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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

http://www.nisto.com/cree/pic/syllabics.gif

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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

http://www.civilization.ca/aborig/fp/images/fpz2a14b.jpg

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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