was founded by Ericka Aguilera, an active member and advocate of various Canadian-Hispanic communities, who was born in Mexico. With her are her co-founders, Luz Madroñera and Carolina Testa, from Colombia and Argentina respectfully.  CANHE regularly hosts celebratory and educational events across its seven different chapters, including their yearly Spanish Language Day celebration in April, where you will find a panoply of lectures, panels, and musical numbers to celebrate the Spanish language: all are welcome! They debuted this celebration in Ottawa last year at the Embassy of Spain in Canada, and it will henceforth be celebrated in Ottawa yearly.  They also host a “youngpreneur” program, which aims to provide students with alternative educational paths while helping them connect with the Spanish language and Hispanic heritage. These workshops, conferences, and events allow students to learn from different individuals in their community and develop key skills. Follow their events and updates on the CANHE website and on their social media pages! Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Roodmya Douge and Amy May Lajeunesse Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550345763417">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cahablaespanol/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/canadahablaespanol/posts/?feedView=all">LinkedIn</a> | Email: chapter.director@canadahablaespanol.org Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Latin American & Caribbean Organizations Subject The topic of the resource collection of organizations designed to support and uplift Latin and Caribbean people in Canada. Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">As the capital of Canada, Ottawa is a city rich in diverse cultures and communities from around the world. Relocating to Canda from the southern hemisphere is a significant shift and challenge. For these immigrants, they face obstacles, including finding people who are culturally similar. Thankfully, there are many aid organizations which connect people with help. In this section of AnthroHarvest, we showcase a few of these groups. They do not just celebrate immigrant cultures, they give them the chance to meet others and learn how to adjust to Canadian life. There are language classes, cultural events, and get-togethers. Each group is different. Some groups focus on keeping languages and traditions alive. Other groups help artists show their work. They provide spaces for people to meet and talk. All of these groups together illustrate the strength of Latin American and Caribbean communities here. In the collections below, you will find more information about them: the Jamaican Ottawa Community Association, the Barbados Ottawa Association, Canada Habla Español, the Humanitarian Organization of Latin American Students, the Latin Hub and the Latin American Soldiers Committee in Canada. Specifically, we hope to emphasize different events, fundraisers, and resources they have, how to contact them and/or join their association, their social media pages, and a short description of the organization itself.</div> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Cover Photo: Day of the Dead altar commemorating Québec artist Jean Paul Riopelle at Maison du Citoyen Photo taken by Noémie Burrs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Taylor Paterson, Soorya Hedayat Omar, Racheal Agofure, Zainab Oyejobi, Amy May Lajeunesse and Roodmya Douge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <a href="https://www.facebook.com/barbadosottawa/directory_category">Barbados (Ottawa) Association Inc.</a> Description An account of the resource The Barbados (Ottawa) Association (BOA) is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1966, making it the oldest Barbadian association in all of Canada! Their mission entails working closely with similar organizations to help their members find their place in Canada’s changing society, while having a space where they can maintain a close relationship with Barbados. This year, they will be celebrating their 60th anniversary. It was founded on the same day that the nation of Barbados obtained its independence from the United Kingdom by six Barbadians who wanted to create a space for Barbadian immigrants. This space would help Barbadian immigrants adapt to life in Canada while also sharing their heritage with the Ottawa community. The current president of the BOA is Jacquie Belgrave-Dixon. The BOA has since organized many cultural, educational, and recreational activities. They host yearly Independence Receptions and Galas in Ottawa, to celebrate the anniversaries of Barbados’ independence and of becoming a Parliamentary Republic. Additionally, they often encourage their members to volunteer in community events in Ottawa, as seen in events like the yearly Ottawa Race Weekend and Ottawa Black Film Festival. Volunteers represent Barbados and support fellow Caribbean and Black communities. They also regularly host recreational activities, such as bowling nights, trivia nights, and “Promoting Healthy Lifestyles” seminars throughout the year. To see their upcoming events and get updates on the organization, you can reach the Barbados Ottawa Association by email or follow them on their social media pages linked above Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Roodmya Douge and Amy May Lajeunesse Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://www.facebook.com/barbadosottawa/directory_category">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/barbadosottawa/">Instagram</a> | Email: barbadosottawa@gmail.com Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Latin American & Caribbean Organizations Subject The topic of the resource collection of organizations designed to support and uplift Latin and Caribbean people in Canada. Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">As the capital of Canada, Ottawa is a city rich in diverse cultures and communities from around the world. Relocating to Canda from the southern hemisphere is a significant shift and challenge. For these immigrants, they face obstacles, including finding people who are culturally similar. Thankfully, there are many aid organizations which connect people with help. In this section of AnthroHarvest, we showcase a few of these groups. They do not just celebrate immigrant cultures, they give them the chance to meet others and learn how to adjust to Canadian life. There are language classes, cultural events, and get-togethers. Each group is different. Some groups focus on keeping languages and traditions alive. Other groups help artists show their work. They provide spaces for people to meet and talk. All of these groups together illustrate the strength of Latin American and Caribbean communities here. In the collections below, you will find more information about them: the Jamaican Ottawa Community Association, the Barbados Ottawa Association, Canada Habla Español, the Humanitarian Organization of Latin American Students, the Latin Hub and the Latin American Soldiers Committee in Canada. Specifically, we hope to emphasize different events, fundraisers, and resources they have, how to contact them and/or join their association, their social media pages, and a short description of the organization itself.</div> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Cover Photo: Day of the Dead altar commemorating Québec artist Jean Paul Riopelle at Maison du Citoyen Photo taken by Noémie Burrs Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Taylor Paterson, Soorya Hedayat Omar, Racheal Agofure, Zainab Oyejobi, Amy May Lajeunesse and Roodmya Douge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/latinsoldierscanada/about/">Latin American Soldiers Committee in Canada</a> Description An account of the resource The Latin American Soldiers Committee (LASC) is a non-profit organization based in Ottawa. Their mission is to recover names and stories of Latin American soldiers who have served in the Canadian military. Founded in 2022, they have published remembrance books in honour of the veterans and their families. Their goal is to inspire future generations by telling each other stories. To educate young people and inspire individuals entering the army. They hold ceremonies and events for Latin American Heritage Month, recognizing all the soldiers and those who have made an impact on Canadian history, for example, Major General Michel St-Louis. All while celebrating Latin American culture and heritage.  They advocate not only for the Latin American veterans but also for the communities in which many of those Latin American soldiers were not recognized or documented throughout Canadian history. Collecting the records allowed the group to show its historical and cultural impact by preserving its work. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Roodmya Douge and Amy May Lajeunesse Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://www.facebook.com/latinsoldierscanada/">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/latinsoldierscanada/">Instagram</a> https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/1b5e4266f3c5460a6b036e4c06acfc09.jpg e599abb28c9ff6d88dd70664c109112f https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/a3d326525b06d38588aa2c3cf25907bf.jpg 0137f8dc631fcd44f9dd68ccebed8297 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource uOttawa Time Capsule 2025 Subject The topic of the resource According to Google AI, "A digital time capsule is a curated collection of digital assets, like photos, videos, and documents, intended to capture a specific moment, person, or theme and be preserved and shared in the future." In our case, this time capsule reflects important objects, places, and ephemera that illustrate campus life in fall 2025. All were chosen by the students who were participant-observers of their own cultures. The students not only chose and photographed the objects, but they also wrote the stories or narratives associated with them. Description An account of the resource The culture of the University of Ottawa can be understood through the everyday objects that define student life. It begins with the uOttawa student card, the first sign of belonging. Paired with a Gee-Gees lanyard or a bilingual business card, it reflects the university’s bilingual identity and its position as a meeting point between English and French. This duality shapes how students learn, communicate, and represent themselves both on and off campus. Student culture at uOttawa is also reflected in what people wear. Levi’s jeans, University of Ottawa hoodies, sherpa jacket, and Telfer sweatshirts show how clothing blends comfort, pride, and practicality. The 101er Frosh T-shirt and Shine Day shirt add another layer of meaning, symbolizing both community and philanthropy. Frosh week introduces students to campus life, while Shine Day connects them to broader causes like Cystic Fibrosis Canada. Together, they show that school spirit at uOttawa extends beyond academics. The academic side of university life is seen in objects like the Apple products, headphones, notepaper, laptop stickers, syllabus, water bottles, and criminology string bags that fill classrooms and study spaces. These represent both creativity and routine. The Tim Hortons coffee cup might seem simple, but it captures a familiar ritual across campus. Coffee runs are part of the rhythm of student life, a shared pause in busy days. School pride and social life also find expression in items like Panda Game tickets and the Pedro Panda Trophy. These objects represent one of uOttawa’s biggest traditions, a yearly football rivalry with Carleton University that brings students together in celebration. Moments like this create a strong sense of community, even among a large and diverse student body. The Orange Shirt acknowledges the atrocities and suffering experienced by those who attended residential schools in Canada as part of the national Truth and Reconciliation mandate to honor Indigenous peoples. Finally, artifacts such as the U Cup mug, beer glasses from Father and Son's, a Prusa 3D printer, and even O-Frango’s—a popular student food stop, represent the blend of innovation and everyday culture. They show how uOttawa combines research, creativity, and social connection in a way that feels uniquely its own. Taken together, these objects tell a story about identity and community. The culture of uOttawa is defined by hard work, inclusivity, and pride, but also by small moments of connection. From the student card to the Panda Game, each item reflects how students experience and shape university life every day. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 101er Frosh T-Shirt - AÉDSA Subject The topic of the resource University student orientation; Faculty of Social Sciences; School of International Development and Global Studies; University of Ottawa; 101 Week 2024; campus culture; student life Description An account of the resource A short-sleeved cotton T-shirt produced for the 2024 101 Week (frosh week) Kits at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Social Sciences. Purchased in order to attend all the 101 week events created to facilitate community and visibility among new students. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource University of Ottawa Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Purchased from the AÉDSA as part of a 101 Week Kit from: 120 University Drive (FSS 2039) Ottawa, K1N 6N5 Canada Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available University of Ottawa Students’ Union (UOSU) in collaboration with the Development Students Association (AÉDSA) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024-09-01 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource University of Ottawa Development Students Association Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Cotton t-shirt with a printed graphic design Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Physical object, event memorabilia, apparel Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Used from 2024-09-01 to 2024-09-07 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/84e0040ae8dc2e2851f7ef8079b812eb.jpg 78fb1eb76ba7d969c92fd14b8733a9f6 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/25da3e855075459ac3920a7cbea8732a.jpg facbd65f254853d70912ece9b9f79c63 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/fc9176b14e6b72c6ad89aa01378880e1.jpg aaf403470d793558dff20b0ae9934fe2 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/099b5f5433c7fcc991f7e810ac9c932c.jpg 1c21be14c9c49fbd00a6be1987b79216 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/76e6f457de70606c53920f62b14eff47.jpg 9547a750918878a9f0dda811bfd2e0f3 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/c1b3c501a6f3fff41fec82e9fb310556.jpg 85de79ca7017979ee4bd3ea33a199ad1 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/03c08874032410d7cee8caffaf6235fa.jpg 02f7a55c13b5c15ebf996a6cd43a8835 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/6bc292970ed82a1f85ff889fa3c9294d.jpg 1f7d3494d31dd0c52266cb36dd642873 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/69fc063c7a2de42d217b9e9060c93f0d.jpg c40decc568c2e7a14370417323b53c53 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/005227fdae8ae1ab75e0191cc131702e.jpg 7a46b00fcb5239c426b1b90a0939f2f9 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/83dcc7beadc4f148cb2628961219f70e.jpg be340c46daade02eb86106b67659e382 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/e75ff2079b84daa28f6a48413ae9afac.jpg f5b89a19a2034a3bdfb98859d035d286 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sandy Hill Food Asset Mapping 2026 Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">"Food systems considerations are an increasingly indispensable focus in urban planning. Resilient food systems, the systems and infrastructures needed for food production, processing, distribution, consumption and disposal, with the potential food supply chain disruption effects from climate change.” <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/17549175.2021.1918750">Shulman, Bulkan and Curtis 2022</a> The students in Food and Food Systems Anthropology 4135 mapped the neighborhood surrounding uOttawa, called Sandy Hill. This historical neighborhood used to be the home to Ottawa's wealthy back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, embassies, government workers and university students live here. The anthropology students were tasked with researching how people acquired food. Sandy Hill has a variety of eateries and convenience stores, but grocery stores are outside the central area. For lower-income residents, including students, accessing affordable fresh food is an issue. A number of charitable programs help fill that void, but not completely. Students also looked at the transportation infrastructure here, the number of rentals to owners, green areas where gardens could be planted, charitable organizations offering food assistance and the history of Sandy Hill in maps.</div> Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Winter Term 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Students in the Ant 4135 Food and Food Systems taught by Laurie Weinstein, Ph.D. Winter 2026. Students included: Din Betote Akwa, Jodie Choy, Kelsey Davey, Sarah Donaldson, Roodmya Douge, Devon Giguere, Ito Sakura, Fiona Labonte, Yungu Liu, Sabryn Mclennan, Gabbie Mills, Red Phangura, Carolyn Phidd, Lily Smith, Sarah Struthers Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Sandy Hill, Ottawa, ON Relation A related resource Our team discovered this earlier food asset-mapping that covered Sandy Hill as well by Karen White-Jones Student, Community Development and Engagement Team Sandy Hill Community Health Centre 221 Nelson St., Ottawa, ON November 2010 https://justfood.ca/community-food-assessment-toolkit/ Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 1901 Historical Fire Insurance Map Of Sandy Hill Subject The topic of the resource Sandy Hill in 1901 Description An account of the resource These images document Sandy Hill. It serves as a baseline to see how the neighborhood has changed. By clicking on an image and enlarging it, you can see where there were grocers (GRO), as well as other businesses from livery stables, coal sheds, freight yards to hotels.  https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/9f0276fd9c135eca3550753b9e763219.jpg 2c90c1ffa389ecb06c7bbf5155a9333d https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/68cd2581b8c6a08c22b929a004d3d20f.jpg 680b8d14d28f67c5f5b7ce0b7c1333c3 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/1f57e4e1ba3294d3d5854e423b20261a.jpg 24c648324d2401646ca38d8f440a5713 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/c5704e82b658deec59a656996e2854c7.jpg 952d3abd2e9ab826c7dd3204d55d2de0 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/54202a4148bb5571e98e8867450682d0.jpg 004c829d60aed1417a21f10a5fb71c22 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/54138d3353831bde3f2e785c6eb0b30e.jpg 19632fb826bdfdb9914f0ea76e65895a https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/7a43ac48d16c5bca0ae84a3555880ca1.jpg aeedb5c65583962ef86b0a2560528a07 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/0f13b7284eb170c83b3145d4b555cd07.jpg bc56d15b0cf1d23a28d07fd37fc6c9bc https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/bfc65bec32c882fb67351b05168d1205.jpg 4c72acea162afd6c66ec63777cf8233a https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/f803714a76c4bc176a3c3813290d9b50.jpg 96bbfdb7f0bb405634a977f2058842ed https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/763603fdaa891af69888cbbdd50027fe.jpg 7ff3f7a6d82f01a6867d98c1eff91d3a https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/920ec716310d3315cdd9703e72d2dcea.jpg ae48e14cbc2e166117d17ba167cdc623 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/34079b5a0455b1f24841327cba268029.jpg 30a942a10566730a43cb9ec03d77f98c https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/fd8e1a70c4953dfe1cf64b9310bb97cc.jpg b3f67e0f59fadc5086e98e9da4a3ed55 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/b9004685892576d8f6c6c3797484c5f8.jpg 51ccde40e746254f96aad5d2498486ed https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/1c66b611e14c8a2add2a8d84eba3c314.jpg 76c58d9445b7f246708504bc23efb237 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sandy Hill Food Asset Mapping 2026 Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">"Food systems considerations are an increasingly indispensable focus in urban planning. Resilient food systems, the systems and infrastructures needed for food production, processing, distribution, consumption and disposal, with the potential food supply chain disruption effects from climate change.” <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/17549175.2021.1918750">Shulman, Bulkan and Curtis 2022</a> The students in Food and Food Systems Anthropology 4135 mapped the neighborhood surrounding uOttawa, called Sandy Hill. This historical neighborhood used to be the home to Ottawa's wealthy back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, embassies, government workers and university students live here. The anthropology students were tasked with researching how people acquired food. Sandy Hill has a variety of eateries and convenience stores, but grocery stores are outside the central area. For lower-income residents, including students, accessing affordable fresh food is an issue. A number of charitable programs help fill that void, but not completely. Students also looked at the transportation infrastructure here, the number of rentals to owners, green areas where gardens could be planted, charitable organizations offering food assistance and the history of Sandy Hill in maps.</div> Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Winter Term 2026 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Students in the Ant 4135 Food and Food Systems taught by Laurie Weinstein, Ph.D. Winter 2026. Students included: Din Betote Akwa, Jodie Choy, Kelsey Davey, Sarah Donaldson, Roodmya Douge, Devon Giguere, Ito Sakura, Fiona Labonte, Yungu Liu, Sabryn Mclennan, Gabbie Mills, Red Phangura, Carolyn Phidd, Lily Smith, Sarah Struthers Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Sandy Hill, Ottawa, ON Relation A related resource Our team discovered this earlier food asset-mapping that covered Sandy Hill as well by Karen White-Jones Student, Community Development and Engagement Team Sandy Hill Community Health Centre 221 Nelson St., Ottawa, ON November 2010 https://justfood.ca/community-food-assessment-toolkit/ Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 1912 Historical Fire Insurance Maps of Sandy Hill Description An account of the resource These images document Sandy Hill. By comparing these to the previous map collections, you can see how the neighborhood has changed. By clicking on an image and enlarging it, you can see where there were grocers , bakers, Chinese laundry, churches and schools. https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/d48088832811958427fa43554fdb7e50.png d4f2d8a15b0109158d9edadd5fc560c0 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource uOttawa Time Capsule 2025 Subject The topic of the resource According to Google AI, "A digital time capsule is a curated collection of digital assets, like photos, videos, and documents, intended to capture a specific moment, person, or theme and be preserved and shared in the future." In our case, this time capsule reflects important objects, places, and ephemera that illustrate campus life in fall 2025. All were chosen by the students who were participant-observers of their own cultures. The students not only chose and photographed the objects, but they also wrote the stories or narratives associated with them. Description An account of the resource The culture of the University of Ottawa can be understood through the everyday objects that define student life. It begins with the uOttawa student card, the first sign of belonging. Paired with a Gee-Gees lanyard or a bilingual business card, it reflects the university’s bilingual identity and its position as a meeting point between English and French. This duality shapes how students learn, communicate, and represent themselves both on and off campus. Student culture at uOttawa is also reflected in what people wear. Levi’s jeans, University of Ottawa hoodies, sherpa jacket, and Telfer sweatshirts show how clothing blends comfort, pride, and practicality. The 101er Frosh T-shirt and Shine Day shirt add another layer of meaning, symbolizing both community and philanthropy. Frosh week introduces students to campus life, while Shine Day connects them to broader causes like Cystic Fibrosis Canada. Together, they show that school spirit at uOttawa extends beyond academics. The academic side of university life is seen in objects like the Apple products, headphones, notepaper, laptop stickers, syllabus, water bottles, and criminology string bags that fill classrooms and study spaces. These represent both creativity and routine. The Tim Hortons coffee cup might seem simple, but it captures a familiar ritual across campus. Coffee runs are part of the rhythm of student life, a shared pause in busy days. School pride and social life also find expression in items like Panda Game tickets and the Pedro Panda Trophy. These objects represent one of uOttawa’s biggest traditions, a yearly football rivalry with Carleton University that brings students together in celebration. Moments like this create a strong sense of community, even among a large and diverse student body. The Orange Shirt acknowledges the atrocities and suffering experienced by those who attended residential schools in Canada as part of the national Truth and Reconciliation mandate to honor Indigenous peoples. Finally, artifacts such as the U Cup mug, beer glasses from Father and Son's, a Prusa 3D printer, and even O-Frango’s—a popular student food stop, represent the blend of innovation and everyday culture. They show how uOttawa combines research, creativity, and social connection in a way that feels uniquely its own. Taken together, these objects tell a story about identity and community. The culture of uOttawa is defined by hard work, inclusivity, and pride, but also by small moments of connection. From the student card to the Panda Game, each item reflects how students experience and shape university life every day. Physical Object An inanimate, three-dimensional object or substance. Note that digital representations of, or surrogates for, these objects should use Moving Image, Still Image, Text or one of the other types. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data In person Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Apple AirPods Max Subject The topic of the resource Apple AirPods Max Over-Ear Wireless Headphones Description An account of the resource Apple AirPods Max headphones represents a widely adopted personal audio technology among university students. Known for their premium materials, active noise cancellation, and integration with the Apple device ecosystem, AirPods Max became a recognizable element of campus life Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Apple Inc. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Apple Inc. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2025 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource © Apple Inc. – All rights reserved Relation A related resource Physical object. Materials: Ear Cups: Anodized aluminum Frame: Stainless steel Headband: Breathable knit mesh fabric Ear Cushions: Memory foam with acoustic fabric covering Case (if present): Soft-touch synthetic material Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Physical Object (Contemporary Technology Artifact) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context IMG_AirPodsMax Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://www.apple.com/ca/store?afid=p240%7Cgo~cmp-21281762316~adg-165151408289~ad-779211525496_kwd-55876320~dev-c~ext-~prd-~mca-~nt-search&cid=aos-ca-kwgo-brand-brand-avail-102225-">Apple Store </a> https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/04c8fdf8da13962e82a6780175153759.jpeg 74a4d7a7ffd11d24027381fda3127a85 https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/a1cf57d0422bc87e502dfea60b1fdc4b.jpg 699f381fe1fba96f83eed8cca92bbc84 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource uOttawa Time Capsule 2025 Subject The topic of the resource According to Google AI, "A digital time capsule is a curated collection of digital assets, like photos, videos, and documents, intended to capture a specific moment, person, or theme and be preserved and shared in the future." In our case, this time capsule reflects important objects, places, and ephemera that illustrate campus life in fall 2025. All were chosen by the students who were participant-observers of their own cultures. The students not only chose and photographed the objects, but they also wrote the stories or narratives associated with them. Description An account of the resource The culture of the University of Ottawa can be understood through the everyday objects that define student life. It begins with the uOttawa student card, the first sign of belonging. Paired with a Gee-Gees lanyard or a bilingual business card, it reflects the university’s bilingual identity and its position as a meeting point between English and French. This duality shapes how students learn, communicate, and represent themselves both on and off campus. Student culture at uOttawa is also reflected in what people wear. Levi’s jeans, University of Ottawa hoodies, sherpa jacket, and Telfer sweatshirts show how clothing blends comfort, pride, and practicality. The 101er Frosh T-shirt and Shine Day shirt add another layer of meaning, symbolizing both community and philanthropy. Frosh week introduces students to campus life, while Shine Day connects them to broader causes like Cystic Fibrosis Canada. Together, they show that school spirit at uOttawa extends beyond academics. The academic side of university life is seen in objects like the Apple products, headphones, notepaper, laptop stickers, syllabus, water bottles, and criminology string bags that fill classrooms and study spaces. These represent both creativity and routine. The Tim Hortons coffee cup might seem simple, but it captures a familiar ritual across campus. Coffee runs are part of the rhythm of student life, a shared pause in busy days. School pride and social life also find expression in items like Panda Game tickets and the Pedro Panda Trophy. These objects represent one of uOttawa’s biggest traditions, a yearly football rivalry with Carleton University that brings students together in celebration. Moments like this create a strong sense of community, even among a large and diverse student body. The Orange Shirt acknowledges the atrocities and suffering experienced by those who attended residential schools in Canada as part of the national Truth and Reconciliation mandate to honor Indigenous peoples. Finally, artifacts such as the U Cup mug, beer glasses from Father and Son's, a Prusa 3D printer, and even O-Frango’s—a popular student food stop, represent the blend of innovation and everyday culture. They show how uOttawa combines research, creativity, and social connection in a way that feels uniquely its own. Taken together, these objects tell a story about identity and community. The culture of uOttawa is defined by hard work, inclusivity, and pride, but also by small moments of connection. From the student card to the Panda Game, each item reflects how students experience and shape university life every day. