Rita Joe
| Rita Joe | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Rita Bernard March 15, 1932 Whycocomagh, Nova Scotia |
| Died |
March 20, 2007 (aged 75) Sydney, Nova Scotia |
| Occupation | Poetry |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Ethnicity | Mi'kmaw |
| Genre | Poetry |
| Notable awards | National Aboriginal Achievement Award, 1987; Member of the Order of Canada, 1989; Queen's Privy Council for Canada, 1992; Poet Laureate of the Mi'kmaq people |
| Spouse | Frank Joe |
| Children | Eight children; adopted two boys |
Rita Joe, PC CM (March 15, 1932 – March 20, 2007) was a Mi'kmaw poet and song writer, often referred to as the Poet Laureate of the Mi'kmaq people.
Biography
Born Rita Bernard in Whycocomagh, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, she was the daughter of Joseph and Annie Bernard. In 1942, she was orphaned.
In 1978, her first book, The Poems of Rita Joe was published. Over her lifetime she published six other books, including the autobiographical Song of Rita Joe,in which the poet outlined some of her experiences at the Shubenacadie Indian Residential School.
In 1989, Joe was made a Member of the Order of Canada; in 1992, she was called to the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, and she is one of the few non-politicians ever appointed.
She married Frank Joe in 1954. They had eight children and adopted two boys. In the years before her death, Joe suffered from Parkinson's disease.
Works
- Poems of Rita Joe (1978)
- Song of Eskasoni (1988)
- Lnu And Indians We're Called (1991, ISBN 0-921556-22-5)
- Kelusultiek (1995)
- Song of Rita Joe: Autobiography of a Mi'kmaq Poet (1996, ISBN 0-8032-7594-3)
- The Mi'kmaq Anthology (1997)
- We are the dreamers: recent and early poetry (1999, ISBN 1-899415-46-2 )
Honours
- In 1989 she was made a Member in the Order of Canada.
- In 1992 she was made a Member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada.
- In 1993 she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from Dalhousie University.
- In 1997 she was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University College of Cape Breton (now Cape Breton University).
- In 1997 she received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award.
- In 1998 she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Mount Saint Vincent University.
Quotes
- "Indians have in the past been portrayed as the bad guys, I write the positive image of my people, the Mi'kmaq."
- "When I started the first time writing, I was trying to inspire all minorities with my work. To make others happy with my work is what I wanted to do."
See also
References
- "Rita Joe, P.C., C.M., LL.D.". Office of the Secretary to the Governor General. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- "Rita Joe". Canada's Digital Collections. Retrieved February 5, 2005.
- "Mi'kmaq poet laureate Rita Joe dead at 75". Globe and Mail. Retrieved March 21, 2007.
External links
- Native American Authors Project Bio
- Tribal Fires Bio
- Aboriginal Multi-Media Society Bio
- Rita Joe's entry in The Canadian Encyclopedia
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