Aboriginal Writing in Canada
Transcript of Aboriginal Writing in Canada
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Aboriginal Writing inAboriginal Writing in
CanadaCanada
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Transformations of oral traditionsTransformations of oral traditions
Power and meaning resided in the oralPower and meaning resided in the oral
documentdocument
Cultures of the voiceCultures of the voice Cultures of the written wordCultures of the written word
A complex entaglement of bothA complex entaglement of both
Not successive but complimentaryNot successive but complimentary Assimilation policiesAssimilation policies
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OratureOrature
Misunderstood when evaluated in terms ofMisunderstood when evaluated in terms of
Eurocentric aesthetic criteriaEurocentric aesthetic criteria
When disseminated by the mass media theyWhen disseminated by the mass media theymay be misusedmay be misused
Oral literature contradiction in termsOral literature contradiction in terms
Process of petrificationProcess of petrification Cultures are not static in timeCultures are not static in time
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Oral genresOral genres
SongsSongs
OrationsOrations
PrayersPrayers SecretSecret
Performed in ceremoniesPerformed in ceremonies
Express spiritual beliefsExpress spiritual beliefs Encode moral and social valuesEncode moral and social values
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Common motifsCommon motifs
Creation eventsCreation events Sentient animals, birds and sea creaturesSentient animals, birds and sea creatures DreamsDreams Vision questsVision quests Songs and ceremoniesSongs and ceremonies Models of proper and improper behaiviorModels of proper and improper behaivior Transformations back and forth between humanTransformations back and forth between human
and animal formsand animal forms
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Trickster figuresTrickster figures
CoyoteCoyote
Raven British ColumbiaRaven British Columbia
Old Man on the plainsOld Man on the plains Wisakedjak CreeWisakedjak Cree
Nanabozho OjibwayNanabozho Ojibway
Glooscap - MicmacGlooscap - Micmac
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Trickster figuresTrickster figures
In contemporary narratives:In contemporary narratives:
- spiritual entities- spiritual entities
- literary device- literary device- introducing- introducing
- twists- twists
- jokes- jokes- word games- word games
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The TricksterThe Trickster
Daniel David Moses: crucial to our attitude thatDaniel David Moses: crucial to our attitude thatthings are funny even though horrible thingsthings are funny even though horrible things
happenhappen
Tomson Highway: straddles the consciousness ofTomson Highway: straddles the consciousness ofman and that of God, the Great Spiritman and that of God, the Great Spirit
Lenore Keeshig-Tobias,Lenore Keeshig-Tobias, The Magazine to Re-The Magazine to Re-
Establish the TricksterEstablish the Trickster: We can learn through the: We can learn through the
Tricksters mistakes as well as the TrickstersTricksters mistakes as well as the Tricksters
virtuesvirtues
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Conventions in terms of expressionConventions in terms of expression
and structureand structure No deep psychological intricaciesNo deep psychological intricacies No individual characterizationNo individual characterization
- but in Inuit mood songs moments of- but in Inuit mood songs moments ofintense emotion and perceptionintense emotion and perception
Rambling and episodicRambling and episodic No single, revelatory climaxNo single, revelatory climax Some combine farce, tragedy, religiousSome combine farce, tragedy, religious
allegory, secular history, didactic messages,allegory, secular history, didactic messages,foreign-culture elementsforeign-culture elements
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Written culturesWritten cultures
Different scriptsDifferent scripts
The history of writing - not a singleThe history of writing - not a single
evolutionary path leading to the Romanevolutionary path leading to the Roman
alphabetalphabet
The Nanavut territory, est. 1999, two officialThe Nanavut territory, est. 1999, two official
writing systems: Cree syllabics and Romanwriting systems: Cree syllabics and Roman
alphabetalphabet
Micmac hieroglyphicsMicmac hieroglyphics
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Aboriginal writing systemsAboriginal writing systems
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Micmac HieroglyphsMicmac Hieroglyphs
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The Nineteenth CenturyThe Nineteenth Century
Not a decisive shift from native orality toNot a decisive shift from native orality toEuropean literacyEuropean literacy