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Apple Computer Subject The topic of the resource Online learning, Brightspace, student computing, students’ digital life Description An account of the resource The computer is the single most important item during a student’s time at the University of Ottawa. It is the medium in which students can access Brightspace, a website where students can submit and receive assignments as well as engage in class discussions, send and receive emails through Outlook, create their class schedule, apply for bursaries, receive tax forms through their student portal (UOzone), research (Omni), and take notes (Word). The computer is also very useful for a student outside of school use; it is a necessary product for all students. While the specific MacBook Air 15” may not be the most common model, the Apple brand itself clearly dominates among students. Each person tends to choose the version that fits their preferences, but the Apple logo is what ties them all together. The MacBook stands out with its fast performance, built-in features such as AirDrop, iMessage, and FaceTime. This is what makes it easy for students to connect and share work. While owning a MacBook can feel like a status symbol, it also represents belonging to the image of the modern, connected student. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Property of the manufacturer - Apple Inc. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Starlight, aluminum body, 15-inch Liquid Retina display, M3 chip, backlit keyboard, English language macOS Type The nature or genre of the resource Physical object → Laptop Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant This model is widely used by university students beginning in 2024-2025 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Apple Inc. - Manufacturer Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 05/11/25 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived CF Rideau Centre Apple Store 50 Rideau St, Ottawa, ON K1N 9J7 Acquired on: 2024-08-15 Acquired how: Purchased Curated by: Nasreen Mohammadian, Olive Soki-Kavwahirehi, Erica Woolsey, Cloée Ennis, Patrick Levesque Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Apple Inc. Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Cattalogue number 2025 - 002 Technology https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/95147b9f01709ef77e7c8d92a27b0fa0.PNG f003c0eae9d88a7e2b7b93de064a937a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource uOttawa Time Capsule 2025 Subject The topic of the resource According to Google AI, "A digital time capsule is a curated collection of digital assets, like photos, videos, and documents, intended to capture a specific moment, person, or theme and be preserved and shared in the future." In our case, this time capsule reflects important objects, places, and ephemera that illustrate campus life in fall 2025. All were chosen by the students who were participant-observers of their own cultures. The students not only chose and photographed the objects, but they also wrote the stories or narratives associated with them. Description An account of the resource The culture of the University of Ottawa can be understood through the everyday objects that define student life. It begins with the uOttawa student card, the first sign of belonging. Paired with a Gee-Gees lanyard or a bilingual business card, it reflects the university’s bilingual identity and its position as a meeting point between English and French. This duality shapes how students learn, communicate, and represent themselves both on and off campus. Student culture at uOttawa is also reflected in what people wear. Levi’s jeans, University of Ottawa hoodies, sherpa jacket, and Telfer sweatshirts show how clothing blends comfort, pride, and practicality. The 101er Frosh T-shirt and Shine Day shirt add another layer of meaning, symbolizing both community and philanthropy. Frosh week introduces students to campus life, while Shine Day connects them to broader causes like Cystic Fibrosis Canada. Together, they show that school spirit at uOttawa extends beyond academics. The academic side of university life is seen in objects like the Apple products, headphones, notepaper, laptop stickers, syllabus, water bottles, and criminology string bags that fill classrooms and study spaces. These represent both creativity and routine. The Tim Hortons coffee cup might seem simple, but it captures a familiar ritual across campus. Coffee runs are part of the rhythm of student life, a shared pause in busy days. School pride and social life also find expression in items like Panda Game tickets and the Pedro Panda Trophy. These objects represent one of uOttawa’s biggest traditions, a yearly football rivalry with Carleton University that brings students together in celebration. Moments like this create a strong sense of community, even among a large and diverse student body. The Orange Shirt acknowledges the atrocities and suffering experienced by those who attended residential schools in Canada as part of the national Truth and Reconciliation mandate to honor Indigenous peoples. Finally, artifacts such as the U Cup mug, beer glasses from Father and Son's, a Prusa 3D printer, and even O-Frango’s—a popular student food stop, represent the blend of innovation and everyday culture. They show how uOttawa combines research, creativity, and social connection in a way that feels uniquely its own. Taken together, these objects tell a story about identity and community. The culture of uOttawa is defined by hard work, inclusivity, and pride, but also by small moments of connection. From the student card to the Panda Game, each item reflects how students experience and shape university life every day. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Apple iPads Subject The topic of the resource Electronic device that many university students have become dependent upon Description An account of the resource Apple iPads are a staple in the lives of university students for its conveniency. They singlehandedly replace physical notebooks, textbooks, and heavy laptops, in addition to saving much needed space. Textbooks can be downloaded on these iPads from anywhere that has Wi-Fi services. Notes are typed faster, and the screen can split to show two tabs at once. iPads are easily accessorized to match a student's personality both physically and digitally. Apple provides students with incentive to purchase these iPads because of the special student discounts that are offered to students on their iPad lines. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Steve Jobs Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Located at CF Rideau centre 50 Rideau St, Ottawa, ON K1N 9J7 Ottawa, ON, K1N 9J7 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Apple Inc Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource iPad Air (5th generation) March 2022 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Apple Inc Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource 13” or 11” Liquid Retina display P3 wide colour True Tone Antireflective coating Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Electronic device Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2025-001 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant These ipads have been used by students ever since they came out partly due to popularity, but mostly out of convenience. https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/4aee0a5fc603647ed61a8e8b8002a81f.jpg 341c6cdc17747170285d6daa58ffe68d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource uOttawa Time Capsule 2025 Subject The topic of the resource According to Google AI, "A digital time capsule is a curated collection of digital assets, like photos, videos, and documents, intended to capture a specific moment, person, or theme and be preserved and shared in the future." In our case, this time capsule reflects important objects, places, and ephemera that illustrate campus life in fall 2025. All were chosen by the students who were participant-observers of their own cultures. The students not only chose and photographed the objects, but they also wrote the stories or narratives associated with them. Description An account of the resource The culture of the University of Ottawa can be understood through the everyday objects that define student life. It begins with the uOttawa student card, the first sign of belonging. Paired with a Gee-Gees lanyard or a bilingual business card, it reflects the university’s bilingual identity and its position as a meeting point between English and French. This duality shapes how students learn, communicate, and represent themselves both on and off campus. Student culture at uOttawa is also reflected in what people wear. Levi’s jeans, University of Ottawa hoodies, sherpa jacket, and Telfer sweatshirts show how clothing blends comfort, pride, and practicality. The 101er Frosh T-shirt and Shine Day shirt add another layer of meaning, symbolizing both community and philanthropy. Frosh week introduces students to campus life, while Shine Day connects them to broader causes like Cystic Fibrosis Canada. Together, they show that school spirit at uOttawa extends beyond academics. The academic side of university life is seen in objects like the Apple products, headphones, notepaper, laptop stickers, syllabus, water bottles, and criminology string bags that fill classrooms and study spaces. These represent both creativity and routine. The Tim Hortons coffee cup might seem simple, but it captures a familiar ritual across campus. Coffee runs are part of the rhythm of student life, a shared pause in busy days. School pride and social life also find expression in items like Panda Game tickets and the Pedro Panda Trophy. These objects represent one of uOttawa’s biggest traditions, a yearly football rivalry with Carleton University that brings students together in celebration. Moments like this create a strong sense of community, even among a large and diverse student body. The Orange Shirt acknowledges the atrocities and suffering experienced by those who attended residential schools in Canada as part of the national Truth and Reconciliation mandate to honor Indigenous peoples. Finally, artifacts such as the U Cup mug, beer glasses from Father and Son's, a Prusa 3D printer, and even O-Frango’s—a popular student food stop, represent the blend of innovation and everyday culture. They show how uOttawa combines research, creativity, and social connection in a way that feels uniquely its own. Taken together, these objects tell a story about identity and community. The culture of uOttawa is defined by hard work, inclusivity, and pride, but also by small moments of connection. From the student card to the Panda Game, each item reflects how students experience and shape university life every day. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Bluetooth Headphones Subject The topic of the resource Popular earwear/ headwear Description An account of the resource Apple earphones and headphones are one of the most popular electronic gadgets among students and professors for their ability to block out noise effectively and create a comfortable environment when working or studying in public spaces on campus. They allow for a customizable experience dedicated to every individual’s need. Some individuals may use them to block out noise or eliminate unwanted distractions while studying or working, and other individuals may play music in the background to help focus on the task at hand. They're also a great option for students who cannot book private study rooms but need to listen to video lectures on campus. This photo was taken at the Apple store directly across campus to show just how easy and simple it is to get access to these electronic gadgets. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dr. Dre and Jimmy Lovine Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Located at CF Rideau centre 50 Rideau St, Ottawa, ON K1N 9J7 Ottawa, ON, K1N 9J7 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Apple Inc, 2014 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource July 2014 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Apple Inc Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Form Factor: In ear (Earphones) Height: (case) 2.75 cm / 1.08 in. (bud) 2.04 cm / 0.80 in. Length: (case) 6.25 cm / 2.46 in. (bud) 2.74 cm / 1.08 in. Width: (case) 5.54 cm / 2.18 in. (bud) 2.15 cm / 0.84 in. Form Factor: On ear (Headphones) Weight: (case) 49.75 g (bud) 5.78 g (total) 61.3 g Height: 2.7 in. / 6.8 cm Length: 17.7 cm / 6.9 in. Width: 15.8 cm / 6.2 in. Weight: 217 g / 7.65 oz. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Electronic gadget Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context UPC or EAN No.: 195950384840, UPC or EAN No.: 195949121814 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant The digital age has brought about the importance of bluetooth headphones (or earphones) due to its complementary feature to all digital/electronic devices. https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/1cdb995b913154fc5261fb755a6e5022.mp3 01da3fc81daff377b37d704db2dd642b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Latin American stories from Ottawa Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">Beginning in Winter 2025, Professor Laurie Weinstein in ANT3340: Latin American and the Caribbean created Anthroharvest with the goal of inspiring students to explore the diversity of our city through ethnographic interviews. This collection stands as a pillar of students' ongoing efforts to interview friends, family, and members of Ottawa's Latin American and Caribbean communities in surrounding areas. Our ultimate goal is to create an archive of stories for those who identify with the Latin American and Caribbean community, accessible at any time, that preserves knowledge and promotes their cultures. Our project remains ongoing as we learn and connect with new students and people across Ottawa and eastern Canada. We invite you to browse the stories collected by our students, listen to the audio recording, and read transcripts and biographies of those interviewed. </div> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Alice Cordeiro Silva Veras Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Ropa Nyandoro Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data On MS Teams Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound ROPA NYANDORO: Hello, my name is Ropa. Thank you for speaking with me today. I'm conducting interviews to learn more about the experiences, traditions and values of the Latin or Caribbean community in Ottawa. Your insights are very important, and I appreciate your participation. Before we begin, I want to confirm that your participation in this interview is entirely voluntary. ALICE CORDEIRO SILVA VERAS: Yes, that is right. ROPA NYANDORO: OK, you may skip any questions that you feel uncomfortable answering, and your responses may be used to gain a better understanding of and support for the community. Do you consent to participating in this interview? ALICE CORDEIRO SILVA VERAS: I do. ROPA NYANDORO: OK. ALICE CORDEIRO SILVA VERAS: And I think it should be talked about more, maybe, so I think it would be nice to give every single country and every single culture the same importance. ROPA NYANDORO: Yeah, yeah, I hear you. Do you have any suggestions on what should be posted or on how we can better serve the community? ALICE CORDEIRO SILVA VERAS: Like with the interviews. ROPA NYANDORO: Like the one with the website, yeah, on the website. ROPA NYANDORO: But I think you went through it when you were talking about how the website should showcase each culture as unique as it is. ALICE CORDEIRO SILVA VERAS: Yeah. ROPA NYANDORO: Yeah, I think you've already spoken about it. ALICE CORDEIRO SILVA VERAS: Yeah. Just like, for example, having a section about different holidays, because when you talk about Brazil, the only holiday that people know is Carnival. We have so many more that are fun and interesting and have a cool history behind them. It would be nice to have these kinds of things in pictures with maybe small explanations. ROPA NYANDORO: Hmm. ALICE CORDEIRO SILVA VERAS: It would also be nice to get more input from more people from the community, essentially making the website a bigger thing and getting to hear more voices from the community to celebrate these different cultures. ROPA NYANDORO: Hmm. ALICE CORDEIRO SILVA VERAS: It would be nice to, you know, to like talk about them, like explain the background and stuff like that. ROPA NYANDORO: Yeah. Um, do you have any comments or concerns before we close? ALICE CORDEIRO SILVA VERAS: No, I don't think so. ROPA NYANDORO: Thank you so much for sharing your story with me. You were thorough. You shared some deep insights and I truly appreciate your time and participation. ALICE CORDEIRO SILVA VERAS: Thank you so much. It was a pleasure. ROPA NYANDORO: Thank you. Bye. ALICE CORDEIRO SILVA VERAS: Bye. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Conversation with Alice Cordeiro Silva Veras Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2025-03-20 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP3, 19 min 58 s Language A language of the resource English Description An account of the resource Alice Cordeiro Silva Veras is from Brazil and currently lives in Ottawa. She moved to Canada at the age of 9 with her mother and younger sister. Having been here for over 10 years, she is now a permanent resident. Alice enjoys celebrating her culture and is passionate about sharing its diversity beyond well-known events like Carnival. She also values community voices and recommends that more members contribute to online platforms to celebrate and reflect the richness of Latin American and Caribbean cultures in Ottawa. Her insights reveal a desire for deeper cultural representation and recognition in public community projects. https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/9cc675e9cd1bd13b43eccb663b873a04.mp3 1e28853fd2cb006b9cd5e2075d24d2f2 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Latin American stories from Ottawa Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">Beginning in Winter 2025, Professor Laurie Weinstein in ANT3340: Latin American and the Caribbean created Anthroharvest with the goal of inspiring students to explore the diversity of our city through ethnographic interviews. This collection stands as a pillar of students' ongoing efforts to interview friends, family, and members of Ottawa's Latin American and Caribbean communities in surrounding areas. Our ultimate goal is to create an archive of stories for those who identify with the Latin American and Caribbean community, accessible at any time, that preserves knowledge and promotes their cultures. Our project remains ongoing as we learn and connect with new students and people across Ottawa and eastern Canada. We invite you to browse the stories collected by our students, listen to the audio recording, and read transcripts and biographies of those interviewed. </div> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Alicia Lopez de Ferro Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Eden Piché; Annie Cable; Owen Brasi Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data In person Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound Eden: “Hi, my name is Eden.” Owen: “My name is Owen.” Annie: “And my name is Annie. And today we are hoping to get a better idea of what it is like to move to Ottawa from Latin America. So we sat down with Alicia, who's been living in Ottawa since 2016 and in Canada since 2011. Originally from Argentina, Alicia has played an instrumental role in building the Argentinian community here in Ottawa and bringing together many different families and individuals to connect and celebrate their shared culture.” Owen: “My first question to you is, you mentioned that you're from Argentina. Can you delve into that a little bit? Which part of Argentina are you from?” Alicia: “Well, I am from the north of Argentina. It's called Tucumán. It’s a small province that is basically in a valley. It has mountains. And during the wintertime, we have snow. But in the city, there is no snow at all. It is very dry. Yeah, basically a small, small province.” Owen: “And it's in the north?” Alicia: “In the north.” Owen: “Cool. You also mentioned that you came to Canada in 2011 in Winnipeg.” Alicia: “That's right. Yeah, yeah.” Owen: “What brought you to Ottawa five years later?” Alicia: “My husband's work. He's a computer engineer. He got a good offer from a company here in Ottawa and we decided to move at that time. Yeah.” Eden: “You've been here since 2011. You said it was because of your husband's job. Do you have any other family here? Are you here with your husband in Ottawa or...?” Alicia: “Basically, we don't have an extended family here. We are just my husband and my two kids. They are Canadians. However, the good thing about being Argentinian is that we are very tight. We have a very close community. When we came to Winnipeg, 2011, AMA, that is AMA, that is an association from Argentina, gave us support. Basically, we came to Winnipeg to explore. That's true too. We like Winnipeg, believe it or not. We love Winnipeg, we love the people. We feel really welcomed in Canada. And after that, of course, it's an opportunity. And my husband decided it was a good opportunity. He asked me and said, you know what? Yes, we can move to Ottawa. Why not?” Eden: “And do you see often your extended family that are still in Argentina? Or do they come see you? How does it work?” Alicia: “Yeah. We go to Argentina. We went to Argentina two times. But usually I’d like my family to come here to visit, especially my mom. We have small families. I have only my mom, my sister, and they came to visit two years ago. But the idea was trying to bring in here, basically just to bring in here. But of course, with older people, it's like difficult to adjust to the weather, the language and, well, she's coming back and forth. That's it.” Owen: “My next question to you is, do you live in a Latin community or neighborhood in Ottawa that speaks either Spanish or Portuguese and celebrates occasions that are...” Alicia: “No. We live in a mostly English-speaking community. We live in Canada. And basically, no. One thing is we are happy or we are proud, we are Argentinians, but at the same time, we live in Canada. We blend in with the community. We go for sugar bush, Halloween, Thanksgiving, that's maybe celebrations we don't have in Argentina or gatherings. And that is basically important for us. We blend it into the community. No, no, we have few, actually I don't know any neighbors that speak Spanish first. However, I created, because of the situation that I like to be with other Argentinians and help others, when I came here, I discovered that there was no association—Argentinian association—or gatherings from Argentinians. And during the pandemic, I created the Argentinian community here. We are right now like 200 people. Oh, yes. It is a huge amount. And yes, we gather together. We are known for our barbecues. We gathered together for Father's Day, Mother's Day, and we got that. We have Children's Day as well. The idea is we are here alone as a family, but we have an extended family. That is going to be friends, and because my kids don't have cousins or aunts, and it's better having a community than that speak the same language. And well, that's it.” Eden: “Since we spoke about celebrations, that differs from Argentina. What celebrations are the most important to you?” Alicia: “We think, aside from soccer, I think it's going to be Father's Day, Mother's Day, Children's Day, and the end of the year celebrations, like we gather together. But especially now, usually we gather together and talk a lot.” Eden: “Just need to gather together. And you also said that you blend in very much in the Canadian society. But is there a typical day in your community when you gather with the association?” Alicia: “No, not really, because, again, the idea is having connection between the other families that are alone here. We gather. For example, Argentina has the immigration influence from Italy or Spain, Spaniard. And we gather to have pasta, for example. Different kinds of pasta, all kinds of pasta, or pizza. Our pizza. Kind of thing like that. But special celebration, no, we don't do that. However, if it is soccer, maybe we can gather together. We go to Little Italy, that we have a small place where we can gather. And yeah, no, especially no. I don't know if that answers your question.” Eden: “Yeah. So you don't have any way to celebrate your heritage or…. You like soccer and that's about it?” Alicia: “No, no. No, we don't.” Eden: “So the way you talk about your heritage from Argentina is by talking about it, saying I'm Argentinian and just gathering together and creating an association and spread the good words about Argentina.” Alicia: “Basically. For now, it's not an association, it's just a group of people that gather together. The idea is having an association like a formal gathering, but for now it's just a group of people that gather together just to share our values, our food, and something like that. “ Annie: “I guess that's actually a great segue, because I was going to ask you, what are some values that you hold most dear to you as a member of the Latin American community or Argentinian community?” Alicia: “I think it is hard work. We are very flexible. For example, gathering with other Canadians are, you know, like we are living here. But again, trying to be flexible. We can show you our culture, but that doesn't mean that I can't, I'm trying to change it anyway. And again, I'm living here. I like having, you know, going to the sugar bush and beaver tails and everything else. And maybe hockey. But yeah, that's basically what we have.” Annie: “What would you like to share about yourself or your community that you think is important for people to know?” Alicia: “Well, for me it's really important that Argentina geographically is in South America, but we are isolated from other countries. The way that we are isolated is we have the mountains, we have the highest mountains in all America, and then we have deserts and they have the jungle. That means that we are separate from Brazil or other countries because of the geographic limits. And that's why we are kind of having our own, not just culture, but food. We don't have the resources, for example, from tropical fruits. Our fruits are different. Why? Because we don't have that, like, climate. We have snow. We have ski resorts. And we gather together because we live, like a kind of small island, we can say. And even our language, Spanish, is Argentinian Spanish. If I talk with other people that speak Spanish, they know that I'm from Argentina. The pronunciation is distinctive, we can say.” Annie: “So I guess you'd say that the most important thing for people to know is that you're Argentinian first.” Alicia: “Yes, absolutely. Because of course, they try to gather in general, all together say, oh, yeah, spicy food. No, we don't eat spicy food here in Canada. You eat spicier. They say, “no, it's mild. No, it is not mild. It is really spicy.” And sometimes I cry because it's spicy. In Argentina, it's all on pepper. Be careful with the pepper because come on. Yeah.” Annie: “I totally agree. What foods do you make that remind you of home and where do you purchase your groceries to prepare your traditional meals?” Alicia: “We have barbeque that is basically meat. The cuts, you know, like you have different variations of meat. It's different from country to country and from province to province in Argentina as well. Usually bought meat from Montreal. Otherwise we have, it's called croissant, Argentinian croissant. It's like cabrioche and pastry. But it's really kind of sweet. But it's Argentinian. We have only one person who does it here. It's in our community, but no, it's not common.” Annie: “And where