18 MARCH 10, 2004 A Community Graced UNBC’s Writer In Residence captivates her audience ‘It’s important for me as a writer to try to create work by Earson Gibson Last week the UNBC writing community was graced with a visit from our beautiful and well spoken Writer-in-Residence, Hiromi Goto. Despite her official title she does not live in Prince George, instead she shares her time between UNBC and Emily Carr in Vancouver. She is well known for her anti-racist work, as well as human rights advocacy and promoting tol- erance of diversity. Goto was born in Japan and moved to Alberta with Her style can best be con- sidered ‘magical-realism,’ a genre that is finding growing appeal in today’s audience, especially with young readers. her family in 1969. In her early thirties she won the 1995 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for the Best First Book, Chorus of Mushrooms, which examines the experience of Japanese Canadian women living in the shadow of war time internment. She became a mother of two, and her second novel, The Water of Possibility is a story of myth and magic for children. With her third book The Kappa Child, she won the 2001 Tiptree Award for literature that “explores and expands gender roles in science fiction and fantasy”. She was also nominated for the Sunburst Award and short-listed for the Spectrum that engages in a dialogue. | see art as a moment of pos- sibilities and | hope to bring elements into my work which challenges or disrupts the Status quo or the prescribed Phot by Salar Motahari Award, celebrating “works in science fiction, fantasy and horror which include positive explorations of gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered characters, themes, or issues.” She draws much inspiration from Japanese mythol- ogy, incorporating fantastic magical themes and char- acters into familiar modern settings. Her style can best be considered ‘magical-realism,’ a genrethat is finding growing appeal in today’s audience, especially with young readers. Where ‘magical-realism’ diverges from standard ‘fantasy literature’ is in the minds of the char- acters. ‘Fantastic’ characters feel natural in a supernat- ural world, whereas “magical-realistic’ characters think they live in normal world, but the supernatural some- times becomes visible to people who can recognize it. Goto’s books are packed with creativity and sur- prise. Some stories are enchanting, some funny, while others can be unsettling or horrific. The one thread that unites them all is the alluring awareness of benev- olent spirituality that flow constantly beneath her writ- ten words. “Religion used to be a way that people could connect with a cultural /spiritual past, but many formal religious institutions have a long legacy of vio- lence and oppression (like the treatment of Native Peoples) which causes a rift between their ideology - and their practice. More people are also moving away - from rigid forms of doctrine. Mythology is taught in the school system, but in a way that’s socially con- tained. It’s revisited as a topic. I feel that a connection with our mythological and cultural past(s) enriches our understanding of our selves and our place. How can you imagine a future if you do not know your past? We have not risen out of a cultural vacuum. | master narrative.” think exploring our ancestry, the traditions and stories of our own people(s) keeps us connected to a rich lega- cy of culture and imagination. It also encourages a spiritual tie to a long cycle of life and death.” She writes with a noticeable social conscience and responsibility that appeals to modern humanists, truly elevating her work above the bulk of fantasy literature written for entertainment only, “It’s important for me as a writer to try to create work that engages in a dia- Goto’s books are packed with creativity and surprise. Some stories are enchanting, some funny, while others can be unsettling or horrific. logue. I see art as a moment of possibilities and I hope to bring elements into my work which challenges or disrupts the status-quo or the prescribed master narra- tive.” i ‘ One of Goto’s most impressive abilities is to accu- rately represent the narrow mindedness of traditional points of view in her characters. She uses this ability to ‘challenge backward beliefs in an indirect and enter- taining way that forces traditionalists to reconsider themselves objectively. This is a very powerful and effective technique for social change, and we at UNBC are very proud to have her on the payroll.