Moving back and forth between oral andMoving back and forth between oral and
literary institutionsliterary institutions Within European cultureWithin European culture Between European and Native culturesBetween European and Native cultures
Mediators: Peter Jones, George Copway,Mediators: Peter Jones, George Copway,George Henry, Peter Jacobs: WesleyanGeorge Henry, Peter Jacobs: WesleyanMethodist Missionary Society, mid 1820sMethodist Missionary Society, mid 1820s
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The Nineteenth CenturyThe Nineteenth Century
Metis writingMetis writing
Pierre Falcons songsPierre Falcons songs
Meant for singing and recitingMeant for singing and reciting Heroic subjectsHeroic subjects
Native American women: poetryNative American women: poetry
Exception: the first Inuk autobiography: LydiaException: the first Inuk autobiography: LydiaCampbellsCampbells Sketches of Labrador Life (1894)Sketches of Labrador Life (1894)
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Emily Pauline JohnsonEmily Pauline Johnson
(1861-1913)(1861-1913) Mohawk fatherMohawk father English motherEnglish mother Poetry: lyrics, narratives,Poetry: lyrics, narratives,
dramatic monologuesdramatic monologues
The White WampumThe White Wampum, first, firstpoetry collection, 1895poetry collection, 1895 Legends of VancouverLegends of Vancouver,,
stories told by Coast Salishstories told by Coast SalishChief CalipanoChief Calipano
Questrions of culturalQuestrions of culturaltransmission, identity,transmission, identity,gender, agency andgender, agency and
performanceperformance
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First half of the Twentieth CenturyFirst half of the Twentieth Century
No Native writersNo Native writers
Pseudo-native writers:Pseudo-native writers:
- Grey Owl (Archibald Belaney)- Grey Owl (Archibald Belaney)- Chief Buffalo Child Long Lance (Sylvester- Chief Buffalo Child Long Lance (Sylvester
Clark Long)Clark Long)
Romanticised vision of Native lifeRomanticised vision of Native life Frederick Ogilvie Loft, The League of IndiansFrederick Ogilvie Loft, The League of Indians
in Canada, 1919in Canada, 1919
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Second half of the twentieth centurySecond half of the twentieth century
Social protestSocial protest
Pierre Trudeau, 1968: equal, no recognition ofPierre Trudeau, 1968: equal, no recognition of
aboriginal writersaboriginal writers
The Unjust SocietyThe Unjust Society, 1969, Harold Cardinal, 1969, Harold Cardinal
From the mid-seventies soft approachFrom the mid-seventies soft approach
Life narratives, childrens stories, interviewsLife narratives, childrens stories, interviewswith elders, legendswith elders, legends
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Aboriginal writingsAboriginal writings
Maria CampbellsMaria CampbellsHalfbreedHalfbreed, 1973, 1973
To challenge white ignorance and apathyTo challenge white ignorance and apathy
Co-produced texts:Co-produced texts: Lee MaraclesLee MaraclesBobbi Lee: Indian RebelBobbi Lee: Indian Rebel, 1975,, 1975,
under the name of Don Barnettunder the name of Don Barnett
Anthologies and collections of Native poetryAnthologies and collections of Native poetryand stories in the 1970and stories in the 1970
Political issuesPolitical issues
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Aboriginal writers ofAboriginal writers of
the 1970s and 1980sthe 1970s and 1980s
Jeannette ArmstrongJeannette Armstrong
Ben AbeleBen Abele
George ClutesiGeorge Clutesi
Duke RedbirdDuke Redbird
Wayne, Ronald, and Orville KeonWayne, Ronald, and Orville Keon
Daniel David Moses,Daniel David Moses, Delicate Bodies,Delicate Bodies, thethe
Calendar seriesCalendar series Rita Joe,Rita Joe, Song of EskasoniSong of Eskasoni, 1988, lines of cultural, 1988, lines of cultural
transmissiontransmission
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Recent DevelopmentsRecent Developments
Beatrice Culleton,Beatrice Culleton,In Search of April Raintree,In Search of April Raintree, 1983,1983,the first modern novelthe first modern novel
Jeannette ArmstrongJeannette Armstrong
SlashSlash, 1985, 1985Whispering in ShadowsWhispering in Shadows, 2000, 2000 Tomson HighwayTomson Highway
Kiss of the Fur QueenKiss of the Fur Queen, 1998, 1998 Thomas KingThomas King
Green Grass, Running Water,Green Grass, Running Water, 19931993
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Contemporary WritingsContemporary Writings
Questions of representation and sovereigntyQuestions of representation and sovereignty
Oka town blockade, 1990Oka town blockade, 1990
Indian and Canadian mutually exclusiveIndian and Canadian mutually exclusive Personal sovereignty right:Personal sovereignty right:
Maria Campbell and Linda GriffithsMaria Campbell and Linda Griffiths The BookThe Book
of Jessicaof Jessica 19891989 Major publishing housesMajor publishing houses