do you go to? So you said you buy your meat from Montreal, but is there anywhere in Ottawa that you go specifically to buy?” Alicia: “No, no. If you want to do the real one, the same way we do it, no. Not, really. But the meat here is really good. It's really good. No, no, no. I like it.” Owen: “My next question would be, how likely would you and your family be to use the website that we're creating, Omeca, for uploading your stories? And how would you use it? How would you interact with it?” Alicia: “That is interesting because I like genealogy. And the point is, just for fun, I was using one of the websites that is available. It's free. And I couldn't get to my great grandparents because it was during the war in Europe and when they immigrated to Argentina. Well, you know, we don't know exactly. However, with my husband, it was easier and I could gather all the information, like getting back in time and getting the certificates and everything else. And because of that, at that time, we got citizenship from Italy as well. And it's amazing the things you can do. But it's going to be nice not just having the certificates, but actually how they live. They were happy, not happy. They missed their families. Because usually at that time, when you immigrate somewhere, maybe you never go back or you never know about your family, your parents, your friends, what's happening with them. And it's interesting. Going back in time, my descendants, we're going to see, oh, look at that. Look at grandma. Something like that. I think it's going to be a nice resource for the future generations.” Owen: “Absolutely. And that's kind of our whole idea of this website, where people look back and reflect and try to meet other people as well.” Annie: “And better understand the experience of moving to Ottawa from places in Latin America, Argentina included.” Alicia: “Thank you.” Annie: “So then our last question was, did you have any other comments or concerns or anything that you wanted to bring up that maybe we didn't touch on or?” Alicia: “No, I think it's, I'm curious to know the other stories because as I said, well, I am really proud that I'm from Argentina, I moved to Canada, everything else. I'm also interested in other perspectives. My experience was good. I interacted well when I was in Winnipeg. I created a Spanish conversation group. And we do back and forth English-Spanish, and they learned a pronunciation there, Argentina. From Argentina. And I had a good experience. I didn't have any problems saying I miss my country or no, no, I feel home. Actually, if you ask me, I miss Winnipeg. It’s like my hometown because they welcome me really well. And even during the pandemic, I started learning French as well and they helped me with my French. I passed the test.” Eden: “Good job.” Alicia: “Merci beaucoup. But again, it is... I’m interested in those stories that maybe they are not as good as mine. I have the opportunity to learn and to study here as well. And I'm happy. Everyone is happy in my family. But no, it's not always the same story.” Annie: “Yeah, well, I think that once we have all the other interviews uploaded, you can definitely go take a look and hear some of the other ones that will be there.” Alicia: “Absolutely.” Owen: “I just had one more question” Alicia: “Sure.” Owen: “If that's okay. Do you still go back and forth to Winnipeg and visit some of your friends?” Alicia: “No, but we are in touch. Because, during the pandemic, it was a time that you can connect via Zoom and we did it and was good because again, once one of my friends came in to Ottawa and I was able to go and show Ottawa as a, you know, like I'm living here, I can show you everything. It was nice, it was really nice because it is… the main thing is giving back. I got too many things, not just for the city or everything else, it's from people that I'm really grateful. And I think that's why I'm happy with Winnipeg, I'm happy with Ottawa, and I'm happy here.” Eden: “I think I'll add one more question.” Alicia: “Sure.” Eden: “What do you like the most in Ottawa or just in Canada?” Alicia: “One thing that I love is about the mountains. That you have a lot of mountains around Canada. When I was younger, I used to go to the mountains, spend time camping. And here you have those things too. You can go camping and spend time, you know, like in parks. I love that in the wild part. The other thing I love is the architectural part. It's beautiful. And you go, and last week, there was a March break. We were tourists here. We got with the kids. We went to the museum, the Nature Night Museum. And we tried to discover things that you take for granted. You're from Ottawa. Maybe you don't go and see the different parts of Ottawa as a newcomer or a new person here. And that's what I love about here. I learned how to skate a little bit as well. I haven't gone yet because of my kids. I know that it is. But we tried to discover again Canada and Ottawa of those small things seen with new eyes.” Owen: “Were you here during the World Cup as well?” Alicia: “Of course. We gathered together. There were a lot. We went to the Parliament building, I remember, with our flags.” Owen: “Oh, good.” Alicia: “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes, of course. Yeah, we gathered together even now. There are more games and we gathered together.” Annie: “Thank you so much for coming here to chat with us and to tell us a little bit more about your experience living in Ottawa and in Winnipeg.” Owen: “Thank you very much.” Eden: “Yeah, thank you very much.” Alicia: “Thank you.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Conversation with Alicia Lopez de Ferro Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2025-03-18 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP3, 18 min 13 s Language A language of the resource English Description An account of the resource Originally from Argentina, Alicia has lived in Canada with her family since 2011 and in Ottawa since 2016. When she first moved to Canada, she was welcomed by the Argentinian Manitoban Association in Winnipeg, which helped ease her transition to Canadian life. Over her time in Ottawa, Alicia has brought together nearly two hundred Argentinians. She has found joy in connecting with them, whether through watching soccer matches, celebrating Mother’s Day, or coming together for other meaningful events. Her passion for community has helped others feel a sense of community and belonging far from home. Aside from her involvement in her community, she has also enjoyed integrating herself into Canadian culture, from learning how to skate to camping to going to Cabane à Sucre. Today, we sat down to ask a few questions about her experience moving to Ottawa and explore more about her Argentinian culture. https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/2dbec0c5326f9f86be50a143e2c2c9c9.mp3 e612eb72a234da87ad60382e6e31d1db Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Latin American stories from Ottawa Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">Beginning in Winter 2025, Professor Laurie Weinstein in ANT3340: Latin American and the Caribbean created Anthroharvest with the goal of inspiring students to explore the diversity of our city through ethnographic interviews. This collection stands as a pillar of students' ongoing efforts to interview friends, family, and members of Ottawa's Latin American and Caribbean communities in surrounding areas. Our ultimate goal is to create an archive of stories for those who identify with the Latin American and Caribbean community, accessible at any time, that preserves knowledge and promotes their cultures. Our project remains ongoing as we learn and connect with new students and people across Ottawa and eastern Canada. We invite you to browse the stories collected by our students, listen to the audio recording, and read transcripts and biographies of those interviewed. </div> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Ana Paneque Leivas Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Malayka Dubois-Mandar; Matthew Minardi; Maxine Tremblay Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data In person Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound Maxine: Ana, very nice to meet you. Before we start this interview, we just wanted to present ourselves. So my name is Maxine. It's really nice to meet you. I'm also issued from the Latin American community and also Caribbean. So my mom is half from Martinique and half from Haiti as well. So I may be relating to some of the stuff that you're saying today. Thank you so much for coming in. Matthew: Hi, Ana. So my name is Matthew. I'm not Latin American or Caribbean by ethnicity. I do very much appreciate the Latin American and the Spanish culture, and I'm very happy that you decided to be our interview subject for today. Malayka: Hi, Ana. My name is Malayka, and my father is Dominican. I am part of the Latin American community, and I'm really happy to be interviewing you today. It was lovely to be with you today. Thank you. Maxine: Good morning, Ana. How are you doing today? Ana: I'm doing good. How are you? Maxine: I'm doing very good. So just for your information, today we're doing an ethnographic interview. So we're going to be asking questions about the Latin American and Caribbean community. So, Ana, what is your country of origin? Ana: So I'm originally from Cuba, but I've lived in Canada, both sides of the country, as well as Florida for a while. Maxine: Oh, very nice. And how was your experience in those parts of the region? Ana: It was quite different. I immigrated from Cuba to Sherbrooke when I was 10 years old in 2013, and I lived there for about a year and a half. Then we did six months in Calgary, and then two years in Florida. And then I've been in Montreal since 2017, and I moved here to Ottawa in about 2022 for my studies. Maxine: Very nice. So you kind of answered the question, but what brought you here to Ottawa? Ana: So to Ottawa was my studies, to Montreal and Canada in general was just family decisions for job opportunities for my parents. Maxine: Nice. And do you have family here, and do you see them frequently? Can you explain it to me? Ana: I do have family here. Mostly it's just my parents and my sister. I have some uncles and cousins over there in Toronto. I don't see them quite as often as I probably should. And the rest of my family, they're mostly pretty much divided all over the world. My dad has a very big family. We're around like 50 cousins on his side. So we're pretty spread throughout everywhere. Maxine: Perfect. And the last question I have for you, do you live in a Latin community or neighborhood where people speak Spanish and or Portuguese and celebrate various occasions? Ana: Yeah. So actually, I got very lucky because two of my roommates, they're Puerto Rican and Mexican. So between us, we speak Spanish quite often. And since birth, we've always spoken Spanish at home. So with my family members, even if it's just like on a FaceTime call, we still communicate in Spanish. Very nice. Maxine: Thank you, Ana. Matthew: So Ana, what celebrations are most important to you? Ana: So in terms of celebration, it kind of varies. From me growing up, mostly what was celebrated was Noche Buena, which is usually December 24th. And for my family, for my family was mostly just about getting together and spending time in family. And it was about the tradition. Back in Cuba, we used to roast an entire pork like with the entire neighborhood. So it was not just my family, it was the kids that were growing up near me with my cousin and everything. So that was pretty, really nice. And same thing, we've gone down to Florida a couple of years just to do it with like the family that lives there, everything. I haven't been back to Cuba since I left in 2013. But I have seen my family members are still are in the island, like either through FaceTime or they've come visit us here in Canada. Yeah, besides that, I'd say birthday parties are like a big hit. And yeah, those are mostly like the key celebrations throughout the year. Yeah, because we most of my family, most of us are born either in January or September. So that's a weird ass mix. But you know, it is what it is. But yeah, so great. Matthew: Thank you. Can you describe a typical day in your community, Ana? Ana: A typical day in my community is you know, you wake up, you have your breakfast, you say good morning, and you either head to work or to school. And you just do your best you can every day. Matthew: Great. Thank you. How do you celebrate your Cuban heritage? Ana: That is a great question. So the one way I celebrate it is just staying true to myself, you know, just being just showing up every day doing my best and just working towards representing my elders and my heritage the best way that I can. Matthew: Beautiful. And what are some values that you hold most dear as a member of the Latin and Caribbean community? Ana: One of them is community actually is one of the key values that I hold is all for one and one for all kind of aspect. So I try to be helpful. But also just you know, being honest and kind. It's kind of just paying it forward. Matthew: Nice. Well, thank you so much. Malayka: Okay, Ana, what would you like to share about yourself or your community that you think is important for people to know? Ana: We're a very passionate group of people for our causes, for our interests, for our whatever job or duty we feel we have. We're very passionate about it. And we kind of a very stubborn way we go full on force for it. Sometimes to the detriment of other well being or anything. I have experienced some burnout before with school because of that. But we're very passionate, very not servient, but very helpful to each other. So whenever we see a friend or a family member that needs a hand, we're like, okay, what do you need me to do? How can I best help you in this? So we can make it through, you know? Malayka: So yeah, thank you. That's lovely. What foods do you make that reminds you of home? And where do you purchase your groceries to prepare your traditional meals? Ana: Oh my god. Okay, so there's a actually most of my grocery because my parents, they're very helpful to me. They buy my own groceries, and then they come visit me and they bring them for me, which is very privileged thing to say. But most of the time they we buy rice and beans. We eat a lot of pork and meat. And there's this one of my favorite dish of all time. It's called a ropa vieja. It's essentially shredded meat. Most of the time is done with beef, but it's like kind of preserved similar to how you would for what's called, you know, like those snack meats, like the dried ones. Jerky. Malayka: Thank you. Ana: Jerky. So kind of you would preserve it how you would jerky, but instead of individual stripes is like the piece, the entire piece of meat you preserve in salt and everything for a while. Once it dries, you boil that for like three hours to get rid of the salt and everything, and soften the meat. And then you boil it for like, depends how much you want. And some people do four hours and people do eight in this tomato based sauce. Essentially, I have heard people compare it to beer, but I'm not sure how similar it is. But I can see like the similarities in terms of essentially like the style of making it, or at least the cooking techniques used. But it's not as spicy or tends to be more sweet and sour than spicy. As Cubans, we don't use a lot of like hot spice as other Latin. Malayka: That's really nice. It's very similar to the Filipino dishes or Dominican dishes. So thank you. Okay. How likely would you and your family be to use the website we are creating for uploading your stories? And how would you use it? Ana: So I think for the sake of meeting other people within our community and just staying in contact, that's like the best way we have of not one, preserving our heritage, but also just enjoying the sense of community that is sometimes hard to have when two countries you've immigrated, even if you've lived there for a long time. So that would be just the easiest way to be able to communicate with members of our community, keep our heritage and just, you know, essentially show up as our best selves because we have to acknowledge that part of our history and our identity as well as just, you know, just it's also a great way to help each other because we have, you know, the sense of community, meaning we'll be able to just help each other through any issues or troubles that might arise. Malayka: That's wonderful. Thank you. Do you have any other comments or concerns? Ana: No, I'd like to thank you all for doing this interview. I think you guys are doing a great project. Yeah. Malayka: Thank you so much for being here, Ana. It was a pleasure. Yeah, it was a pleasure. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Conversation with Ana Paneque Leivas Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2025-03-07 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP3, 8 min 54 s Language A language of the resource English Description An account of the resource Born in Cuba, Ana has experienced a life shaped by movement, adaptation, and a deep connection to her roots. At age ten, she relocated to Sherbrooke, Quebec, before living in Calgary and Florida. Eventually, Ana immigrated to Canada for family reasons and ended up settling in Ottawa to pursue her studies. Despite being immersed in Western culture and having lived in multiple cities and countries, she remains strongly connected to her Cuban identity. https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/5010b31d1eef9b330ad7d0cdd41196a6.mp3 9a5af71c6e7410e99b540079c5f958bc Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Latin American stories from Ottawa Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">Beginning in Winter 2025, Professor Laurie Weinstein in ANT3340: Latin American and the Caribbean created Anthroharvest with the goal of inspiring students to explore the diversity of our city through ethnographic interviews. This collection stands as a pillar of students' ongoing efforts to interview friends, family, and members of Ottawa's Latin American and Caribbean communities in surrounding areas. Our ultimate goal is to create an archive of stories for those who identify with the Latin American and Caribbean community, accessible at any time, that preserves knowledge and promotes their cultures. Our project remains ongoing as we learn and connect with new students and people across Ottawa and eastern Canada. We invite you to browse the stories collected by our students, listen to the audio recording, and read transcripts and biographies of those interviewed. </div> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Deema Adi, Phoenix Bruneau and Dahlia Verrelli Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Ángel Albarrán-Ponce Location The location of the interview Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound Interviewer (00:00 – 00:02): So, what is your country of origin?   Ángel (00:02 – 00:04): I'm from Mexico, from Mexico City.  Interviewer (00:04-00:06): And what brought you to Canada?   Ángel (00:06 – 02:00): I was like 14 or 15, one of my cousins, he's an opera singer, he got a scholarship to go study singing in Germany. And for some reason, I remember back then, it was way harder to communicate, ah like 20 years ago. So, we could only talk to him once a week over video call. And it seemed like it was a very hard struggle for him being away from his family and all that. He didn't speak a word of German. So, he had to learn German there. And for some reason that seemed very compelling to me. I thought like, I wanna put myself to that same standard and prove myself that I can do it. That I can just move to a different country and be successful just like he is. So, on one side I was following him. Um, I studied sciences. So, I  in Mexico, we don't really have majors in minors, but my major would be biology. And then I did a Masters in experimental biology and then a lot of people offered me PhDs then, in Mexico. But I honestly know that or knew back then that doing a PhD is really hard. And I thought, I'm only gonna do this if it's in a different country. I'm not going to put myself through all of that stress if I'm staying here. So that's the second reason, and the third reason is specifically Canada because up to this point is just wherever in the world, right? I just want to go somewhere else. Um, but coming to Canada was because back then I was dating like a girl, and she was also one of the reasons why I wanted to do all of these things. Cause for me, she's always been excellent at everything, and she's reached every one of her goals and one of her goals was to study abroad as well. She got accepted in McGill for her PhD in 2017 and, um, it happened. I just thought, yeah, I want to do this thing and I want to be closer to her. And so, I only applied to McGill, and here and I got accepted here. And so that's why I ended up staying in Ottawa.  Interviewer(02:00 – 02:05):Do you have family here and do you see them frequently?   Ángel (02:05 – 02:24): I have no one here. I moved here by myself. Um, I see my family at least once a year, um, usually when I go back for winter holidays, but every now and then I go back for the summer and sometimes there are some other important events or like tragic circumstances and I will go back for a weekend or something like that.  Interviewer (02:24 - 02:26): Has your family visited you here?   Ángel(02:26–03:12):No. Um, the something maybe you're going to ask me about later, but like one of the cultural differences, the most striking ones for me was how easy for people is to travel here. So just see it like, yeah like 21, 22, just like, yeah, it's gone go to Europe for like three months. And I'm like, I never in my life, if I wanted to do that, I would have to belong to a very high class in Mexico or yeah, it’s just like something I never learned to do because money is such a constraint. And so, for my parents, they are not struggling, but they would want to come here with my siblings and just like familiar for coming here for like or three weeks. It’s an expense, so it's a bit prohibited, but they are planning on coming here for my dissertation so hopefully, yeah.  Interviewer (03:12 – 03:18) So, um, do you live in a Latin community here. Do you have like a, like a place you can practice here?  Ángel(03:18 –05:01): Bit of a sore spot cause ever since I moved here, um, I'm just going to revert back to following people that I love. Um, my ex-girlfriend, she had a very strong community with her, and some of those people were Latin American. And so ever, like the moment I stepped, like a foot in here, I thought I wanted for myself and I'm gonna have a bunch of maybe not Mexican friends but Latin American friends. But for some reason, it's been really hard for me. Um, I feel like I'm also older than most of the people that I hang out with. So sometimes I feel like that age difference made it a bit complicated. Also, a lot of the people that I ended up meeting here from Mexico were here and had circumstances different to mine. So, I was here in a somewhat privileged position where I have a permit, I have enough money to just do certain things, and my education level is different and sometimes those things will also become a barrier. Um the last thing is some of the people that I met here that have Latin American backgrounds because they also have this Canadian background, the energy matching is not fully there. So, I actually found a really nice community in dance. Um. I think that, again, it's just because it was here at the university’s Salsa Club, but again, because of the age difference, I feel like, uh, those connections weren't as strong. Um. Right now I only have the one friend that is Jillian and that I think that I have a very strong connection with, but he is just not available pretty much. And like so I feel like I still need to find that a way to find, yeah, my community here.   Interviewer(05:01 – 05:02): So, you found it hard?  Ángel (05:02 – 05:03): Yes.  Interviewer(05:03 – 05:10): But you did talk about like the salsa club at the university, tell us about that experience.   Ángel (05:10 – 07:34): So what like, just cause moving here was hard, not only becausse with my family, and culture shock, um I was pretty good at English I had to in order to study a Phd, but I still had some language barriers every now and then expression, or realise I didn't conjugate properly. Um. I moved here at the beginning of 2020, so right before the pandemic. And so, I would have been studying here for three months and then the pandemic hit, and you couldn't go see anyone or hang out with anyone. Um, I couldn’t go see my girlfriend at the time because at some point they even closed the borders between Quebec and Ontario. Um, so that was really hard, and I was very depressed, and then when I found the club, it was very stressful at first because I, being from Mexico, means that I have some rhythm and I can kind of dance but the way people dance here was a completely different level, something that I've never done, that I've never learned. And it was really hard for me. So, I was feeling also very, maybe it sounds silly but vulnerable because I was surrounded with these people that were way better dancers than I was. And I felt like that was one of my things like that I, how come I am so sucky at this thing that I should be better at? Um, and then as I got better, I, again, like I found people that I really looked up to. Uh, the leader of the club at that moment. She’s a fantastic person and I just think she's just like an innate leader and whatever she, like her personality was influencing me in a positive way, in such a strong way that I just wanted to be like her. I just wanted to be the person that lightened up the room and that made everyone feel welcome and safe, and I don't know. And I found a really nice community in there. But there were some issues, that again Its just because that I think that most of the people that were part of the club were way younger and [they] just approach issues in a different way that I would, and in the end I just ended up having issues with people that I thought were close friend of mine, and I just never heard back from them after that and I we just came apart in kind of an ugly way. And even though I'm part of a different club and what not it's kind of stupid because now these people are all there but the energy is different I don't feel the need to connect or anything it's like pretty much everyone is for themselves and whatever I'm here for dancing bey see you next week. It a lite bit hard to adapt but whatever. But in my experience, yeah.  Interviewer (07:34 – 07:41): When talking about your heritage and things like that, what kind of celebrations are really important to that bring you back to Mexico.  Ángel (07:41 – 10:16) : Particularly independence day which is also something I tell people here, um I guess this is kind of funny Cinco de mayo is not a big deal in Mexico it is a holiday and we don't go to work or school whatever on Cinco de mayo  but it's not the Mexican celebrations and in the states and here were everyone losses it about Cinco de mayo and at first I thought it was so stupid and silly but I've been living here for a while now and now that just one day that people go celebrate Mexican heritage and even though I know it's the stupidest thing that I go celebrate Cinco de mayo I go and celebrate Cinco de mayo  cause that when people want to listen Mexican music and drink tequila and go for tacos and **** like that so like, it's a bit silly to me  but I enjoy it. But aside from that the most important date in Mexico is September 15, which is Independence Day. And it’s really nice here, in Ottawa, the embassy organizes the ceremony. In Mexico we have a ceremony where the president comes out to the biggest square in the city and they recreate the call for arms from a famous priest that pretty much told everyone that we don't wanna live under the Spaniards realm so take off your arms and lets fight for our independence. So, every September 15, the president in term comes our to the balcony and yells out some things, and it’s kind of like long live all of the heroes that gave us our country, and they do that here in Ottawa, and they have music and people dancing and food, so I do that here. I think that the last one that is also important is Dia de loss Muertos.  I think that the last one that is also very important is the Dia de Muertos, which, um, people also thought here. Um, and I thought everyone, or most people understand or not understand. Most people can identify the symbolism of the other Dia de Loss Muertos. But for me, it's particularly important. I grew up in a Catholic, um, household and I'm not religious, but in Mexico, the Dia de loss Muertos are kind of like a pre-Hispanic or indigenous culture and Catholic European culture. And so, it's pretty much a date. I deliberate the people that are gone. And the original idea is that you just set up an offering with food and drinks and whatever, and overnight the souls of the people you love to come visit you and share a meal with you or whatever. Um, and it's weird cause I'm not Catholic. I’m also very, uh, aseptic about life after death. But I will set down one of these offerings with food and what not, and I will set a picture and whatever. And it's kind of ridiculous, but part of me does things like, okay, yeah, like, here's your food, here's your drinks. It’s, it's on, um, so I with those, those three, yeah.  Interviewer (10:16 – 10:23): And what’s interesting about those is, is even they don't necessarily believe in it. It's just the fact that they unite and they just bring you back to, to home.   