-----Original Message-----
From: Johnette Davies <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
<[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, November 23, 1999 7:22 AM
Subject: Re: Spurious Familial Allusions.



>> Aren't the rest of you glad you have normal names?
>
How about "Cuyler"?   I finally got a personalized licence plate hoping
folks in town would learn how to spell it.

The name was picked up by the family way back in 1640 when two brothers from
Holland settled in new Amsterdam on a corner of Mr. Cuyler's farm.   I got a
lesson in North American history and culture when immigrating to Canada in
the 60's.   The last paper to be completed by the official at the border
included the question "What is your ethnic heritage?"   I replied "American"
meaning the good ol' USA.  The guard expressed his opinion that I was being
a smart ass, and repeated the question carefully "WHAT IS YOUR ETHNIC
ORIGIN?"   and after a few tries and me continuing to get the wrong answer
but not knowing the right one, I asked if I could see the paper to get an
idea of the choices.   Every nationality I ever heard of seemed to be
listed, including Mexican.   When I told him my people had been on this
continent for over 300 years and the blood line by now was a thorough
mixture Dutch, English, German, etc., he checked "English" and went on the
the next question.   Will the US ever become an ethnos, a culture, in
Canadian eyes?   I could have said Mexican and it would have been OK.

Cuyler in Kamloops