FIRST NATIONS
LITERATURE
Chapter 15
• First Nations became “part of” literature when Europeans first arrived and wrote
about them
o captains’ logs and sailors journals
o fur traders from HBC
o missionaries
o miners from gold rush
o all from Eurocentric point of view
• latter part of 20th century First Nations authors developed distinct body of
literature written in own voice
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
•
in 1800s, anthropologists collected
stories from oral traditions
o published without permission
from First Nations who owned
the stories
 Mythology of the Bella
Coola Indians, Franz Boas,
1898
 Mythology of the Thompson
Indians, James Teit, 1912
o Metis poet Pauline Johnson,
published collection of
Aboriginal origin myths
 one of several “as-told-to”
accounts of traditional
literature that became
popular
• Christine Quintasket – Interior Salish
o first Native American woman to publish a novel, 1927
o wrote of experiences
 roundup of last buffalo
 residential school attempting to take away her language
 reflects upheaval of communities
o strong advocate First Nations rights and justice
o criticism of her writing – influenced by non-Native editors to write for popular
audience
• first collection of stories by Aboriginal person in BC
o Son of Raven, Son of Deer, George Clutest, 1967
o lecturer teaching Native culture in Cdn schools
• numerous life histories by First Nations in collaboration with non-First
Nations writers
o Stoney Creek Woman: Sai’k’uu Ts’eke – story of Mary John as told to
Bridget Moran
ISSUES IN FIRST NATIONS
PUBLISHING
•
•
publishing is process of taking written
material and making it available to
public in form of print
o signed contract, publisher
acquires right to edit and publish
material by an author in return
for payment
publishing companies predominantly
Euro-Cdn
o Aboriginal writers encounter
difficulty in getting published
o publishers gave preference to
non-Aboriginal writers about First
Nations people
 led to inaccurate and
sometimes racist portrayals
o when published, often gave up
control of content and style
• struggled for editorial control over what published about First Nations
o publishing with small companies gave more control
 books not necessarily reviewed by major newspapers or receive
wide readership
o only one Aboriginal publishing group in BC
 Theytus Books
CONTEMPORARY ABORIGINAL
LITERATURE IN BC
•
•
in 1970s, Aboriginal people began
to write own accounts of their
history and place in Cdn society
in 1980s, First Nations women
writing about their lives were
getting published
o developed unique narrative
voices influenced by oral
tradition, metaphors with
traditional meanings and
characters with
transformational powers
o sometimes use “rez” language
 rhythm and patterns of
speech in First Nations
communities
 use language and grammar
familiar to audience
• in 1990, En’owkin Center published first issue of journal Gatherings
o sampling of current Aboriginal literature
o continues to be published each year
• in 1990s, non-First Nations presses began to publish First Nations writers
o wider distribution
o 2 compilations of Okanagan Elder’s oral storytelling also published
 gives voice to Elders cultural knowledge valuable to younger First Nations
people
 “to take charge of our own cultural revitalization”
o Metis writers and poets published books with literary presses
o First Nations scholars re-wrote BC history
o several First Nations accounts of residential school experiences in BC published
CULTURAL APPROPRIATION
•
to appropriate = to take possession of it,
especially unlawfully, for oneself
o mid 1980s, cultural appropriation
referred primarily to non-Aboriginal
writers using First Nations’ beliefs,
customs, ceremonies, and sacred stores
without permission
 incorporating into their work in
ways not intended to be used
 stereotypes contemporary First
Nations people
 real voices get drowned
 with many First Nations writers, no
justification for writers outside the
culture appropriating First Nations
themes or issues
 not that can’t use, but
shouldn’t interpret or evaluate
the spiritual beliefs without
specific approval
Olympics 2010: VANCOUVER — A Russian
figure-skating duo who wore an aboriginalthemed outfit at a recent competition in
Europe are skating on thin ice with natives in
British Columbia.