Ángel (10:23 - 11:32): Yeah, definitely first night when I moved here, I didn't really hear Spanish at first, and it was very sad cause then my ex-girlfriend lives in Montreal, so I would go visit her every two weeks or so, and then everyone would speak. I would hear Spanish all the time and only Spanish, but I will be Mexico City Spanish frequently. And, and when I back here for the rest of the week or whatever, I just knew I would never hear it. And it was a bit sad for me. Um, and so now what I love is like a ragaton so popular now, even though it's not Mexican music in itself, but all of this Latin America culture that people are starting to embrace overall. And it's been, it's been, it's making with things that like I, for example, like ragaton and now I love it and I listen to it all the time. Uh, there are some Mexican music that I thought were so annoying and absurd, but now I just listen to them because I, sometimes I go back home and I go out with my cousins or my friends and whatever and they play music and I have no idea what's in the background. And it makes me feel a bit alienated as well now from my own country that I go back and I'm like, yeah, what's going on? I'm just listening to things that I never listen to in music and it's kind of funny.   Interviewer (11:32 – 11:38): Speaking of heritage celebrations, how do you celebrate your heritage here?  Ángel (11:38 - 14:48): I so um I feel I'm very unapologetic of being hum, Mexican and I feel fortunate enough to be living specifically in this country where I, I'm not afraid of people knowing that I'm from a different country, but also in this age because I've heard from some people, um, my girlfriend's parents heard that they didn't want to teach her French or Italian or whatever, which were the original languages because for them, it was just so important for her, for her to perform in English first and foremost, just because of the experiences they had when they were growing up. Um, so I, I don't, uh, one of the things that happened to me is I had to present that I conference and the conference, my presentation was recorded and for the longest time I thought that I didn't have an accent. I, I, I just, and then out of curiosity, I played back the presentation, and I listened to the first words that I said and I was like, oh my god, my accent is very thick. But I, instead of feeling ashamed or bad about it or trying to correct, I was like, no, you know what? Like cool that way, people that I'm not from here. And I'm always happy to talk about my country. I'm always happy to talk about the beautiful places, not only the beaches and the amazing food and the, um, super moving music are, um, yeah, yeah, it just makes me very proud to be Mexican. And one of the things that I did after I moved here is I got a tattoo from a Mexican, not even a Catholic, but like an indigenous Mexican. And so, I did it so that I would be always reminded of where I'm coming from. Um, but yeah, I like the way I speak, the way I dress, and the things that I just like to do. I, I just love about Mexico and people knowing that I'm from Mexico. Yeah, thank you. Well, now I unfortunately have to work a lot because I have to finish my pH. So that's one thing and then it's taking me so long that now a lot of the scholarships that I originally had have ended. And so, the cost of studying in itself has increased a lot. So, I also need to work part time in order to be able to cover those costs. But whenever I hang out with people because as I said, I don't really have a strong Latin community to go to here. So, my community is just made up of friends that are, yeah, like first of all but also have different backgrounds. And so sometimes we, um, I don't know, I have a friend that is from that has Salvadorian heritage. So sometimes we go and get, um, food from El Salvador. My friend is chilian and then like I, I just whenever we, I just Learned his language, like he's worth speaking Spanish in general. It’s just usually at together for dancing, so that is a big thing and getting something for food before, but I don't really have a specific community or Latin community to go to with whom I can share a lot more things or speaking Spanish completely for the whole day or something like that. So, it’s a very mixed culture approach. And I think that what brings us together is and or like connecting to Latin American heritage is whenever we get anything, yeah.  Interviewer (14:48 – 14:50): What are some values that you really attached to home?   Ángel (14:50 – 14:52): Values that I associate with home.  Interviewer (14:52 – 14:54): Yeah.  Ángel (14:54 – 17:20): Um, I feel like the important that we have as Mexicans that we're just super welcoming and we are, we're just happy things with everyone. We’re just, uh, I remember even before moving we're here, I would have some, uh, foreign friends studying at the university and then they would be just upald, I just met you and I'm like, hey, do you wanna like get dinner with? My mom's gonna make some food and like you just eat. And they would be like, I, I just met you literally. We've been talking for two hours. How do you know that I'm not a weirdo or something like you look cool. If, whenever you want, let's, yeah, let's just like to my, um, so that's one thing sometimes here, I feel it is lacking a bit and it would be nice for people to just be more open and, and welcoming. I feel I'm very open.I feel like I, I just, um, I'm bit of a book sometimes to my detriment. And so if you ask anything about me, most likely I will just tell you with like a background story and we'll just give away information for free. And I feel like a lot of people in Mexico also kind of like that. Um, and I feel like Mexico, we do have a strong sense of community, but, but I see it kind of like in your people that you hang out with and what not and just trying to be nice um to the people around you. And Mexico, it's just like this very strong. We're Mexican, this is what define us. This is, uh, yeah, if I find a person in any other country, you're just happy to know that, oh, you're from Mexico. Damn, like, okay, where are you? Like when you get here, you start building up in a friendship that is just out of the fact that you're just Mexican. Um, and, and, yeah, it's becoming a bit of a more relaxed way of seeing things and living life, trying to not take everything as seriously, um, particularly here, sometimes I just see that they're so stressed all the time, and they're just constantly working and not sleeping at all. And I remember when I was in university, it was hard, and there were days in or some weeks in which I wouldn't, wouldn't sleep, but never I can, that same level of, oh my God, like, if I don't do, my life is gonna crumble into pieces and whatever. I would go out and party, and I would, I would have bien time with my friend, not worry so much about the things that wouldn't go well. And I'm not sure that's a positive or negative because maybe Mexican people could benefit with more serious and stuff. Um, but probably those just, yeah, rather we are ourselves how welcoming we are to everyone outside of our communities and, yeah, how United and, and we are.   Interviewer (17:20 – 17:22): That’s really beautiful.  Ángel(17:22 – 17:24): Thank you.   Interviewer (17:24 – 17:29): Is there anything you would like share about yourself or your community that you think is important for us to know, apart from what you have already said.   Ángel (17:29 – 20:15): Um, here, not really again, I feel very safe in Canada. I feel, I feel like you understand a lot the importance of multiculturality. Um, yeah, like I know people in different countries from here and that is something that you don't really have in Mexico. It’s very, it's very homogeneous things that I've started to notice a bit, um, and this is not related to my community here, but it's, uh, there are an end of tourism whenever I go back. Mexico, some, some things now are starting to make me feel like my country is not my country anymore, um, in a sense that would be walking through some neighborhoods, and they are becoming more North American, and some rules are starting to apply differently there. I was there just in December, and some restaurants have their menus fully in English on display for everyone. And I don't like that. And I've heard from different people that sometimes tourists' kind of like act as places and then they are not used to whatever, um, habits or, or traditions are in. They just try to force the people from those places into accommodating for them or they're like, I never realized until I moved here that Porto Ajeta, I got is such a haven for people that just buy Condos and whatever and then just live there. And there are places near porto Ajeta that I visited and, and the people around the North Americanized communities are so poor... and it's just crazy to see a big ass rise with a ton of condos filled with white people and then you walk for five minutes more and then it's just a village of fisherman that it's just poor, dirt poor. Um. And so that is what I feel it would be very important for people to understand or for people to be more aware of whenever they're visiting Mexico or whenever they're buying property in Mexico, to know that Mexico is not your place to go get rich. Mexico is not your place to go exploit whatever advantages you have there that you don't have here. Because it, it's pretty much, um, it's kind of like modern colonization. It's just you bringing your resources and your power and just forcing people out of where they live and out of, out of their barely scraping by opportunities. And I want to like a condo in the floor where I can just get up and look at the sunrise and buy super cheap food because these people are barely able to pay for it. Um, so that is not entirely to hear, but every time I go back to Mexico and visit, it's more and more apparent how many foreigners there are there and, and how alienating sometimes feels for me. And I'm, I, I can, I speak I speak French and like, I I can, I felt some places in my, kind of, my country, so I cannot imagine how it is for, for Mexicans that do not have the same opportunities that I do. Yeah.  Interviewer (20:15 - 20:26): Okay, um, here we are about what food, talking about more foods um, kind of review actually, like prepare those here. Do you find a place that it doesn't feel that you need?   Ángel (20:26 – 22:03): Um, making food is hard, and I suck at cooking, so I try, I don't suck at cooking. I'm, I think that I'm a decent cook. I, it, I'm just not good at, and in terms of time, it takes me forever. So, something that my mom could make in 30 minutes, it will take me two hours. Uh, so I don't like cooking and because of that, it's harder. But I found some stores that have all the supplies that I would need if I wanted to make stuff funny enough. My girlfriend who is Canadian and her dad is Italian, and her mom is Dutch, she has made more Mexican dishes for me than the Mexican, like the complicated Mexican dishes I've done for myself. Um, but I do have certain things like Mole which is kind of just like a powder you cook someone fast and that I can make a bit more easily. Easiest food to find. Here are tacos and enchiladas. There are some places that have really nice tacos, so some of those very particular, there's a burrito, it's called Maria's Tacos, and they sell this thing called, uh, Longanesa which is kind of like a sausage but you're very Mexican style spices that you can only find in Mexico and here it's just hard to find. Longanesa is just not easy to get at any restaurant and that is a tiny place. It's a hole in the wall and that lady makes the best longanesa. So that is, that is one that I get a bite, and, yeah, like, it brings me, and yeah, like, it's hard to find more complex dishes. And sometimes I'm just scared to try them, cause I, I feel like if all ruined, I'm not gonna enjoy them. And I'm just gonna be complaining about them. So, yeah.  Interviewer (22:03 – 22:12): Okay, for the last question we have here, how likely would you or your family be to use the website we are creating for uploading your stories? And how would you use it if you were to use it?   Ángel (22:12 – 23:25): Um, my family is a bit hard, because I think that only my sister speaks a decent enough level of English to be able to use it. My dad speaks no English, and my mom barely, maybe my brother, but, yeah, it's just I don't think would use it. However, whilst trying to learn French, I've been trying to listen to. There’s this very silly Duolingo podcast that just shares stories from people, obviously from francophones, and those are really interesting to hear. It's cool to know, particularly from, from immigrants and for you to be aware of how you, as an immigrant living in a different country can make a difference, and how, like, the positive impact of things that you're doing have in, in the much larger. Only you're, like, Latin American friends’ words. So, in that regard, I, I would like to hear about other people's experiences of moving here, and, like, their own struggle. Sometimes I feel like it's so important to connect, like, also in the hardships and to know that yeah, this actually was kind of, like, hard for most really complicated for me to get over it. And, um, in spite of whatever to me, I still made it through. So that would be, that would, if it was everyone else.  Interviewer (23:25 – 23:35): That creates just consciousness, like, how people around you do not sharing their stories openly. Everybody’s going through something and coming to a different country, having your past. I think it's, it can be really hard.  Ángel (23:35 – 23:36): Yeah.  Interviewer (23:36 – 23:343): But you've expressed it really well, and we wanna thank you for joining us today, you are a very great speaker, and, yeah, thank you so much.   Ángel (23:43 – 23:46): Thank you Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data In person Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 23:46 min Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Conversation with Ángel Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">Ángel Albarrán-Ponce is a 33-year-old PhD student at the University of Ottawa who originally comes from Mexico City, Mexico. His experiences as an international student and member of Ottawa’s Latin American community highlight how immigrants maintain cultural connections while adapting to life in a new country. Ángel moved to Canada primarily for academic reasons and is currently pursuing doctoral studies, balancing a demanding research schedule with efforts to stay socially and culturally engaged. Ángel describes his daily routine as “really busy with work,” reflecting the intensity of graduate studies. Despite this, he prioritizes social connection during his free time. He enjoys attending salsa events in Ottawa, spending time with friends, and sharing meals, activities that allow him to maintain a sense of community while living abroad. These moments of connection are especially important for international students who may be far from family and familiar cultural environments. Maintaining cultural traditions is central to Ángel’s identity. He expressed pride in being Mexican and highlighted important celebrations such as Mexican Independence Day on September 15 and Día de los Muertos. For Ángel, participating in or remembering these traditions helps him stay connected to his cultural roots while living in Canada. During the interview, he described the Mexican community as “welcoming,” “united,” and “chill,” emphasizing a shared sense of openness and hospitality. These qualities help foster connections among individuals who may come from different countries but share similar cultural values and experiences as immigrants. At the same time, Ángel reflected on broader social issues affecting his home country.  He discussed what he called “modern colonization,” explaining that increased tourism and development in certain regions of Mexico have transformed local communities. From his perspective, these changes can leave residents feeling disconnected from their homeland as traditional ways of life are altered to accommodate outside influences. This insight highlights the complex relationship between globalization, tourism, and cultural preservation. Overall, Ángel’s experiences demonstrate how immigrants balance academic responsibilities, cultural identity, and community connections while living abroad. His reflections offer valuable insight into how members of Ottawa’s Mexican community maintain traditions, celebrate their heritage, and navigate the challenges of building a life far from home.</div> Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2026-03-09 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP3 - 19.6 MB Language A language of the resource English https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/6660c2c169b361591a41dbc115f4d2af.mp3 b4d08ad93094e41fd023a8925dfb4e26 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Latin American stories from Ottawa Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">Beginning in Winter 2025, Professor Laurie Weinstein in ANT3340: Latin American and the Caribbean created Anthroharvest with the goal of inspiring students to explore the diversity of our city through ethnographic interviews. This collection stands as a pillar of students' ongoing efforts to interview friends, family, and members of Ottawa's Latin American and Caribbean communities in surrounding areas. Our ultimate goal is to create an archive of stories for those who identify with the Latin American and Caribbean community, accessible at any time, that preserves knowledge and promotes their cultures. Our project remains ongoing as we learn and connect with new students and people across Ottawa and eastern Canada. We invite you to browse the stories collected by our students, listen to the audio recording, and read transcripts and biographies of those interviewed. </div> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Anonymous Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Niamh Margulis; Al Mohammed Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data On Zoom Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound Niamh: All right. So Al, do you want to take the first question and we can trade off from there? Al: Yeah, for sure. Al: Okay. So first question is like, what is your country of origin? Anonymous: So I'm from Uruguay or Uruguay. Whenever I pronounce the name of the country, it's a little tricky because it's such a small country and few people know about it, but I've heard it pronounced both ways. In Spanish, it would be Uruguay. Al: and yeah, like what brought you to Ottawa from like all the way from Uruguay? Anonymous: Well, no, I've been in Canada for many years now. I came first to Toronto, where I did my graduate, studies. And, yeah, so, so I've been in Canada now for at least 25 years. And, so the first, 10 years in Toronto, and then I got - once I finished my studies and I worked in Toronto for a while, I applied to university where I was hired, in 2007. So yeah, it's more than 17 years now at the University of Ottawa. Niamh: So, I guess you have family here. Anonymous: I do. I have - I have a big family. I have siblings. So, I have sisters in Toronto and nephews and nieces and all. And in Ottawa, of course I live with my own family with my wife. We don't have children. Al: Have you ever like found a community in Ottawa or, how has that been? Yeah. Anonymous: Well, I’m not, I don't really, no, I don't think I'm connected to any community in, in Ottawa. I basically, the people I interact with are people that I've met through work at the university. But I don't have like - I'm not really integrated into a community or participate in activities, here in Ottawa. Anonymous: I might go to a community, you know, they are in the summer, for example, a Latin festivals and things of the sort or, or, cinema series or something like that, that often embassies organize or things of.. But, that is my connection to basically community, to community activities. And then just, yeah, a couple of friends. I do have, I guess all my connections are back in Toronto where I have family and I, theirs were established sort of, I was really integrated there. Anonymous: Ottawa has been a bit of an exile for, for us in that sense, but we often go to Toronto because I have a big family there and, we, we have a birthday every other week, you know, nephews and nieces. And, so yeah, I think much of our social life takes place in, in Toronto. Al: Great! Niamh: I guess the next question that we have to ask you is, are there any like celebrations that are important to you that you experienced within that community? I guess you were saying birthdays? Anonymous: Well, for sure. birthdays are very important and something you must attend and buy presents for. So, you cannot miss them unless you have a very, very good excuse. So yes, we were in Toronto, on Saturday for a birthday. The second birthday, celebrated for one of my nephews because he celebrated his real biological birthday, in January in Uruguay, but he needed to have his Canadian birthday celebrated as well. So this was the second birthday. Anonymous: yeah, so that would be for sure. plus of course, things like Christmas, parts of, you know, just, just not for religious reasons, but just part of a cultural, you know, practices. So it would be certainly Christmas, New Year. it would be, for example, Easter - Easter Friday, and things of the sort that would lead to, gatherings for sure. And perhaps another event that sometimes we participate in our activities around, for example, the country's independence, which is August 25th. Anonymous: Sometimes people do like barbecues, in Toronto, there is such as, what they call an Uruguayan club. So a club of the community. And sometimes we have attended those events on that day. Al: Cool. So that's like a way you like celebrate your heritage. Yes. Anonymous: Yes. I don't think about it that way because I think that in a way my heritage is very much living in me because I came here already as an adult, but, I can certainly see how it is critical for my nephews and nieces who are growing up here. And, I see it, for example, because I would never put on a T-shirt with the name of my country, but all my nephews who struggle to speak in Spanish, they all wear it. Anonymous: So clearly the part of reconnecting with the community is critical for, for them. So, yeah. Niamh: Are there any, I guess, cultural values that you really hold dear, as Anonyma member of the Uruguayan diaspora community?  Anonymous: Cultural, values… Anonymous: Um.. haha… Anonymous: I haven't thought about it. I think more perhaps is the values that were communicated by my family as opposed to the values of the country, I guess. I think that informed, my life more. ous: Just, whatever my parents taught me about how I should behave, how I should be towards others, issues of respect or things like that. But… yeah, I don't think, I don't think that I'm connected to the values of the country in that sense. And perhaps because it's not a, perhaps if it were a religious country or something, perhaps, like, I don't think I got in from the country itself, values that I am, I share them, but not, I don't know. I, I just think more about a, of a family thing as opposed to a country. Niamh: Okay. Yeah. Al: Um, yeah, I have another question. So like within like your family or like, are people, you know, do you speak a different language besides English or…? Anonymous: I do. I, I never, I only speak English with you right now. And, when I teach at the university, I also teach French courses as well. Of course it's in French. But, the language I speak at home is Portuguese. Anonymous: That's what I speak most of the day is not my native tongue, but it is my wife's language and we speak what she likes. And, and then of course, with my family, we speak Spanish, but the language I use regularly is Portuguese. Yes. Niamh: Nice. I think that we're at number 10. What foods do you make to remind yourself of, I guess, your culture? Are there any foods that like bring, bring up a lot of memories for you? Anonymous: The key food that brings, memories would be, beef. Anonymous: I come from a very carnivorous culture. I guess you can compare it here to Alberta or Texas in the U S it's a cattle raising country. The whole country is full of cows. They are something like a hundred cows per inhabitant. And, it's what the country exports is just a big grassland area. Uruguayans are the largest consumers of meat per capita in the world. And, it's average, you eat at least half a kilo of beef. Grilling meat is something very special, I guess. And just the - not only eating the beef but also grilling it. Anonymous: Just the idea of, of, of cooking that outside and things like that. That is often what, what I do when we meet with my family, we're always arranging who buys, what type of meat for the barbecue and things of this sort, that would be a central, food, that that's what I think is.  Anonymous: I would underline that, that as a key element and not only the consumption, but, the ceremonies around the consumption and preparing beef. Niamh: Are there any, I guess, shops in Ottawa specifically that you go to purchase food? Anonymous: Unfortunately, no, they're all in Toronto, because people consume a lot. There are, basically what is the, this is this, the eating meat is very much connected to Brazil and Argentina. So there are big butcher shops in Toronto that just working with those communities. But here, no. So normally what we do when we go to Toronto, it means that we also have to go to the Uruguayan butcher shop to buy what we need to consume here in Ottawa. Anonymous: It's not that, of course there is beef here, but it has to do with the way you cut the cuts that are very, are very, yes, different or types of sausages and things of this sort. Al: Does that include like spices and seasonings as well, or just like? Anonymous: No, the only, we do two things. We put salt, that's it. And, something you can do is put a little sauce, sometimes, which we now is, has become popular in North America. You can buy in supermarkets, even here in Norway is called chimichurri, which is something we, basically make by adding, combining parsley, oregano leaves and pepper and things like that. And we put some vinegar and oil and, and we just then can put that on top of, of the meat. Niamh: I'm just checking to see what the next one would be. I guess the next question is how likely would you and or your family be to use the website that we are creating to upload stories for, what was the last next half the question? how would you, use it? We're making a website - It’s just going to have a transcript of this interview as well as a short blurb detailing it. Do you think that you're ever going to check it? Anonymous: Well, I, I can certainly, yes, I will check it out what I said after, but then I can also, I'm sure if I share it with my sisters, they would, be interested in, or even make some of my, older nephews, look at it and visit. They are very big on that. And I must say that I'm perhaps not the best person in my family to talk about heritage and all that, but my sisters, I guess, because they have children that are growing up, are always working very hard to, connect them with our family history, who we are and so on. So I think, the moment I shared with them that they would look at it. I'm not, of course, I'm sure they would not agree with some of the things I said here. Anonymous: They will find me that I could have been more somehow Uruguayan in my answers or, or, or something. Niamh: Well, you are who you are! Niamh: Do you have any other comments or things that you just wanted to say? Anonymous: I don't know. Anonymous: No, I don't think so. I do feel that, just because I work at the University of Ottawa, I find that being a professor, and just working in an institution of higher learning, sometimes, we are less connected somehow to the community, as opposed to other people who work in other professions, other trades, other things. Anonymous: I find that perhaps I, just because of my profession, I tend to feel very comfortable, spending a lot of time on my own and not being - you know - very social or doing engaged in social activities. I can spend 24 hours reading absolutely no problem. And I have a fantastic time just doing that. Anonymous: So, I, I guess that makes me in a way to be less integrated, just because of the nature of my profession and the fact that I just enjoy being on my own, studying, reading, researching, and so on. Niamh: I think I saw that you, teach, and, and study a lot of literature and philosophy. Anonymous: Yeah, yeah, exactly. That's my field. So I'm, I'm in, you know, I'm in the oral languages department and we have a program there, the Spanish and Latin American studies program. And, so I, that is my focus of my research is really when it comes to research literature and just Latin American culture. Niamh: And so, yes. I think that's everything for, the interview. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Conversation with Anonymous Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2025-03-12 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP3, 15 min 00 s. Language A language of the resource English Description An account of the resource Anonymous is from Uruguay and immigrated to Canada. They Came to Toronto 25 years ago to start their graduate studies and 10 years later moved to Ottawa to be a professor. Anonymous speaks Portuguese, English, and French but mainly uses Portuguese when talking to their family. They have a larger community in Toronto since most of their family and Uruguayan community are integrated there. Anonymous often travels between cities for celebrations, Uruguayan food items, and gatherings with their community. Eating food at family gatherings is important to their culture. Uruguayan culture consists of a meat heavy diet that grills large amounts of beef. Toronto is the only place where they can find Uruguayan style beef. Anonymous is not integrated into Ottawa’s Latin community. https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/77b56a0b883619cf561402c682396af1.mp3 12c32569663634fea5c0b7e96fbb5e93 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Latin American stories from Ottawa Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">Beginning in Winter 2025, Professor Laurie Weinstein in ANT3340: Latin American and the Caribbean created Anthroharvest with the goal of inspiring students to explore the diversity of our city through ethnographic interviews. This collection stands as a pillar of students' ongoing efforts to interview friends, family, and members of Ottawa's Latin American and Caribbean communities in surrounding areas. Our ultimate goal is to create an archive of stories for those who identify with the Latin American and Caribbean community, accessible at any time, that preserves knowledge and promotes their cultures. Our project remains ongoing as we learn and connect with new students and people across Ottawa and eastern Canada. We invite you to browse the stories collected by our students, listen to the audio recording, and read transcripts and biographies of those interviewed. </div> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Anonymous Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Abigail Grant Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data On Zoom Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound Interviewer: Hello everyone and a warm welcome to my interviewee, whose name will remain anonymous throughout our discussion. First, I want to say thank you for agreeing to be here today and, more specifically, for being a part of my study for my anthropology of Latin America and Caribbean class. My name is Abigail Grant, and this interview is part of a project with three main goals. First, to develop my skills in conducting ethnographic interviews. Second, to better understand the cultural vibrancy of Latin American and Caribbean communities in Ottawa. And third, to contribute to a Latin American and Caribbean Community Archive that can be publicly assessed and used as a tool for people to connect with and celebrate their cultural roots. With these goals in mind, your insights and experiences as someone from the area are crucial, extremely valuable, and appreciated, so thank you again for being here. Whenever you're ready, we can begin our journey and take a look at the questions that I have prepared for us today. Interviewee: Absolutely. For sure. Interviewer: Perfect. Interviewee: It’s a pleasure being here. Interviewer: We’ll just get into it then. So, number one, what is your country of origin? Interviewee: I am originally from the Dominican Republic. I was born and raised over there. Interviewer: Amazing. So, what brought you to Ottawa? Interviewee: Well, initially it was the fact that I needed to go to school, but at the same time, what brought me to Ottawa, in specific, was my sister. My sister was living in Ottawa for about five years before I moved there. She married a Canadian guy, and so they had my nephews and everything. They originally moved to Montreal, but then after a few years they decided to base their family in Ottawa, until I joined them, when I was ready to go to school. Interviewer: That’s awesome. That’s awesome. So, you do have family here, and do you see them frequently? Interviewee: Yes. So, for the longest time we all lived together, and when I say all, I mean my sister and brother-in-law, and my two nephews, their two kids. But also, my older brother is currently in Ottawa as well, with his wife and my other nephew, who was also born in Ottawa. And then my Dad, his wife, and my younger brother are also living in Ottawa. So, at one point we were all living in the same house. And then, little by little, everyone, you know, my sister was able to buy a house, so was my brother, so they started moving out with their families. And we see each other once a week, sometimes even more, we’re always together. Interviewer: That’s amazing. That’s awesome. So, okay, do you live in a Latin community or neighborhood where people speak Spanish and or Portuguese and celebrate various related occasions, or? Interviewee: Not really. We do have some friends that we visit often to celebrate whatever occasion that there might be going on, but I don’t live in a Latin community. Interviewer: Yeah. Interviewee: Nobody speaks Spanish where I live or anything like that. Interviewer: Awe. So, what celebrations are most important to you? Interviewee: I would say anything that has to do with my family, so like birthdays or Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, things like that. Christmas is a big part of what we celebrate as well. Christmas is like a super huge deal in the Dominican. Interviewer: Okay. Interviewee: I would say those are the main ones. Interviewer: Would you say it, like, differs? It is more, I don’t know. Do you find that you celebrate it more or have more emphasis on these things compared to [other] people who live here, or would you say it’s about the same? Interviewee: I would say it’s about the same. Of course, there might be a few exceptions, but overall, in Latin America, people celebrate Christmas, it goes a long way. Interviewer: Yeah. That’s interesting. Can you describe a typical day in your community? Interviewee: Well, for my community I’m going to describe my family, because that’s the closest thing I know. A typical day would be, you know, waking up, taking the kids to school, going to work, and then we’ll have supper together at the end of the day. Breakfast is really not that traditional, but supper its usual we’ll have something very Dominican, very traditional. Interviewer: That’s awesome. What would you... What’s a good meal that would have? Interviewee: We have something called sancocho, which is like a stew with a lot of meat. It can be both beef and chicken, sometimes pork, all mixed in, with a lot of... My gosh, it has everything, it's like a huge soup, or like a stew, because it’s very thick. And you put plantains, yucca, things like that, in it. You can put corn. It’s like everything together, mixed in. Interviewer: Nice! Interviewee: We also eat a lot of rice. Interviewer: Yeah. Interviewee: That’s one that we mix in with everything as well. Yeah, that would be how we finish the day. Interviewer: Good to know! Yeah. What are some values that you hold most dear as a member of the Latin/Carribean community? Interviewee: I would say the fact that everything is very family oriented. Families are always your priority. You’re always thinking of ways to make your family members lives easier and how to, for example, as an example, I always think of... For example, if I’m renting a house, or if I’m getting a new job I always think of how close to my nephew’s school, for example, in case they need me. My first car that I got, it was just for me, so, you know, I could’ve gotten away with a smaller car, but because I know I have a big family I decided to get an SUV. Things like that. Like we’re always thinking about how the community, in my case my family, would need me. Interviewer: Yeah. Interviewee: And that is how each of us thinks of each other. Like, how we can help each other, how we can be close to each other, kind of thing. Interviewer: That’s amazing. That’s so cute. I love that. So, I guess I asked you something similar, but how do you celebrate your heritage when you’re in Ottawa? Interviewee: The main one would be the language for me. I think language has really shaped the way people see the world and how they express their feelings and things like that. So, we try to, as I said before my nephews were born in Canada, they were born in Ottawa, and for them to speak English, but we really try to force them to speak Spanish. It’s the language that we grew up speaking. Obviously, that’s the language I speak to my dad, for example. He barely speaks English. And that's the language I speak to my siblings. It’s just easier. That’s one of the things that I celebrate the most and how I embrace my culture because, as I said before, your language really shapes the way you see the world, in that sense. So that would be the main one. Interviewer: That’s awesome. That’s amazing. What would you like to share about yourself or your community that you think is important for people to know? Interviewee: I would say that a lot of people say Latins are loud, which is completely fair. But, it’s the fact that we’re very passionate about everything. So, if you’re going... If you see me and my siblings talking, for example, we can just be discussing what we’re making for dinner, and it sounds like we’re having this big argument and it’s really just how passionate we are about absolutely everything. As I said before, everything centers around your family. So, family comes first, everything else is last, or second, I shouldn’t say last. Yeah. And that’s something that a lot of people don’t really understand, but if they did, they would understand why we do what we do. Interviewer: Yeah. Interviewee: They would understand just more, yeah. Interviewer: Yeah, that’s a good answer. Awesome. Thank you. What foods do you make that remind you of home and where do you purchase those groceries to prepare the traditional meals? Interviewee: That’s a great question. At my house, we... Everything that we eat is very very traditional. In the Dominican, at like for lunch, at lunch time, we usually have something called la bandera which is called the flag, the Dominican flag. I think that’s usually rice, some sort of protein, that’s usually chicken, but it can be beef, it can be pork, anything really. And then beans. We do, like a... But it’s not refried beans, it's just beans. The regular beans. Interviewer: Yeah. Interviewee: That’s what we would eat most days, almost every single day, and that’s across the entire Dominican Republic. So, that’s families from both lower and middle, and higher income. That’s what everyone does, like a variation of that. And whenever we get fancy, we do something like sancocho, which is the big stew that I mentioned before. It’s like a big soup. I’m trying to think of something else. Oh, in the Dominican we have this dessert that we usually eat around Holy Week. It’s called, gosh... sweet beans! It’s like beans, but you make them with milk and sugar. It sounds disgusting, but I promise it’s really really good. It’s really really tasty. It’s really good. And where we buy them... We usually don’t have trouble finding those, those things. Walmart is a really good place where we go. There’s FreshCo, they usually have [inaudible]. I was going to say Food 4 Less, but that’s not it. I can’t remember the name of that grocery store. It’s, like, green and the letters are yellow. Interviewer: Oh... Foodland? No... I know what you’re talking about. Interviewee: Its Food Basics. Interviewer: Oh, yes. Oh, yes. Okay. So, they have everything? Interviewee: That’s it. That’s it. They pretty much have everything. Yeah. In the international aisle, they usually do have everything. And there’s a few stores here and there in Ottawa that are very... they are Latin. I can’t remember their names right now. But if you need something very specific from a different region, they might have it. Interviewer: That’s good that we... that there are those stores though. Interviewee: Yeah, we have no struggle whatsoever finding our stuff. In Ottawa. Interviewer: That’s good. Interviewee: In Ottawa. Interviewer: Good. Yeah. Alright. So, the second last question I’ll ask you is, how likely would you and or your family be to use the website we are creating for uploading your stories? And how would you use it? [pause] and how would you use it? Yeah. Interviewee: I would probably use it the most, with my nephews, I would say. So that they understand [pause] why we do what we do, and that they also see that other Latin families do something very similar. So that they know they belong somewhere. You know. They, they... We celebrate things and do things similar to other people that come from where we come from as well, so for them to feel part of a community and have that feeling of belonging. I would most likely use it with my nephews. Interviewer: That’s amazing. Interviewee: They need something like that. Interviewer: Yeah. No, that’s amazing. At least, at least it would come into use in some way. That’s great. Interviewee: Yeah! Interviewer: Okay. So, the last thing is, do you have any other comments or concerns, like, anything you’d like to say at all? I know I’m putting you on the spot, but. Interviewee: Yeah. Yeah. No, that’s great. Because it’s really interesting that there even is a course studying our culture. I think that’s really good for me as a Dominican, because I am both Latin and I live in the Caribbean, so I have both of those backgrounds. So, it’s really interesting that, you know, our cultures and heritage are being studied, and that you actually can learn about us. I think that’s great, so I’m really happy that you’re taking that course. Interviewer: Thank you so much for doing this! I appreciate it so much. And we’ll talk... I’ll end the meeting now but thank you again. Interviewee: Of course, no problem! Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Conversation with Anonymous Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2025-03-11 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP3, 11 min 34 s Language A language of the resource English Description An account of the resource Our Dominican-born interviewee moved to Ottawa, Canada, for higher education and family connections. Their sister's presence in Ottawa influenced their relocation, and over time, other family members likewise settled there, forming a strong support system. Despite living in separate homes, their family remains close-knit, frequently gathering for meals and celebrations. Cultural preservation is central to the interviewee's identity, with language playing a key role. Spanish is actively spoken at home, ensuring younger generations maintain fluency. Celebrations such as Christmas, birthdays, and Father's Day reinforce their heritage. Dominican holiday traditions, including festive gatherings, music, and food, are preserved within their family. Culinary traditions further connect the interviewee to their Dominican roots. They highlight "sancocho," a hearty stew, and "la bandera," a meal of rice, beans, and protein, as cultural staples. Access to Latin American ingredients in Ottawa supports their ability to cook traditional dishes. Overall, the interviewee underscores the challenges of cultural preservation while adapting to a new society. Their experiences provide insight into the immigrant experience in Ottawa, reflecting the importance of family, language, and tradition in maintaining cultural identity. https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/5557acab2bdad31c47f74fb4ade4b1fd.mp3 491d397c49be5c2542b24a0526dcf558 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Latin American stories from Ottawa Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">Beginning in Winter 2025, Professor Laurie Weinstein in ANT3340: Latin American and the Caribbean created Anthroharvest with the goal of inspiring students to explore the diversity of our city through ethnographic interviews. This collection stands as a pillar of students' ongoing efforts to interview friends, family, and members of Ottawa's Latin American and Caribbean communities in surrounding areas. Our ultimate goal is to create an archive of stories for those who identify with the Latin American and Caribbean community, accessible at any time, that preserves knowledge and promotes their cultures. Our project remains ongoing as we learn and connect with new students and people across Ottawa and eastern Canada. We invite you to browse the stories collected by our students, listen to the audio recording, and read transcripts and biographies of those interviewed. </div> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Arturo Ortega Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Alice Cordeiro Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data In person Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound Alice: Hello. Thank you so much for agreeing to take part in this interview with me today. We are so excited to be learning more about Latin American communities here, specifically in Ottawa, and it is amazing that you are able to share some of your stories with us. Arturo: Oh, it's a pleasure. Don't worry. I'm glad to help. Alice: That's great. Before we get started, I just wanna liceconfirm that you are okay with participating in this interview, that it is completely voluntary, your participation? Arturo: Of course. Yeah. There's no problem. Alice: Alright. Great. Then let's get into the first question. So first and foremost, what is your country of origin? Arturo: Well, I was born in Mexico, so I come from there. Alice: Okay. That sounds good. What part of Mexico are you from? Arturo: I am from Mexico City, the capital. Alice: Love Mexico City. It's a very, very nice place, but also very busy. Arturo: Yeah. It's very it's a very big city. It has a lot of people, so it can get very hectic at at times. Alice: What's your favorite part about the city? Arturo: I like that it has a lot of museums. I think it's 1 of the cities with the most museums, at least in Latin America, but not in the world. Alice: Oh, wow. That is so cool. Anyway, what brought you to Ottawa? Arturo: Well, I came here because of a relationship. I moved here with my partner, but I also came to study a master. Alice: That sounds amazing. Where is your partner from? Is she also from Latin America? Arturo: Yeah. She is. She's from Brazil. Alice: And what's your master's? What program are you doing here at UOttawa? Arturo: Well, I came [...] I got registered at the official languages and bilingualism institute here in UOttawa, and I am part of the master's in bilingualism studies. Alice: That sounds very interesting. And that honestly brings me to my next question. Do you have family here? Did they come with you, like, when you moved? And if you do, do you see them frequently? Arturo: No. I didn't come with anyone. I came here by myself. Although I am with my partner, I didn't really come with any family, so I don't see them as often other than through the phone. Alice: Oh, that must make it a little bit tough. Do you do you keep in touch with them? And what are some things that you do that bring you close to home? Arturo: It's definitely different. I wouldn't say it's hard, but it does come with its challenges. Could you repeat the question, please? Alice: Oh, yes. Of course. I was just asking, what are some things that you do that bring you closer make you feel at home or, like, remind you of your home and make you, let's say, miss Mexico a little less? Arturo: Well, there's definitely some things that I do. The first thing that comes to my mind is food. Although the ingredients are very different here and quite expensive, I would say. Making food that I know from Mexico, like, makes me feel makes me feel closer to my home. I also like to go to events and try to talk with people who speak Spanish, you know, which is the language from Mexico. Arturo: And, yeah, I think that's that's about it. Alice: Oh, that sounds all very nice. And do you then live in a Latin American community or a neighborhood in which you can speak Spanish, as you just said, to, like, to other people or with people from Mexico maybe? Arturo: No. Not at all. The place where I live doesn't have a lot of people who are Latinos as far as I'm concerned. It is honestly very different because in Mexico, you're used to knowing your neighbors. Right? Arturo: And you would talk to them, and you would see them all the time. So you would know who lived in every house, and you would talk with people. But here, it's very different. People are more distant with each other, and neighbors barely talk. So I couldn't tell you if people from where I live are Latinos, but I haven't seen anyone. Arturo: The contact that I have with people from Latin America that I mentioned before is just from people who you find in the mall, in university, you hear them speak in Spanish, and you go and talk to them. Or you go to these events that are made for Mexican people or for the Latin community, and that's where you find them. Alice: Oh, I see. I see. But then do you have contact with other people from the Latin American community that are part of the Latin American community in Ottawa? Do you maybe celebrate some events? And what are some events that you guys celebrate in Mexico that you appreciate and really like? Arturo: Oh, that's a very nice question. As I mentioned before, like, at least in within my neighborhood, there's not a lot of people, but but, yeah, like, you always make friends and even sometimes you don't even, like, exchange numbers or even know, like, how's the other person the other person's name. But, yeah, definitely, I have some friends. As I mentioned also, my partner and her family are from Latin America, so there's that 1 that is the closest 1. But, yeah, I definitely have friends. Arturo: I hang out with them. Regarding the events, well, I'll start with the ones from Mexico. There are quite a bit that I really, really enjoy. The first 1 that comes to mind is Día de los Muertos, or day of the dead. Another very representative 1 is Independence Day in Mexico. Arturo: Yeah. Those are the 2 that come to mind right now. And, yeah, I sort of celebrate them here in Ottawa. I'm pretty recent. I am a pretty recent [...] I'm someone who arrived here pretty recently. Arturo: So yeah, I haven't had the chance to be through all the events on the year, but I had chance to be on these 2, the Independence Day is in September, and Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, it's in November at the beginning. So, yeah, I've been to both, and it's pretty nice because you find people from your country, like, almost exclusively from your country, and you find food from there. There are vendors who do that or products from Mexico, and it really brings you back to how the culture and the events are lived in Mexico. For example, last time I was here in well, not last time. Last September, I was here in the September 15. Arturo: That is Independence Day. Yeah. There is an event here in downtown that is organized by the embassy of Mexico where they do the the same celebration that we would do in Mexico. It's the cry of independence, which is a historical event that is celebrated. Normally, the president is the 1 who does it and the governors of sometimes cities, sometimes the whole states. Arturo: But here, the ambassador of Mexico goes on a stand and does the cry. There's a lot of people there, and we do some celebrations. As I mentioned before, they bring food that is from Mexico that you can buy, which is pretty, pretty nice. You get to join the spirit of the celebration. And, well, as Mexico is a place with a lot of dancing in the culture, there's also a lot of music, and you can dance while you go there. [00:08:34.920] - Arturo: And I've heard of this big parade that it's also done in for this event, but for this day, I'm sorry. But I don't really know what that 1 is about. Alice: Wow. I'll definitely have to attend to the next 1. That sounds really fun and really interesting. Arturo: You should. Alice: Okay. Alice: Thanks for the invitation. Maybe you can show me around to the next 1. Arturo: Definitely. Alice: Awesome. I'm gonna hold you to that. Well, since we're talking about celebrations, which celebrations are the most important to you, like, that you celebrate in Mexico? Arturo:Well, I mentioned 1 of them. Day of the dead, Dia de los Muertos is a very is 1 that I really, really enjoy. It is [...] It has transformed itself from what it was, which has its roots in, like, pre Hispanic culture, but it has now transformed in a way which is in which is very similar to Halloween. If you saw the movie Coco, then you saw a little bit of how it is. It still holds its traditions. Arturo: There are some nice things like putting the altar for the people to remember them, feeling like they visit you and prepare the food, like, brings you closer to those feelings of loss that you may have felt and lets you celebrate them in a way. I think it's a very beautiful tradition. And yeah, it's one that is very very representative. The other one if I had to choose. Well Mexico shares a lot of celebrations with the rest of the world. Just for me personally I think I could say Christmas. Arturo: We also celebrated in Mexico, and it holds the same meaning. Although sometimes it's overlooked a little bit, and it's just seen as a celebration. But, yeah, we we give it our own touch. We [...] You probably know pinatas. So we have pinatas on the on the day. Arturo: We prepare Mexican dishes there are gifts, there are celebrations, music, and, normally, it's an it's an excuse for family to to get together and celebrate and enjoy each other's company. So I think that's a very nice 1. Arturo: Yeah. I think those 2 would be the most notorious ones and the way the ones I enjoy, but there's a lot of them that I really like and enjoy celebrating. Alice: Oh, wow. That is so interesting. I absolutely love Coco. It's such a cute movie, and it sounds like a very beautiful tradition. Also, I love Christmas as well. Alice: Christmas is such a great holiday, and it's so interesting that you guys have your own take on it, having the pinatas and everything. That's all very nice. Alright. Changing the subject a little bit. Alice: Could you describe maybe a typical day in your community here in Ottawa or maybe back at home, but, like, maybe the a contrast of both? Arturo: Yeah. I could do both pretty quick. At day here with my community, it's it's a little weird to describe because as I mentioned before, there is not really a big community that I'm a part that I'm a part of on a day to day basis. So a normal day for me, it's I wouldn't know how to describe it. Live the best that I can in Canada as I was as a Mexican. Arturo: But, yeah, like, which, yeah, it is very different as in Mexico. As I mentioned before, well, I think we are very social in Mexico, and you get to know your neighbors. You know? If you go out to walk to take a walk, go to the market, or go anywhere, you will probably find at least someone who will say hi, or even if you don't know the person, but they are friendly, they will say hi to you, which is very nice. Arturo: it's it's not the best for introverts, but it's very nice for people who enjoy this. So in comparison, it's I would say it's the socialization aspect is what's very different. Here in Canada, unless you are with some people that are part of your culture, you would socialize very differently or barely. Whereas in your country or, for me, in Mexico, there would be a lot of socialization. Alice: Awesome. Yeah. When I went to Mexico, I did certainly notice that Mexicans are very, very social. Alright. This might touch a little bit on what you have already discussed, but how do you celebrate your heritage here in Ottawa being away from your country? Arturo: Yeah. I think, yeah, I think we touched on it. In general, I would say, just to not repeat myself that much, I would say the food, going to events that that are celebrated also in Mexico, making, yeah, like, just keeping in contact with people from the same roots. Alice: Yeah. That sounds great. And what are some values that you hold most dear? Like, as a member of this community, of the Latin American community, what are some, like, values that you think are so important as a part of who you are? Arturo: I think that's a very deep question. I don't know if I can answer that right away or completely, but I think something that I hold very dear about myself that is, like, representative of the Latinos is the warmth that we give. We are people who are very affectionate, and we don't have the we have no fear in showing it and telling people that we love them and we care for them. I think that's something that I really, really enjoy. Alice: Those are really beautiful values, and they're great values, I believe, to hold. What would you like to share about yourself and your community that you think it's important for people to know? Maybe a misconception or something that people just don't know about. Arturo: Yeah. I think there's this big misconception that just because us Latinos have a lot of celebration and really enjoy the celebrations that we don't work as hard as other people. Like, it is true that, for example, in Mexico, we have a lot of days where we don't work because there's a holiday even though it's not related to big, big celebration. Like, constitution day, flag day. Sometimes we take those as days not to work, but but that is sometimes taken badly, and it's just considered as if we didn't work hard enough. Alice: Yes. That is definitely a big misconception, and it sounds like a very bad stereotype that people might have. I'm really glad that you're able to share this here, and, more people will see it and understand a little bit more about this culture. Arturo: Yeah. I hope so too. That'd be nice. Alice: Yeah. Going back to the trend of celebrations and things that how you celebrate your heritage and things that bring you close to home, what foods do you like to make that remind you of home, and where would you get the the groceries to prepare these meals? Arturo: Well, it's it's a little difficult because you cannot find all the ingredients or, like, the favorite foods that I would think of making. But, yeah, I think there are certain ways where you can find them. There's this dish that is called cochinita pibil, which is basically pulled pork with a sauce with orange and something called achiote that I've been very lucky, I think, to find. And I have gotten this ingredient, which would be the hardest 1, achiote, at loblaws. So, yeah, I haven't had that much problem finding that. Arturo: And I know of land markets that have products from here, so maybe I could find them there, but as for me, with these dishes, I think it has been a little easy to do, but I know some other things like tortillas or different things I couldn't find that easily.   Alice: Yes. I understand your struggle. I've had the same problems trying to find the foods from my own community as well. But I'm glad that you've been able to find some of these groceries to make the foods that you really enjoy and that bring you close to home. Alright.  Alice: And then to our next question, how likely do you think you and or your family be to use this website that we are creating for uploading these interviews to share the stories of the Latin American community? Arturo: Yeah. For sure. I don't really know what it is about, but if it's just for interviews, I think it would be nice to hear what other people from different countries, not even just Latinos, think of of how or how they celebrate and get close to their roots. I think it would be very nice. Alice: Yes. And I believe that is exactly 1 of the main reasons as to why make a website It's also that so everybody can learn a little bit more about these each individual cultures that make up the Latin American community and see how they're able to navigate their life in Ottawa. In conclusion, we would like to better serve the community. So do you think you have any suggestions about the access to the website or maybe things that should be posted? Anything that you'd like to say about the website? Arturo: Well, if the website is related to just 1 community as, for example, the Latinas or 1 nationality, I think going to events that represent this community and maybe making posts about it, interviewing people about them, and start some sort of, like, blog where the community could go and look for other experiences and maybe support. Who knows? I think that could be very nice if, yeah, if it work as some sort of social media of sorts. Alice: Wow. That is actually a very interesting take. I hadn't even thought of that or even heard anybody think of that. That is such a nice way to be able to share more about these communities. Do you have any other comments or concerns about this interview or the or the website? Arturo: No. I'm just thank you very much for including me in the in the interviews. I look forward to taking a look at your website and learn about other people. Alice: Alright. And thank you so much for for taking part in this interview. It's greatly appreciated. Arturo: Thank you. No problem. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Conversation with Arturo Ortega Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2025-03-20 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP3, 20 min 18s Language A language of the resource English Description An account of the resource Arturo is twenty-eight years old and born in Mexico City. He lived in Ixtapaluca, Mexico, before moving to Ottawa in August 2024. Arturo is taking his master's in bilingualism studies at the OLBI department. Arturo enjoys cooking Mexican food and attending Latin American events throughout the city to celebrate his heritage and feel closer to home. While he didn't move with any family, he is engaged to a Brazilian woman and enjoys spending time with her and her family. https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/c8b6176a7082f505fad5274642e81718.mp3 ef95413dbfe0773281065d5f93551ce5 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Latin American stories from Ottawa Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">Beginning in Winter 2025, Professor Laurie Weinstein in ANT3340: Latin American and the Caribbean created Anthroharvest with the goal of inspiring students to explore the diversity of our city through ethnographic interviews. This collection stands as a pillar of students' ongoing efforts to interview friends, family, and members of Ottawa's Latin American and Caribbean communities in surrounding areas. Our ultimate goal is to create an archive of stories for those who identify with the Latin American and Caribbean community, accessible at any time, that preserves knowledge and promotes their cultures. Our project remains ongoing as we learn and connect with new students and people across Ottawa and eastern Canada. We invite you to browse the stories collected by our students, listen to the audio recording, and read transcripts and biographies of those interviewed. </div> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Carlos Gnecco Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Yilin Zang, Akweshi Valery Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data On Zoom Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound Transcrpit  Akweshi Valery Hi, everyone. Welcome. I am called Akweshi Valery, and I'm here with my colleague. Yilin: Hi, I'm Yilin We are gathered here to conduct an insightful interview with Carlos, aiming to understand the experiences of Latin American communities in Ottawa. Allow me to introduce our esteemed interviewer, Carlos. Welcome, Carlos. Thank you. Carlos: Thank you guys for having me.  Thank you. We appreciate you doing this for us. Our first question will be, what's your country of origin?  Carlos: My country of origin is Colombia. It's located in South America, which is a diverse country. I'm from the Caribbean region, which is in the northern part of the country. Akweshi: Thank you so much for that brilliant answer. What brought you to Ottawa?  Carlos: I came to Ottawa for work. I got a job in a company my mom's friend owned, so I just got in. For that reason and then for that reason I just like to hear… I worked there for a year and now I have decided to stay. So it's already been three and a half years of living in Ottawa.  Akweshi: Do you have family here, and do you see them frequently? Carlos: Yeah, so precisely in Ottawa, I don't have any family, but I have family in Canada, down south in Cambridge, Ontario. I have my aunt and my cousins. I do see them every once in a while. But not as freaking as I wanted to. But yeah, there's no family, but still there in Ontario. 00:02:50.618 --> 00:02:55.618 Akweshi: Thank you for the brilliant answer, Carlos. Do you live in a Latin community or neighborhood where people speak Spanish or Portuguese on rare occasions?  Carlos: Since I moved to Ottawa, my mom's friend has been from Santa Marta, the city I am from in Colombia. Since I came to Ottawa, I've been surrounded by Spanish-speaking people and moved from one place to another. Everywhere I move, one or two people usually speak the language, and I sometimes speak with them. We have things in common, even though they're not Colombians per se. They are Latin America, and that is something that ties us together. Talking about different Latin American problems shows us how similar we are in culture and politically speaking. 00:04:24.169 --> 00:04:33.169 Akweshi: I will ask the next question, what celebrations are most important to you, Carlos?  Carlos: Since I've been here in Canada, the new year is one of the most important celebrations. In Colombia, we usually see it as a family occasion, so all the adults and children get together. Usually, we are at grandma's house, so we interact with each other. Some people like that don't live in the city; they just go to the town for that occasion, so New Year's will be a significant celebration. There will be lots of food, lots of dancing, and lots of singing. So yeah, that will be the most important, but in Colombia, there are so many celebrations during the year. So we have variety. That's why that's the most important thing for the family. But there are more different celebrations. Akweshi: Another brilliant answer. Mr. Carlos, thank you so much. And I hope one day I could gain that experience too. I would love to experience that, maybe someday. Thank you again for the brilliant answer. So, how do you describe a typical day in your community?? Carlos: Okay, so yes, thank you for that question. My day would start in the morning. I would just make the coffee in my cafeteria, which I brought from Colombia. I like making arepas and corn flour dough that you can fry, and I enjoy going to school and working in the afternoon. I have friends and colleagues from Latin America. Thanks to technology, I can bridge the distance and keep in touch with my family. Platforms like FaceTime and WhatsApp have become my lifelines, allowing me to share my daily life with my loved ones back home. I enjoy the day by practicing some customs that I have from Colombia. Akweshi: Oh, thank you for the wonderful answer. How do you celebrate your heritage 00:07:46.623 --> 00:08:16.623 Carlos: So, it's pervasive. So I look for new festivals, or like there is the Colombian independence, there are usually Latin American film festivals, and there is the Latin American Heritage Month. I typically try to keep in touch with/  Here's everything going on in Ottawa. Usually, the embassy is in charge of organizing these events. But sometimes, Latin American people organize it, so I try practicing my heritage because it's extraordinary. It's very, very. It keeps me grounded and focused on who I am and where I came from. And how beautiful it is to share it with everybody else in Ottawa.  Akweshi: Excellent answer, Carlos. So, what values do you hold most dear as a Latin or Caribbean community member? Carlos: So, as a Colombian, there is family solidarity. The family is central to Colombian society, and I have strong ties. I also like to keep in touch with all my extended family. We also—well, in my family—respect the elders. This is always most important. I intensely care for older people, usually my grandmother. She says that she created it all. It all began with her. And that's a big thing in the Colombian community: respect for the elders and faith. We practice Catholicism, which influences our daily lives because of how we talk and act. We just have to align with our religious faith. Colombian culture tends to be more socially oriented. It's more of a community rather than an individual. We like how we can contribute to the collective well-being. And yeah, that's something that I have to say about Colombia. Akweshi: Thank you for your amazing answer. What would you like to share about yourself or the community that you think is important for people to know? Carlos: As I mentioned in the last question, that is very important to the family. I like to keep that heritage and value going because that keeps me motivated. I want to share my day-to-day life with my family, including my siblings, nephew, grandmother, uncle, and extended family. I also really keep a good relationship with my cousins. We all grew up in the same atmosphere, the same And… Yeah, so I would say that living here, it is essential to know that keeping their more… The more collective, socially focused, the better than the individual, so that's how I like it. Akweshi: Carlos, thank you so much. So, first, I want to ask you: Do you make that remand at home? Where do you purchase your groceries to prepare your traditional meals? Carlos: All right. Thanks for that question. I like to make my food. I want to cook for myself, and I have so many recipes that my Abuela has passed on to me. I like sancocho, a lovely soup with so much Protein, meat, and vegetables—suitable for a freezing day here. I also want to eat empanadas, which are made of Corn flour. The dough is filled with either chicken or beef and then fried. As I mentioned, you just fry or pan fry, and some of this stuff is hard to find here in the local grocery store. However, there are some Latin American, African, and Asian stores. Akweshi: Okay. What food do you make that reminds you of home, and where do you purchase your groceries to prepare your traditional meals Carlos: All right. As mentioned, I like to make my food at home. 00:00:22.603 --> 00:00:49.603 I like to get everything from grocery stores and small Latin American stores. I want to make sancocho, a soup filled with vegetables and protein. It's suitable for a freezing day because it's warm and warms you up. I also like to make empanadas. They're usually more complicated because you must fill them out. It can be done with beef or chicken. It's also good to do it on a free day when you can talk with friends or family. As I mentioned, I also like arepas, which are circular dough you pan or fry. However, some ingredients are hard to find in a regular grocery store. So I go to the Latin American market or a couple of stores in the Ottawa-Gatineau region and find some Asian ingredients. There are excellent African supermarkets here in Ottawa. For specifics, I usually go to those Latin American markets, but for everything else, I use a regular grocery store here in Canada. 00:02:13.903 --> 00:02:16.903 Akweshi: Okay, thank you for the amazing answer. I would like to ask this question:How likely would you and your family be to use the website we are creating to upload your stories? And how will you use it? We would like to save the community better, so any suggestions from you about assets, as well as should be posted would be greatly appreciated. Carlos: All right. Thanks for that question. It's good because I am a student as well. I recommend the website. I just want to see myself in other interviews and how similar we are culturally. Because there will be only Colombians, I'm sure there will be people from Mexico, Central America, and the rest of South America. I recommend this website to my family. That way, they will not know how people act or interact here. My apologies for the inconvenience in Ottawa. I would encourage the community to see how connected we are and how we are connected And it'll be important for them to know how the community gets together. Through different experiences. What I mean by that is just a good opportunity. For people to know. How was everybody's different experience coming here to Ottawa? Akweshi: Well, thank you. For the wonderful answer, Carlos. Thank you for the two. Do you have any other comments or concerns? Carlos:  I am happy with all the information I have to share, and it's an excellent opportunity.  Would you like to share it? Carlos: As I mentioned before, to people from the Latin American community as well as those who are not from the Latin American community, because that way we see our different perspectives and maybe how we relate as immigrants to this city more specifically. And yeah, I appreciate it.  Akweshi: Well, Carlos, thank you so much for sharing this with us. We appreciate your contribution, and we hope to learn, in the future, about some cultures of Latin America. Thank you for being here with us. Thank you.  Appreciate your time. Carlos: Thank you, guys. Thank you for having me, and I hope it all goes well. Akweshi and Yilin: Thank you. Thank you.  Carlos: Thank you. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Conversation with Carlos Gnecco Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2025-03-21 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP3 12 min 32 s Language A language of the resource English Description An account of the resource Carlos Gnecco is a Colombian student studying International Development at the University of Ottawa. Inspired by Colombia's challenges, he developed a passion for social equity and sustainable development at an early age. After completing high school in Columbia, he set out to expand his understanding of global development issues through international education. Carlos is studying international development and globalization at the University of Ottawa through a multidisciplinary approach. His coursework encompasses sustainability, economic policy, and social justice, enabling him to analyze global issues critically. His active participation in student groups, advocating for marginalized populations and drawing attention to international problems, is a testament to his commitment. He has been involved in projects that promote environmental and community sustainability, demonstrating his commitment to creating positive change. Carlos aims to leverage his experiences and education to drive policy change and make a meaningful impact in Colombia and beyond, emphasizing the importance of global cooperation. https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/aecddca48f886e5a2b6ebde0cbf37f4d.mp3 bd7329979ef0f4ea8f99c7268fd0528a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Latin American stories from Ottawa Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">Beginning in Winter 2025, Professor Laurie Weinstein in ANT3340: Latin American and the Caribbean created Anthroharvest with the goal of inspiring students to explore the diversity of our city through ethnographic interviews. This collection stands as a pillar of students' ongoing efforts to interview friends, family, and members of Ottawa's Latin American and Caribbean communities in surrounding areas. Our ultimate goal is to create an archive of stories for those who identify with the Latin American and Caribbean community, accessible at any time, that preserves knowledge and promotes their cultures. Our project remains ongoing as we learn and connect with new students and people across Ottawa and eastern Canada. We invite you to browse the stories collected by our students, listen to the audio recording, and read transcripts and biographies of those interviewed. </div> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Mia E. Lavergne, Zoé C.M. Asselin Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Carlos Zapata Location The location of the interview Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound [Mia – 0m 00s]   Thank you so much, Carlos, for joining Zoé and I for this interview. We appreciate your participation. Just for the record, as we have stated previously, you do not need to answer any questions for whatever reason, and we will not follow up. And so, without further ado, thank you for participating.    [Carlos – 0m 17s]   Thank you! And I apologize, because I have braces not long ago, and so I- I sound funny.    [Mia – 0m 23s]   All good, all good. (…) [All participants briefly laugh.] All right, I’ll be uh (…) uh giving out the questions in odd numbers – Zoé the even numbers [on the questions sheet given to the participant] like we said, so let’s get started off with the first question. And uh, what is your country of origin?    [Carlos – 0m 36s]   Columbia. I was born and raised in Columbia – so South America, yes.     [Mia – 0m 44s]  Great!    [Zoé – 0m 45s]   Uh – Question number two [#2] what brought you to Ottawa?    [Carlos – 0m 48s]  So – uhm – when I decided to – uhm – go to – uhm – When I finished my bachelor’s, I was- I was thinking about the possibilities, right? So, either I stay in Montreal or I go to Calgary – and I actually applied for multiple jobs in Calgary and Edmonton – uhm – Ottawa – uhm – and in Montreal. Then – uhm – I was actually very lucky that – uhm – I applied for – uhm – another university in Montreal – for a job at another university in Montreal – and I applied for this one, and – uhm – they both called me, but then after analyzing the possibilities and the opportunities and the quality of life and other stuff, I decided to move to Ottawa. So, I lived in Montreal for, I would say, more than ten [10] years, and then after I finished my bachelor’s – then my master’s – I decided to move to Ottawa. That was the reason, yeah.    [Mia – 1m 57s]   Sounds good. And do you have any family here, and do you see them often?    [Carlos – 2m 02s]  I do not. But I am actually very lucky, because Montreal is not actually very far, and – uhm – my family, they live very close to the urban core, so it is super easy to go from where I live – in the – uhm – I live very close to l’Hôpital Montfort [in French] – so, very close, I- I- I can take the four-seventeen [417, referring to Ontario Highway 417] right away, so I can be in Montreal in two [2] hours, and even my community, they’re close to NDG [refers to <a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre-Dame-de-Gr%C3%A2ce">Notre-Dame-de-Grâce</a>, a residential neighbourhood in Montreal], so the very urban core of Montreal, so I can be in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_Autoroute_15">Décarie</a> [a major highway in Montreal, Autoroute 15] in pretty much an hour and forty-five minutes [01h 45m] if I take the four-seventeen [417], so yeah. I- I go see them for – you know – I would say I go once a month, which is – which is OK, yeah.    [Mia – 2m 49s]   Just to – uh – Just for the “explain” part, real quick. So the family isn’t here in Ottawa, but it is here in Canada – in Montreal.     [Carlos – 2m 55s]  Yeah, it is, it is. So, they’re pretty much all in – I- I have family in Quebec. I have family in Ontario, and – uh – they’re very close – uhm – like, they’re mostly in Montreal and in Montreal’s South Shore.    [Mia – 3m 10s]  OK, yeah, thank you.    [Zoé – 3m 12s]  Do you live in a Latin community or neighbourhood where you speak to- where you speak Spanish and/or Portuguese and celebrate various occasions?   [Carlos – 3m 20s]  No. So – uh – in Ottawa, no, but – uhm – in Montreal, I did. S, pretty much my life outside of work and university – I conducted pretty much, I- I- I would say sixty percent [60%] of my life in- in- in Spanish, and – uh – I really had the opportunity to not only connect with my community, but also to be able to practice many of our traditions. And – uh – here in Ottawa it’s a bit more challenging. The – uh – Latin American community, I would say, as strong as it is – for many reasons of course – as it is in Montreal or in Toronto, but – uh – yeah, no, I’ve (…) I’ve been a bit disconnected from my communities since I moved to Ottawa.    [Mia & Zoé – 4m 04s]  Mhm [in quick succession].    [Zoé – 4m 04s]  Do you know – uhm – why exactly there isn’t as big of a diaspora of Latin Americans in Otta-    [Mia – 4m 11s]  [Cutting off Zoé] We- We’re- I- We’re not quite authorized to-    [Zoé – 4m 13s]  [Interjecting with Mia] OK.    [Mia – 4m 13s]  -by the ethics form. We- we can ask after the interview, but currently we are stuck to these questions, unfortunately. What – uh – what celebrations are most important to you, then?  [Carlos – 4m 24s]  We have many. [Carlos breathes a faint sigh] So the first one is that – uhm – I don’t – so – I [marked with a notable vocal fry and tone of careful deliberation] – I would start chronologically. Uhm – I would say, the first one is – uh – <a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festival_de_M%C3%BAsica_del_Pac%C3%ADfico_Petronio_%C3%81lvarez">Petronio Álvarez</a> – it is something that I used to enjoy – uhm – growing up in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cali">Cali</a> – uhm – I’m not from Bogotá or Medellín, so – uhm – I actually come from Colombia’s Pacific coast – so from the West coast – uhm – we have towns in my state, which is Valle del Cauca, where the – uhm – Afro-Colombian population can go up to ninety percent [90%], and – uh – in my city, I would say – uhm – it has a very large Afro-Colombian population – like, very large – uhm – the Afro-Colombian culture is very palpable – very present – so uh – Petronio Álvarez is a festival that honors that African ancestry in our city and in our state, and – uh – so it’s been many many years that – uhm – that I haven’t been able to go – uhm – particularly because for me, August is a blackout, because I work in education, so we have to prepare for the Fall semester, and July and August, for me, super busy – it’s pretty much peak period. So, I haven’t been able to go back, and I would say one of my objectives in the future is to be able to take some time to go to Colombia – to Cali – uhm – again – and to be able to celebrate Petronio Álvarez. It is- it is great, it is – uhm – (…) an incredible festival. I highly recommend it. And the second thing is, of course, Christmas – uhm – and it is nothing about our Christian values, I-I- I’m not Christian, so I really do not care about the Christianity, or the – uhm, the uhm – religious component of Christmas. It is just about the festivities, right? So – uh – being close to home, the food, the culture, the music, so pretty much between the first week until the – uh, uhm – I would say the thirty-first [31st] of December, we celebrate almost every day. So, we get together, we eat, we share, we drink, we listen to music [Carlos thumps his open hand on the table, and his voice gains a notable liveliness], we play music sometimes. (…) So – uhm – I would say those two [2] are a – my- my- my top two [2] (…) Yeah, my top two [2].    [Mia – 6m 51s]  Uhm…    [Zoé – 6m 52s]  Can you describe a typical day in your community?    [Carlos – 6m 56s]  Uhm – In Columbia, or in Canada?    [Mia – 7m 00s]  Let’s do both, just to be thorough with it.    [Carlos – 7m 02s]  Oh, OK. So – uhm – I grew up in a very working-class community. Uhm – The- the name of the neighbourhood is actually Primero de Mayo, which means “the first of May”, which is – uhm – in Canada we celebrate Labour Day in September, but in many other countries, including France or in European countries and in South America, we celebrate it the first of May. So, its name is self-explanatory. It is a very working-class community, and – uh – it was – uhm – my community had – has, still, a very vibrant – uhm – I would say, economy. So, we have a lot of restaurants – uh – family-owned restaurants. We have, also, local shops. So, something that I remember was – uhm – being able to be a part of this rich ecosystem. So, you would, you know – I was walking back from school, and I remember, you know – uhm – the local restaurants, so I would have you know – uh – like – uhm – fast food in that restaurant, or – that is something that I remember – that was pretty much my- my- my- my- my day: being part of that very rich ecosystem of local shops, restaurants, and – uhm – and- and of course the- the- the (…) It- it was like a very – uhm – [Carlos hesitates, tapping the side of his open hand on the table a few times, gesturing to try and articulate his ideas] (…) Uh – I grew up in a very densely populated space, and we were pretty much next to each other. Like, if I raised my voice a little bit, my neighbour could hear me.    [Mia – 8m 44s]  [Interjecting Carlos] Unlike here. [A slight chuckle from everyone]    [Carlos – 8m 46s]  It’s – uh – It was [Carlos gestures slightly with his hands while holding the last syllable in a vocal fry before falling silent for a second] (…) – We were very close, right? It is – I grew up in an apartment that was – eh – very small, and it was right next to – we were right next to each other, right? [Carlos repeatedly punches his left hand, palm open, with his right hand, fist closed, to emphasize the point.] So – uhm – I do remember also being part of that ecosystem of being able to listen to my neighbours, to the music they were listening to, to their conversation that they were having – uhm – If- if someone was having an issue – all of a sudden like a, you know, argument – all of a sudden, you were part of that argument because you were pretty much listening to the entire conversation of people [Carlos says this while laughing with Zoé]. So, it was – If- if there is something I remember because I grew up in that environment where, you know, we had a very rich ecosystem [Carlos lands his fist on the table] of shops and restaurants and local pubs too, and also because I grew up in a densely populated area, we were right next to each other so it was super hard not to be part of that ecosystem. Like, you were part of it even if you didn’t want to, right? And – uh – yeah, it is called Gratamira [neighbourhood in Cali] – uhm – the apartments are super nice. It was a very beautiful community, and – uh – yeah. And here, (…) – uhm – I would say it’s not the same, because, again, I moved to Ottawa, I would say four [4] years ago, so – uh – my life is not the same right now. But I could say, in Montreal, as I said before – uhm – outside of work and university, my – I- I conducted my- my- my- – like sixty per- sixty percent [60%] I- I would say, of my life, was conducted in Spanish. Uhm – My network is pretty much – uhm – South Americans: Peruvians and Colombians, mostly. And – uhm – yeah, it was, again – We somehow kept our traditions alive. So – uhm – there is something that I- I can say is, despite the challenges and, of course, the weather, and the difficulties to get the ingredients – uhm – we found – uhm – a way to cook our food, get together, listen to our music, and to continue our Colombian traditions. Uhm – Of course, it is not the same, because – uhm – they’re not from my city, so they’re mostly from the – uh, uhm – coffee belt. So – uh – Manizales, Medellín, Pereira. So, it’s where, you know, the – uh – coffee belt in Colombia which is in the middle of the country (…) kind of. So – uh – they have all their traditions, but (…) we made it work, right? We – uh – But yeah.    [Mia – 11m 28s]  And – uh – how do you celebrate your heritage if- if you do celebrate your heritage?    [Carlos – 11m 36s]  [Carlos breathes a deep sigh.] Uh – OK. This is- This is a very heavy question. Uhm-    [Mia – 11m 40s]  And again, you don’t need to answer if anything makes you uncomfortable if you don’t want to.    [Carlos – 11m 43s]  [Intersecting with Mia.] Thank you. (…) How do I celebrate? It is a very, I would say – uhm – introspective exercise. I wish I had other people from my city – particularly from my community – that I could actually talk to and listen to our music and sometimes – because if I am the only person from Colombia’s West coast, I- I have to adapt to what the diaspora does here in- in either Ottawa or Montreal. So, it is a very, I would say – uhm – individual, introspective, exercise. Sometimes, I take one hour out of my day, and I listen to my music – uhm – I don’t listen to the same music people from perhaps Bogotá or Medellín listen to (…) and – uh – so it is a very individual – uhm – introspective exercise. So that’s pretty much how I celebrate. I take, for instance, on a Saturday or a Sunday, like, one hour to listen to my music, to read something from my – uh – town, to – uhm – yeah! But- but I would say it is mostly through music. The last last time was last week – that I took, like thirty, forty-five [30-45] minutes to listen to – I – you know, it is very [Carlos snaps his fingers before initiating a reflexive pause] (…) out of the blue, y’know? Like all- Like all of a sudden, I get homesick, and I- and I always get back home – of course, metaphorically – through music. (…) [In a low, almost whispery voice] Yeah, always. Salsa music particularly, yeah. We’re the – uh – international capital of salsa music. [Everyone briefly chuckles.] So, salsa, it is very close to our heritage, to what we do, how we understand the world, and – uh – and I listen to salsa music, mostly, to get back home (…) just for a few minutes. Yeah. Yeah!    [Zoé – 13m 47s]  What are some values you hold dear as a member of the Latin/Caribbean community? (…)    [Carlos – 13m 55s]  Uhm – (…) When I was doing my- my- my- my master’s, I- I did my first master’s in political science at the university of Ottawa, (…) and something that I wanted to show is that (…) we lack many things in community – many, right? Many, many, many. I was actually doing an introspective analysis of me growing up in Colombia, and everything I had growing up was donated or second-hand, right? (…) And – uh – (…) Everything we had at home, from our bed to our dining table, to our thing, you know, in our living room – most stuff was either second-hand donated, and – uhm – we always faced – uhm – financial difficulties – uhm – which is normal in a low-income, working-class community in – uhm – low-income, working-class family in Colombia. (…) But, something that I wanted to show – uhm – in my master’s and- and also through my work – right – is that sometimes, we go back to community, and we always see the things they lack, but we never see the things that they have. And I always want to show to people that if you go to community, there is knowledge in community, there is value in community. Uh – sometimes, you see (…) many folks – uhm – they go to community and they want to impose ideas just because they think we’re dumb, that we- we lack knowledge, that we don’t have the ability to speak for ourselves. And I think something that – uhm – (…) I hold dear, is- is the respect for community. Uhm – I think (…) relationships shouldn’t be transactional. In fact, last Tuesday, I was invited to FSS [Faculty of Social Sciences building at the university of Ottawa campus] to speak in a panel conversation, [Carlos breathes in heavily] and what I told students was (…) : when you’re building your network, never do so (…) – uhm – in a way that is transactional. (…) Always aim to have reciprocal, trust-based relationships, right? In a way that you can say “I have their backs as much as they have mine.” [Carlos rhythmically taps the side of his open hand on the table after every word.] (…) And this is something that I learned from my community, and – uh – and that’s something that I also wanted to show through my master’s and through my work, you know? My thesis was – uhm – in political science was about networks of solid- solidarity during the pandemic crisis. And I wanted to show how people, despite the lack of support from government, despite all the challenges, they organized themselves to respond to those needs. Food insecurity, lack of jobs, lack of opportunities throughout the pandemic. So – uhm – I- I- I would say that’s- that’s- that’s the most important value for me. Yeah    [Zoé – 17m 19s]  Yeah, that’s great, I love that. Yeah.     [Carlos – 17m 21s]  Yeah.     [Mia – 17m 22s]  I feel it comes back to – uh – the questions we were- the question we were meant to ask after, but like- you know about something you would like to share about yourself or your community that you think is – uh – important for others to know – which I- I feel like you’ve already shared a lot, but if there’s something more you’d like to share – uh – (…)    [Carlos – 17m 39s]  [Carlos breathes in heavily] What else I can say? You know? Uh (…) – It is really incredible when- when- when you’re able to (…) – Still to this day, I would say many of the skills and competencies that allowed me to succeed at work came from community. (…) And I value that, right, and I actually appreciate that. Sometimes, we don’t see those skills and competencies as valuable (…), but I would say, many of these skills and competencies helped me get where I am today – I learned those from community, my community. And – uhm – of course – uhm – bachelor’s degree and master’s degree helped, but also those skills that I learned – uhm – from my community helped me as well. And – uh – and I would be ungrateful if- if- if- if- if-if-if I said that they- they- they didn’t help me. Yeah.     [Zoé – 18m 54s]  What foods do you make that remind you of home? And where to you purchase your groceries to prepare your traditional meals?     [Carlos – 19m 02s]  Oh! There is a – uhm – there is a store – it’s called Bienvenido – it means welcome (…) in Spanish – and I’ve been trying to (…) cook more Colombian food, particularly from my city, because, again, the challenge is that every time that I go to a Colombian restaurant – uhm – or the challenge that – maybe it is not the same, or maybe I haven’t gone to all the Colombian restaurants in Montreal and- and- and in Ottawa, but every time that I go to one, the challenge is that they serve the food that people eat in Bogotá and Medellín. (…) I don’t eat that food, right? And why? Because (…) and this is maybe – uhm – a criticism that I have, which is that if you see the population – uhm – of- of- of the Colombian- the Colombian diaspora, right, you would see that finding a black Colombian is incredibly hard. And finding people from my town, or finding people from Colombia’s West coast, even though that area of Colombia is disproportionally affected by conflict, by poverty, by – uhm – violence – you don’t see them here. Right? Even though they’re equally affected or even more than Medellín, Pereira – uhm – like the cities in the Coffee Belt, or- or- or Bogotá, but most people you see – that the Colombian diaspora living here – most people come from those cities, right? You don’t- you don’t see many Caleño [demonym for the residents of Cali, Colombia] here, right? You don’t see many people from Palmira; you don’t see many people from Buenaventura – let alone – uhm – from Cauca or- or- or Nariño, or Garzón, right? So the challenge that I have is that, every time that I go to a Colombian restaurant, or every time I go to a – uhm – Latino/Latin-American – uhm- uhm – restaurant, or – uhm – store, it is very hard for me to get the ingredients that I need to cook the food that I actually eat back home (…) right? So, (…) again, our- our city is deeply influenced by the African diaspora in Colombia (…) – like Afro-Colombian. So, that’s not the food I eat. So one of the solutions that I encountered – uhm – was going to Haitian or Jamaican restaurants, because that’s the food I eat! Right? So – uh – it is a way to eat something that is similar to what I eat – uh – back- back home, but now, it is- it is very complex, because I don’t have the ingredients – uhm – if I go to a restaurant, it is very hard to order what I eat, so – uhm – I am trying, but it is always very simple recipes. Like, super simple, like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandebono">pandebono</a> and those things, but it is super simple – things that you bake, right?    [Mia – 22m 03s]  Hang on. I- I- I know I’m going to steal your thunder, Zoé – you can take the next question real quick – but just because you kind of went onto that, can you give us more examples of food that remind you of home, and – uh – because you told us where you purchase them, like in the next question, and the groceries, but, like, tell us a bit more about the means and stuff! [Zoé and Carlos let out laughs.]    [Carlos – 22m 17s]  [Carlos enthusiastically slaps his palm against the table.] It’s been- it’s been years, like, I- I haven’t had a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bactris_gasipaes">chontaduro</a>, like, in years, you know? And- and- and this is something that people from Cali would appreciate very much.    [Mia – 22m 29s]  [Interupting] Sorry, what’s a chontaduro [mispronounced] [laughs nervously but amicably]?    [Carlos – 22m 30s]  Ah! Chontaduro is – I don’t even know what it is! It- it- it is like – uhm, uhm, uhm – like a (…) nut? I-it is – I don’t even know if it’s a fruit. It should be a fruit. No, it’s not a vegetable, for sure, but it is- it is a fruit. So – uhm – you actually have to cook it because it is very hard. So you actually have to cook it, like, boil it for hours, like I don’t know for how long, but long, right? I think it is actually overnight. [Carlos slams his fist against the table in a show of enthusiasm.] So – uhm-    [Mia – 23m 00s]  Oh, sorry, just watch out not to tap the table. The audio peaks when you do that.     [Carlos – 23m 05s]  Sorry. So, chontaduro is something that – uhm – it is a fruit that you have to boil. And then, what you do is that, when it is soft, you peel it off, and then you add honey and salt (…). So it is sweet and sour, and it is very delicious. And, again, chontaduro, it is – uhm, uhm – from the – uhm – Afro-Colombian – uhm – cuisine. And chontaduro, it is something that we enjoy in Cali very much. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholado">Cholado</a>. Cholado it is a – uhm – a desert, I- I would say, and it comes in multiple forms. It is- it is pretty much a – hm – a kind of ice cream, and we add fruits, and – uh – and- and- and cookies, and it is quite delicious.     [Zoé – 24m 03s]  I was going to say, it sounds delicious, yeah. [Zoé lets out a lighthearted laugh.]    [Carlos – 24m 06s]  It is good. It sounds delicious. Uhm – also <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sancocho">sancocho</a> (…) – uhm – it is soup – uhm – it is a chicken soup, pretty much, but it is nothing, like, not kind of the Chinese? It’s very different. I highly recommend you Google-it after this. Uhm – yeah, pandebono – uh – what else? El aplastado! El aplastado is like – kind of like – uhm – a – uh – [Carlos chuckles nervously] (…). It’s like, kind of, hamburger. But, we – uhm – use kind of a panini machine, and then we flatten the hamburger, and it is different. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salchipapa">Salchipapa</a> – uhm – it is – salchipapa means – uh – salchicha means – uhm – sausage, and papa means potato, so it is pretty much a potato and a sausage, and we cut it in cubes, and then we mix it up with whatever. From – uhm – pork, chicken, beef. So, let’s imagine a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poutine">poutine</a>, but on steroids, right? And – uh – yeah, that’s – yeah. And it’s been ages, to be truly honest. But- but- but- but again, one of the main challenges is that – uhm – we don’t have that many people from my region here, right, because those folks that were allowed to get in, and- and- and they could stay – they came from other cities. Mostly from the big cities, right? (…) Not from where I come from.     [Zoé – 25m 34s]  Yeah. In one of my previous projects, we had also talked about – uhm – like, food insecurity, and how they don’t have like-    [Carlos – 25m 42s]  [Interjecting] Cultura, yeah, grocery.     [Zoé – 25m 43s]  you have to- you have to go to different, like, groceries to find ingredients for your recipe, and yeah-    [Carlos – 25m 46s]  [Interjecting] If you find, right? And even if – yeah.     [Zoé – 25m 47s]  I found that super interesting.     [Mia – 25m 51s]  [Directed to Zoé] I’ll let you take the next one, since I stole yours. I-    [Zoé – 25m 54s]  [Zoé laughs] No, it’s ok! [Directed at Carlos] How likely would you and your family be to use the website we are creating for uploading your stories, and how would you use it? We would like to better serve the community, so any suggestions from you about access as well as what we should be (…) posting – uh – would be greatly appreciated.     [Carlos – 26m 13s]  You know, to me – uhm – (…) story-telling matters for multiple reasons. S o the first thing is that if you analyze – uhm – (…) I really want to be able to encourage – uhm – new Colombians, or, like, the first- second [1st-2nd] generation of Colombians. Uhm – we don’t see many working in higher education, we don’t see many working as managers, supervisors, and – uhm – and of course, this is a – uhm – structural issue, that it is not only affecting the Colombian diaspora, but also many other diasporas still, and ethnic minorities, and equity-deserving, and equity-denied folks across the country. But, one of my- my- my objectives is to be able to, through my own story-telling and through other story-telling, right, like- like- like other folks telling their story, to be able to show Colombians that we’re here, that – uh – we’re powerful, that – uhm – we can, you know, get to where we want to be, and – uhm – and yeah. Through story-telling, be able to tell other folks from Colombia that they’re not alone, that we also went through the same challenges, that – uhm – that – uhm – be able to strengthen our diaspora, and to support each other a little bit more, because I think – uhm – right now, we’re not exactly as unified as I- as I wish we were, and I think it is important to create than sense of unity, and I think it is through story-telling that we’re going to be able to create that unity – that kind of narrative, right? It is through our storytelling that we’re going to start analyzing that: “Oh! That person went through the same experience I did.” Right? So, it is through that storytelling that we’re going to be able to identify – “Oh, like, we- we’re- we’re- we’re so close in- in- in- in our experience, in- in- in- in- in- in the things that we have to face.” Right? So, I think those platforms are really important to get- to capture [Carlos placed his palm on the table in a sudden motion] and then share those – uhm – stories so people do not feel alone, people feel like they have a network that they can – you know, like, I really hope that in the future, like, a Latin-American student from uOttawa sees me on that platform, and then contacts me on LinkedIn, and asks for professional advice, and asks, you know – uhm – “What I can [sic.] do with my diploma?” And I will be more than happy to support – uhm – that- that- that person. But I think my first objective is – it is through storytelling that we’re able to relate to each other (…). And the second one is to make our diaspora, I would say, stronger, and- and- and- and- and unified. (…)    [Mia – 28m 57s]  Well, I’ll close it off with this last question – uh. (…) If you have any other comments or concerns – uh – please let us know, but otherwise – uh – yeah, no – uh.    [Carlos – 29m 08s]  No, yeah – uh – thank you so much. Like, I like storytelling. Uh – I- I- I think – uhm – quantitative stuff matters, but also qualitative stuff matters, right? And I think storytelling is great. It really shows people that we’re all humans, right? Sometimes, people see maybe five percent [5%] of what we go through, and it is through storytelling that we’re able to share our challenges, how we overcame those challenges, how we feel, how sometimes we all feel, so – uh – yeah, it is- it is really great. Thank you. I appreciate it.    [Mia – 29m 42s]  No, thank you for participating, and – uh – we really appreciate it, so we’ll – uh – end the interview with your name, quick.     [Carlos – 29m 47s]  Carlos Zapata.    [Mia – 29m 49s]  Carlos Zapata, Mia Lavergne as interviewer, and-    [Zoé – 29m 52s]  Zoé Asselin as second interviewer.    [Mia – 29m 56s]  Alright, thank you so much, that concludes it for today, thank you- [A slight thud is heard as the microphone mutes itself.]  Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data In person Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 30m01s Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Conversation with Carlos Zapata Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">This interview tells the story of Carlos Zapata, who immigrated to Canada from Santiago de Cali, Colombia, on the Pacific Coast. Carlos migrated to Montreal in pursuit of higher education at Dawson College and later at Concordia University. After completing his bachelor’s degree, he accepted a job at the University of Ottawa because of the opportunities, possibilities, and quality of life the city of Ottawa offered. While Carlos has found a rich and fulfilling life in Ottawa, he still celebrates his culture in myriad ways, including participating in holidays such as Petronio Álvarez and Christmas. Food is also a significant factor in how Carlos stays connected. His culture. He highlighted some of his favourite foods from back home, Santiago de Cali, such as chontaduro, cholado, sancocho, el aplastado, and salchipapa. Finally, Carlos emphasizes his love for salsa music, which he still listens to today to reconnect with his roots. Having lived in Canada for most of his adult life, Carlos emphasizes the disconnect he feels from his culture. Simple practices, such as cooking one’s favourite dish, become nearly impossible due to the lack of accessibility to ingredients needed to recreate meals from his hometown on the Pacific Coast. Now, through his work as a specialist in ‘Partnerships and Community Engagement’ in Community Service Learning (CSL) programming at the University of Ottawa, Carlos uses his personal experince as a guiding light in his endeavours to create unity among Latin American communities through storytelling. Community is a central value for Carlos, after growing up in what he describes as a “densely populated, rich ecosystem full of local shops, restaurants and pubs”. From Carlos’ perspective, it is important for Latin Americans to support each other, form reciprocal, trust-based relationships, and take up space.</div> Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2026/03/18 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP3 file Language A language of the resource English https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/2a3438ec80b3438e027fc1eec8320b2c.mp3 84072132ff560e01d862c508e00a22eb Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Latin American stories from Ottawa Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">Beginning in Winter 2025, Professor Laurie Weinstein in ANT3340: Latin American and the Caribbean created Anthroharvest with the goal of inspiring students to explore the diversity of our city through ethnographic interviews. This collection stands as a pillar of students' ongoing efforts to interview friends, family, and members of Ottawa's Latin American and Caribbean communities in surrounding areas. Our ultimate goal is to create an archive of stories for those who identify with the Latin American and Caribbean community, accessible at any time, that preserves knowledge and promotes their cultures. Our project remains ongoing as we learn and connect with new students and people across Ottawa and eastern Canada. We invite you to browse the stories collected by our students, listen to the audio recording, and read transcripts and biographies of those interviewed. </div> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Brigith Martinez-Rivera, Aseye S Adjei, Rina Shabanitiba and Phillipa Sekalala Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Claudia Martinez Location The location of the interview Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound Brigith Martinez-Rivera (0:23): Perfect. All right. Hi, Claudia. How are you? Rina Shabanitiba (0:24): Okay. Aseye Adjei (0:26): Yeah. Claudia Martinez (0:28): Very good, thank you. Phillipa Bwayiga Sekalala (0:28): Yeah. Brigith Martinez-Rivera (0:30): All right. So today we'll just be conducting a short interview. I believe you already have the questions, so there should not be any surprises. It is for our class, anthropology of Latin America and the Caribbean. The study will be used for Ottawa's Latin American and Caribbean communities, and it's being run by Dr. Laurie Weinstein, and she's a professor at uOttawa in the Department of Anthropology and Sociology. Do you have any questions before we begin? Claudia Martinez  (1:11): That's fine. Brigith Martinez-Rivera (1:12): Okay, perfect. So, what is your country of origin? Claudia Martinez (1:18): My country is Colombia. Brigith Martinez-Rivera (1:22): Very nice. Claudia Martinez (1:24): For the ones that don't know, it's in South America. Phillipa Bwayiga Sekalala (1:30): Yeah. Brigith Martinez-Rivera (1:31): Perfect. And what brought you to Peterborough? Claudia Martinez (1:32): Yeah. Claudia Martinez (1:39): I was living in the States for three years, and basically I started getting information of a country that I could apply for refugee since in the States I couldn't do it because the rules were a little bit different, and the time passed, and I couldn't really go ahead with the process. So, once I got it, I got some information, I knew Canada was a very welcoming country for situations like mine. And my husband and I, today my husband, at the time we were just engage and decide to come to Canada and being at the border, get in the process, somebody mentioned Peterborough and we never left. Here we are. Brigith Martinez-Rivera (2:40): Perfect. And for our next question, do you have any family here or, and do you see them frequently? And it would like you to explain or elaborate as much as you would like. Claudia Martinez (2:58): Okay, so at the time when we came, there was absolutely no one. We were the kind of the pioneers. But then a few months later, a cousin, my husband's, came, then a few years, I believe it was about five years later. My sister-in-law who was in the States as well, because of the law and the way they facilitate family members or family reunion. So, she was able to come to Canada with her family. At the time, it was three kids. So now, so basically, that's the close family we have here. And obviously, the family has grown, little babies now. And yes, we see each other every time we can. Brigith Martinez-Rivera (4:07): Perfect. Thank you. I don't know. I think that's it for my part. Phillipa Bwayiga Sekalala (4:15): Yeah, I have the next three questions. So, do you live in a Latin community or neighborhood where people speak Spanish and or Portuguese and celebrate various occasions? Brigith Martinez-Rivera (4:15): Perfect. Claudia Martinez (4:26): Here in Peterborough is very minimal. With time, I know there is more and more Latinos, but unfortunately, in my case, I don't get together as we wish like because...and always working or doing other stuff. So, but once in a while, I know there is like salsa parties. There is a Mexican restaurant that tries to get people once in a while, I don't know, once a month, every two months. And I know some people do. In particular, I don't. And on a few occasions, I have gone to Toronto to a few celebrations, like July 20th, which is the independence. So usually it's a big concert, a lot of typical foods and that's very fun. But again, I think I have lost a lot of contact with, say, like Latin community. Phillipa Bwayiga Sekalala (5:42): Well, the next one's kind of, it relates to the other one, what celebrations are most important to you. Claudia Martinez (5:52): For our country, I guess one of the biggest celebrations is Christmas, even though it's a little more different. If you are there, it's more like party and a lot of food. Here is, let's say, more commercial, more decoration and like, you know, you do a lot around the house and try to get together with friends and it's a little different. There is more like family and get together and try to see the family that you haven't seen through the year. The big special foods that a lot of sweets. Holy cow, it's a lot of sweets. And but again, here and now that I am a grandma, I guess the most important for me. It's a Christmas, and something that I have adopted is Thanksgiving, which I love because it's like not a commercial part, not presents. And so, they get together and the food, being around the table and celebrate. I like it. And the meaning, I really like it. We don't have that in Colombia, I guess, because Phillipa Bwayiga Sekalala (7:14): Right. Claudia Martinez (7:20): The whole history, the weather, is very different. So, we don't have it. So, let's say we combine Thanksgiving and Christmas is more like Thanksgiving there. Kind of, that feeling. Phillipa Bwayiga Sekalala (7:25): Yeah. Very cool. And can you describe a typical day in your community? Claudia Martinez (7:41): Say that again, sorry. Phillipa Bwayiga Sekalala (7:43): Can you describe a typical day in your community? Claudia Martinez (7:47): When you say my community, you obviously relate to Colombia or here. Phillipa Bwayiga Sekalala (7:52): I believe so. It doesn't specifically say. Claudia Martinez  (7:53): Yeah, because when I was there. It's very different in the sense that there is more interaction with people. Like every day you go outside, you go to the door, there's a lot of neighbors outside and everybody's, hi, good morning. You have little, short conversations through the day. As you can imagine like when you go to a Latin country, you take the bus or you're in the car, but you talk to a lot of people through the day. Here, basically, you get into car, go to work, and stop the necessary and go back home. So, there is a, you can feel the warm, like, you know, getting close to people. Colombians are very touchy-touchy, so it's always a hug and to say hi. And so, I guess, and also people take a lot of time to sit for a coffee and go here and enjoy other people, friends or family. It's a lot of visiting without noreason. You just somebody's here. People don't let you know that they can visit, they just showed up. So, in that way, that's pretty much a typical day there. Phillipa Bwayiga Sekalala (9:17): Very cool. I think it's Rina. Rina Shabanitiba (10:48): All right. So now I ask the question of how do you celebrate your heritage? Claudia Martinez (10:56): So, when we call Heritage, we usually celebrate October the 12th. I can't remember how they call it here, Columbus Day, or it was when apparently America was discovered. So, basically, when you grow up at school, they teach you that's pretty much how the Spanish arrived in Colombia and other Latin American countries. And basically, our culture is a mix of a lot of still indigenous communities and a lot of like a lot of influence from the Spanish. Good or bad things too. But basically, that's when we identify like our customs and celebrate. Being here is not much of A celebration anymore, but we still recognize like this important day and basically, I don't think I passed that to my kids, but it's, yeah, I would say unfortunately I don't celebrate it anymore. When I was back in Colombia, it's even a holiday. So,people, there is a lot of activities regarding that and a lot of like, they remind you all the story and little things how, let'ssay, yeah, I like the continent was discovered and why some customs or where they come from, but it's not a big celebration for me, put it that way. Rina Shabanitiba (12:58): Amazing. All right. So, in that case, I have the next question, which is, what are some values that you hold most dear as a member of the Latin community? Claudia Martinez (13:13): When it comes to values, I think the most important one is the family structure. When it comes to the family, we try to be very close. Unfortunately, we still carry the Latinas moms are well known for the be not easy and probably we spank before we talk. So, we are very strict. As parents, we are very strict because we always, it could be a wrong belief, but we believe a lot in discipline. So I guess the family, we try to keep the family under control, put it that way. And nowadays, there is a lot of different ways to think and how you raise your kids, but As A Colombian family, I guess is very, very important when taking the time to raise your own kids and always like be the one that is always there for them. And so unfortunately, we changes economy, a lot of moms have to go and work, but we try to get still more present. And I guess that's the most important value that I think I try to keep from my culture, the mom being present. Like, as much as possible. Rina Shabanitiba (14:55): Okay, wonderful. And for the last question for me is that what would you like to share about yourself or your community that you think is important for people to know? Claudia Martinez (15:02): Yeah. For people to know. I know it's hard to come to another country, can be Canada, can be anywhere. I was, I had the experience to live in the States for three years. And I think always you will find some resistance from. the people that had always lived there, even though sometimes they don't realize it's only like second generation, they are also immigrants at some point. But you always find that resistance. And I guess the most important part for me, is the, especially I can talk for most of the Colombian people I know. We are very hard workers. We don't expect that everything is given to us. We at some point got help and that's very appreciated. But as soon as we can, like, honestly, we were working two jobs. My husband at some point have three jobs. And we have been always like that. Try to contribute in a way. We can, not just working, but also raising a family that is going to be like, you know, good people, people that is going to ask again, and going to contribute with the community, great human beings. And I'm very proud of my family in that way. So, I'm not going to brag, but I'm very happy with all my kids, like the lives they have and the service they are doing to the community. Aseye Adjei (17:13): So, moving on to question 10. What foods do you make that remind you of home and where do you purchase your groceries to prepare for your traditional meals? Claudia Martinez (17:25): Say that again, sorry. Aseye Adjei (17:26): What foods do you, what foods do you make that remind you of home? And where do you purchase your groceries to prepare your traditional meals? Claudia Martinez (17:31): Yeah. Okay, sorry about that. There is a very typical soup from my small region. It's called Sancocho. So, it's a soup. Let's say I don't make it anymore because it's a bomb of carbs. It has like yuca, green plantain, potatoes, and you can use either chicken or even the three meats, which is delicious. But fortunately, it has been easier with the years. At the beginning, it was only Nofrills. You can get green plantains. And now we used to go all the way to Toronto to get like Latin products. And I guess with the community asking, I guess they have noticed they need to have those products. And having in mind that it's also students that come to Peterborough, to Trent University, or Fleming College, and people from Mexico mostly, but so they have been able to have a little section of Latin foods, and now we find the condiments, we find spices, we find fruits. I know a lot of people know the passion fruit, or we love that, and other fruits. That is not easy to find, but with years I have seen more and more in not just no frills, but other supermarkets like Sobeys or I don't know. What is the other one? Used to be shoppers. I always forget their name. Freshco, yes. They also have a good selection out. And depends on the area, mind you. Like in Toronto, where there are some supermarkets that have more products than... Brigith Martinez-Rivera (19:39): Freshco. Claudia Martinez (19:53): other area. So, we have been lucky here to find a lot of products. Aseye Adjei (20:02): Yeah, that's good to hear. So how likely would you and your family be to use the websites we are creating for uploading your stories? And how would you use it? We would like to better serve the community. So, any suggestions from you about access as well will be as well as what should be posted would be greatly appreciated. Claudia Martinez (20:27): If we, I'm not clear on that one. So, if we use or if we are okay, we upload information. Aseye Adjei (20:36): So, the websites in general, so the website is the AnthroHarvest website and the ultimate goal of it is to create an archive of stories that the Latin community can access at any time to preserve the knowledge and to promote your culture. That's where this interview is going to be uploaded. So, we just want to know how likely you and your family will be able to use the website. Claudia Martinez (20:55): Yes. Oh yes, I think it's a great resource of information, especially for the new generations. And if we can always share some of the stories and people understand, sometimes a lot of people have very difficult put it away, very difficult and sad stories, and the reason why they have to fled their country. I guess the new generations can get more sympathized a little more with that transition, being that it's not easy to leave your country all of the sudden, some people, there are so many different circumstances, and I guess even not just the new generations, but also people that the community here, they probably would like to hear and understand why a...people like me or other people have to leave their countries because unfortunately situations like not just the economy, which is a big one, but it's the social violence. And there is a lot of circumstances that make us make that decision. Um... So, I think it's important and have resources where people can get access to that information. And for us also as well to have a platform or again, software that you can share. a little bit of you and your stories. Aseye Adjei (22:54): Thank you so much. And now at least I would just like to know if you have any comments or concerns about it. Claudia Martinez (22:55): You are very welcome. Well, I'm very happy. To be honest, I didn't know all the questions. I didn't read them, but I'm very happy that you guys doing this for the, not just as a study, but to learn and understand people and understand why, how these new communities are formed. It's not just because, oh yeah, I'm going to Canada and yes. of people that came from many other countries is important. And I guess to, there is a word that I can pronounce, can synthesize, can help me, make people aware of different circumstances and why is so difficult to do this step like is again. At the end, I'm very proud. I'm very lucky to be here in Canada, but my story is not the same as many others. Some people have very difficult processes. Unfortunately, they get deported. because they don't meet all the requirements or yet any other reason, you know, many things can happen. But for you guys being young and being lucky to be in a beautiful country with feeling safe is something that not everybody has grown up with. So, I guess I love the idea how you guys are working on these projects because it give you a little bit of, it's a little bit of eye opener, I guess, to under some many other cultures or people's situations. So, I'm very grateful, very happy you guys are working on this and congratulations. You're doing a great job. Brigith Martinez-Rivera (25:29): Thank you. Aseye Adjei (25:30): Thank you so much. Thank you so much for being open to us as well. Claudia Martinez (25:32): Okay. Rina Shabanitiba (25:32): Thank you. Thank you so much. Brigith Martinez-Rivera (25:34): Yeah, thank you for your time. Claudia Martinez (25:35): You're very welcome, guys. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data On MS Teams Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 24 minutes 05 seconds Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Conversation with Claudia Martinez Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">Claudia Martinez is an immigrant from Colombia and has been living in Canada for over 20 years. She shares her story, touching on themes of cultural adaptation and community growth. She explains that through family reunification, she was able to bring relatives to Canada and has since seen growth in the Latin community, making cultural foods more accessible. Claudia shares the importance she places on family-focused celebrations such as Christmas and Thanksgiving. She also explains comparisons in social norms between Colombia and Canada. Moreover, she emphasizes the strong work ethic of Colombian immigrants and their commitment to family and societal contribution. Overall, she is grateful for the Anthroharvest website, which serves as a great platform to share diverse immigrant stories and can promote a better understanding among the public of the different situations that lead to immigration. </div> Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Friday, March 13th 2026 at 9:00AM Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP3 Language A language of the resource English https://omeka.uottawa.ca/anthroharvest/files/original/866dbe4439e0371f3b65fd47d8dfdcbd.mp3 3df2fbcce4ce5447c1c48d4d9c508ad2 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Latin American stories from Ottawa Description An account of the resource <div style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em;">Beginning in Winter 2025, Professor Laurie Weinstein in ANT3340: Latin American and the Caribbean created Anthroharvest with the goal of inspiring students to explore the diversity of our city through ethnographic interviews. This collection stands as a pillar of students' ongoing efforts to interview friends, family, and members of Ottawa's Latin American and Caribbean communities in surrounding areas. Our ultimate goal is to create an archive of stories for those who identify with the Latin American and Caribbean community, accessible at any time, that preserves knowledge and promotes their cultures. Our project remains ongoing as we learn and connect with new students and people across Ottawa and eastern Canada. We invite you to browse the stories collected by our students, listen to the audio recording, and read transcripts and biographies of those interviewed. </div> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Daniel Torres Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview [Kristen Lupsor]; [Lily Smith]; [Rayi Singh] Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data On Zoom Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound Interviewer: It's nice to meet you. Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed by us. So what is your country of origin? Daniel Interviewee: So, I was born in Colombia. Yeah, Colombian. Interviewer: What actually brought you to Ottawa? I know you're not from Ottawa, but what brought you here? Interviewee: It's a different question than what brought me to Canada, of course, but, but Ottawa, basically, when I was in high school, I did a foreign program. I discovered campus. I went to U Ottawa for a visit. So I wanted to do the joint major in anthropology and sociology, and I wanted to go back to Ottawa. I had liked the campus, and it seems like, oh, a different environment. I feel like everyone wanted to, like, stay close to home, stay in Sherbrooke, which is where my family lives, where I grew up, mostly. So yeah, I would say University. Interviewer: Yeah, no, that's great. I guess. Follow up question, I know that your family ended up settling in Sherbrooke in Quebec. Is there anything that brought them there, specifically over anywhere else Interviewee: yeah, of course. So initially, we actually moved to longe, so that's like South Shore of Montreal, and my, my mom got an offer, a job offer, out of school there. So we decided to move to Sherbrooke, which was a city that was like the closest, so it was mostly like, really job over anything else. Interviewer: So you mentioned that your family is in Sherbrooke, but did you have any family that followed you to Ottawa? Interviewer: Not really. My family didn't follow me here. My sister considered it, but, but that's the thing. Like I had already friends here when I moved we're Colombian, so that was always like, more fun. You know, we had met each other elsewhere, but we kind of, like, became friends because we were both Colombian. So when I moved here, it was already like, good to have, like, have a few contacts and people from your own culture as well. Interviewer: So on that note, actually, do you still live or keep in touch with Latin community or neighborhood where people do speak Spanish and or Portuguese and celebrate various occasions together. Interviewee: Oh, well, you know, I moved to Quebec City for grad school, of course. And something that I thought it was like, really interesting is that, at least for Colombians, you know, on our or in the Fauci, like, you see parks getting, like, reserved, you know, to like community events by the Latino community, the Colombian community, specifically here in Quebec City, I found it to be, there's a bigger gas power that in Gat, you know. And I noticed that a lot through like, for example, like I go, basically, I'm a regular at like this, like, coffee shop that's like a Colombian owned, Colombian operator, and, like, you go there, and it's kind of funny, because, like, usually when you go to like, those type of like environments, it's very much like, it's only the community that goes there that like that, like coffee shop is so popular that you see a lot of Quebecers engage with Colombian culture, which is cool to See. Some of the baristas are not Colombian, which is a bit unusual for like, Latino store. Like, you wouldn't see that at, like, what we call at the end of Latina So Tina being like shop, you know. So that was interesting. And also, like, they connect with other businesses in the in the in the area. They promote events, like, a funny example, and this is more like, it shows a bit of like, how the culture manifests itself in Ottawa. You have, like, maybe, like a club do, like a Latino night, you know, like once every month, or like, something like that, at some points they were more like, more frequent. I just like, I've heard of it. You wouldn't hear about it as much. You wouldn't see as much, like people being outgoing about it. But here I meet backers who tell me, like, Oh, I like to go to these things. I like, I see these things. You see the posters. And funny enough, people have asked me, like, if I knew people like Colombians in Gatineau as well. So there's also that connection between city. It's not isolated either. I hope that answers your question. Yeah. Interviewer: Yes, thank you. Interviewee: You're welcome. Interviewer: Yeah, no, that's really interesting. And I guess kind of pulling from that, are there any celebrations that are important to you, like, Are there any celebrations that you continue to celebrate in the new communities that you're in as well? Interview: This is a fascinating topic, because I feel like it, it's a community that's, like, evolving in so many different ways. What like when you said traditions and everything besides, like, okay, Independence Day for Colombians, I think a big Colombian tradition. And this is something very particular to Colombia, but not Christmas. We have this tradition called no Venus, and it's particularly Colombian, but basically it's just like, kind of like celebration around Christmas, and like certain passages, like, kind of like a text on its own that was drawn from, like, certain passages of the Bible about, like Christmas that kind of lead on up to it, and it's like nine days before, and they really get, you know, one like. Text per day. And I'm not particularly like Catholic, but you know, it's always interesting to see, like, how it also connects a lot with the with the, you could say Hispanic churches that exist. And also, since a lot of Latinos, they make a lot of relationships through like, what they call, at least in Quebec, I don't know, but I know, like in Latino and in the rest of like, Quebec is like this, but the Fauci, like the French courses, a lot of Latinos meet each other like that. So there's like, you make relationships with people from other communities as well. But the tighter ones, and those that I see that last the longest are the ones with people from like, similar culture see yours. So a lot of times. Like, okay, well, you meet another Colombian, and there's like, this aspect of novena about, like, oh, well, we can invite someone over and we do the novena together, you know. So it's not only the family and we but at the same time, you see, like, evolutions, like at the Colombian coffee shop, like, there's like, Muslim, Muslim Colombians, and like, yeah, there, it's true, there's there's muscles in Colombia, and there's a mosque, but it's unusual, you know. So it's also new to that emerge, I think. But besides that, like collective traditions, harder to say, I would say in Ottawa, something I don't remember if this was in Ottawa. I think it was in Ottawa. But for the the Hispanic Heritage Month, which is like half September, half October. There's those events too. There's the events as well, of the of the Latin club of the university, which I didn't engage much with. But you know, like you knew a few people, and those few people knew you, and kind of everybody knows who everybody is, in a way, because they're Latino, they speak Spanish, you know, yeah, but yeah, that, I think that wraps it up for that topic. Yeah. Interviewee: No, that's great. Thank you. I think that kind of segues well into the next question, yeah, on the note of community, would you be able to describe, like a typical day in your community? Well, Interviewer: I think it's, it's maybe at a different time, it would have been easier to describe it as it being like a typical day within the community, because you're always in it and outside of it, and you're like, you're it, you know. So you carry it with you, really. But I would say a funny anecdote of mine, it's more rare now that, like, you know, the neighborhoods are broken up. It's not like, I don't know, 50 years before where you could go into a neighborhood and only speak one language, stuff like that. Anymore. You could say that, uh, one time here, like, I went to have brunch with a friend, you know, new place we've never been to before, and I learned it was very owned by Mexicans. But like, it was really funny, because I was, like, talking to the server, like, I started talking to him in French, and he starts talking to me in Spanish. And I was like, Oh, yeah. Like, kind of on my face, I guess. But then I'm Latino, so that's part of experience. And then seeing the menu, and seeing, like, all these, like Colombian food, and like, having my friend try it as well, and then we went to a coffee shop, you know. So it's also that, like feeling of being in the community. It's mostly attached to, like, the experience of being either at an event. So it's like, more like a moment or a place being more like a business. But, yeah, the business part, I would say it's a big part of it is just like, I wouldn't say there's a there's many businesses where I know the name of the owner, or I know the name of the people that I like buy from daily. Or like, not daily, but frequently. But with Latino stores, you tend to learn those names, and they turn they tend to learn yours. You know, even if you don't go that frequently, you know, Interviewer: That's very interesting. How do you celebrate your heritage? Interviewee: An interesting question, I think I do so in many ways, just behind me, there's a Colombian flag. We have, like, a ton of Hispanic Latin American books, either in French or in Spanish. You know, I tried to read it as much in the original. But I also acknowledge that I'm not, like, I'm Colombian here, but if I go to Colombia Yeah, people tell me I'm Colombian, but, like, people ask me where my accent is from, and I don't have, like, because I have a very neutral accent. Having grown up here, like, maybe it would take me a good, like, 12 months to maybe get some slang back into it, you know, get some like, swing in it, you know. But what's interesting is that people tend to ask me, like, what my accent is from, where my accent is from. But I would say, I feel Colombian. I feel like my like, I feel great when I'm in Colombia. I just went to Colombia, actually, a few more, a few weeks ago. And I would say I'm always just myself. I wouldn't even say I'm, like, actively celebrating. It's just part of me is, like, carrying it, you know. But if I would say, like, if I would have to think of like me, something explicit that I do about it is learn about my country, you know, read history, be engaged in, like politics, like, know what's going on, not simply detached from that part of my identity, and in a way, you know, like challenging and you're questioning it, because there's also, like, my own perspective that I bring. But. Background anthropology, or just like, as an immigrant as well, that brings that kind of like double consciousness that I wouldn't have if I were to stay in Colombia. So part of, part of like, I would say, celebrating my heritage is also not only heritage, but also celebrating the fact that I'm an immigrant, and in that context of virtualization of like solidarity with valuable, I kind of see it like that too, you know, I would say also a different, a different, if you want to think of like, maybe more like practical actions as well. Every time I visit my parents, my grandma makes me Colombian food, you know, arepas things like that. I know how to cook a few things too, which I consider important, you know. And I have, like, a ton of Colombian shirts, like, a ton of, like, shirts from the national team. So, yeah, I would say, I kind of, I kind of do a lot, I guess, Interviewer: Yeah, no, I liked the way you said that is just kind of something you carry with you as well. Which kind of leads well into the next question we have, which is, what are some values that you hold as a member of your community as well? Interviewee: Interesting question. Well, I guess it depends. You know, because you like, you notice those values, or like, what you are interested in, sometimes it's like, more like, personality wise, because I know Latinos that disagree in how they feel about certain things versus others, a big distinction, I think. And it's not something that I think it's like part of Colombian culture, there's this idea about being COVID, about like diversity, which is interesting, because when, when I think about COVID, I don't think diversity necessarily, compared to like Canada, where it's like multiculturalism, you know, and they talk about multiculturalism. And in Colombia, it depends on the regions, because there's racism, but there's also a lot of more, like integration in other parts. I think of a friend of mine who's from Cali, and, you know, he's black, and he tells me he didn't realize like that, like you've never felt like racialized until he went to Bogota. And that's like Bogota, it's like, maybe more homogeneous, you know, versus caliber, you have more like that, like diversity aspect of it. And I would say maybe for me, okay, knowing, you know, like indigenous background or European background too, you know, and and I think that maybe makes like a different perceptual engagement than like, like, if you acknowledge it, you know, if you integrate it in, if you recognize it, because a lot of people won't recognize it, even though you've met those people, even if you've met your ancestors, you've met your grandparents, you've met your great grandparents, if you're lucky, like me, I guess. And you see that, you know? And I think it's interesting, some people might like try and distance themselves from it, but I think that's more of like, you know, when I was saying black skin, white mask, but, but, yeah, I would say for me, at least part of part of being an immigrant, part of being Colombian, is like challenging, you know, those, like, colonial mindsets, in my opinion, and and it's kind of like my, I think my mom has a very interesting experience, because she also, Like, never felt rationalized until she moved here. She not even Montreal, not even, you know, but when she moved to classical, which is a village only immigrant working at her workplace, feeling racism for the first time for her, it was like, kind of like an awakening, you know. So I would say it's more like immigrant values than like necessarily Colombian values, but also just the, I think other very big example of like Colombian values that I hope a lot is the trans generational homes. So my grandma lives with us, you know. And my other grandma was supposed to come live with us too, but she decided to stay in Colombia. But it's something that I feel like that model of the nuclear family is a bit different. It's not, it's not like trying to hold that in that idea of like you're on your own, you know? It's like, more like collectivist you could think, in a way, yeah, yeah. Interviewer: No, that's really interesting. Thank you for that. Is there anything that you would like to share about yourself or about your community that you think would be important to add to this or just in general, that you would like people to know? Interviewee: I don't know. I think one of the things that is maybe reconnecting to that idea of multiculturalism. Can you see it a lot in the media right now, with like, oh, criticism of like, for example, Colombians. They they don't claim certain people that are like half Colombian, you know, that live in the US, that maybe their Spanish isn't as good, you know. So there's also always that tension at home with identity and the diaspora and it’s something that I found that was very interesting to me. I went to Brazil, and in Brazil, they had a nickname for me. The kids I was working with. I was a I joined a running club there, and the kids were nicknaming gringo Moreno. So I guess you guys know what gringo is. But the thing is that for Brazilian and Moreno, I mean, just means, like, you're tan, you know, it's like brown and Ray you You seem shocked, but it's not shocking. I like it offensive. It was kind of funny. But, um, I mean, the kids were browner than me, you know, I'm not going to speak. I mean, it's like you're in the sun all day. You know, you're in the beach. You get dark really quickly. Anyhow, the like for them, for the Brazilians, anyhow, anyone that wasn't like Brazilian, that wasn't speak or even like local to the region, or that spoke Portuguese. Doesn't matter where you're from, doesn't matter what you look like. You're a gringo. So that's a different distinction, you know, versus like now you see people like saying, like, No, I'm not Gringo, but like, you don't speak English, you're half Colombian. Maybe those tensions, you know. So there's always those tensions. But if you think back to that idea of, like, with being Latino, it's not an ethnicity, it's not a it's not a race, it's multiple it's more like a culture than than anything else you know. Because, like, I mean, you have my dad, you look at him and you think he is maybe East European, because he's really white, you know, and, and, but he's Latino, you know, and that's a different experience that he had as an immigrant, different outcomes as well. But yeah, that, I guess, kind of like having that into mind, or like, there's this, like, homogenization of the Latino identity that is not necessarily accurate. Like people that Haitians are Latino people, forget that, like, East Asians can be Latinos if they grew up in Latin America. You know, there's diasporas. There were there too. Maybe it's part of why we have so many issues. I wouldn't agree, but some people think like that. But it's extremely diverse. It's extremely diverse, even in those countries and in the diaspora too. So maybe keep that in mind. Interviewer: You talked about Colombian food being an important way for you staying connected to a part of your culture, so what foods do you make that remind you of home, and where do you purchase those groceries? Interviewee: That's a great question, you know, because there's often, like cuts of the meat that you cannot find at the grocery store. So either you managed to find, maybe buy lock a butcher that like sells those cuts, or sometimes. And this is something that, like my parents stumbled on, but a Latino store that actually sells those cuts as a butcher integrated, you know. And I'm talking about, like, the tong. I'm talking about the tail, ox tail. And what's particular about me, I think, is that I grew up with a lot of food from different regions, because in Bogota, there's, like, people from all over the country, the capital, you know, 8 million people. My grandma, she was a teacher, and a lot of she met a lot of teachers from other regions. So the kind of food I grew up with is food from all over the country, because she learned those recipes from all over the country as well. But there's also restaurants, that's also the different option and and some things as well, like catering, kind of like, more like private catering, you could say, of like, you have to be in the WhatsApp context of these person and shares this contact. And it's not like you cannot simply find them online, you know. But, yeah, yeah, that's great. Interviewee: How likely would you or your family be to use the website that we're currently going to be using to upload stories? I don't know. Do you have any thoughts or comments on that? I think, I think a key part of it is accessibility, like language wise, like, if it's in Spanish, Portuguese, French, you know, that would be the main also, maybe, like things that, like, speak to the worries of people I know. Like, there's certain worries related to immigration, related to racism, as well, with Jersey experiences of of being in different departments. But it's also, like, just, like the personal thing, but, uh, but, yeah, I was the top of my head. I guess I'll have to check the website out. I'm looking forward to it, Interviewer: yeah, no, that's great. Thank you so much for sharing time with us today. It was really interesting to get to talk to you more about this. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Conversation with Daniel Torres Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2025-03-23 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP3, 19 min 50 s Language A language of the resource English Description An account of the resource Daniel Torres is a master's student studying medical anthropology at the University of Laval. He earned his joint Hon. B.Soc.Sc. in Anthropology and Sociology at the University of Ottawa. Daniel immigrated to Quebec from Colombia as a child. Throughout the interview, Daniel focused on the lack of a distinct Colombian community in Ottawa and the specific Colombian and Latin American small businesses he would frequent. Daniel said that occasionally, there would be clubs or restaurants that would host "Latin Night", but he wasn't particularly interested in those. He discussed Novenas, a Colombian holiday that is celebrated around Christmas. When discussing how he celebrates his heritage, he said it was something he carries with him rather than being a detached part of his identity.