Rita Joe’s Followers (23)

Rita Joe

Born

in Whycocomagh, Nova Scotia, Canada

March 15, 1932

Died

March 20, 2007

Genre

Poetry

edit data

Rita Joe was born and spent her childhood on a Mi'kmaq Reserve at Whycocomagh on Cape Breton Island. She lived with foster families after her mother's death when she was just 5 years old. Orphaned when she was 10, Rita Joe left the island at the age of 12 to go to the Shubenacadie Indian Residential School on mainland Nova Scotia. Rita Joe later returned to Cape Breton to live on the Eskasoni First Nations Reserve, where she and her husband raised 10 children, including 2 adopted sons.

Rita Joe recalled being told constantly, at the Residential School, "'You're no good.'" She began writing herself to challenge such negative messages, which she encountered again as an adult, in the books her own children were reading. In the prologue to her m Rita Joe was born and spent her childhood on a Mi'kmaq Reserve at Whycocomagh on Cape Breton Island. She lived with foster families after her mother's death when she was just 5 years old. Orphaned when she was 10, Rita Joe left the island at the age of 12 to go to the Shubenacadie Indian Residential School on mainland Nova Scotia. Rita Joe later returned to Cape Breton to live on the Eskasoni First Nations Reserve, where she and her husband raised 10 children, including 2 adopted sons.

Rita Joe recalled being told constantly, at the Residential School, "'You're no good.'" She began writing herself to challenge such negative messages, which she encountered again as an adult, in the books her own children were reading. In the prologue to her memoir, Rita Joe states, "My greatest wish is that there will be more writing from my people, and that our children will read it. I have said again and again that our history would be different if it had been expressed by us."

Rita Joe's first collection of poetry, titled Poems Of Rita Joe, was published in 1978. Song of Eskasoni: More Poems of Rita Joe appeared in 1989, followed by in 1991. Rita Joe's poetry is Lnu and Indians We Re Called included in the 1994 anthology Kelusultiek: Original Women's Voices of Atlantic Canada. Kelusultiek, which takes its title from a poem by Rita Joe and translates as "we speak," also includes the lyrics and music to 2 of her best known songs: "The Drumbeat Is the Heartbeat of the Nation" and "Oka Song." The latter was written in response to the 1990 land dispute and armed standoff at OKA. Poems from Rita Joe's now out-of-print first collection can also be found in We Are the Dreamers: Recent and Early Poetry (1999). Her poems cover a wide range of subjects, from the domestic to the spiritual. Her language is blunt but lyrical, and she captures both the anguish and elation of life. Rita Joe co-edited, with Lesley Choyce, and contributed to The Mi'kmaq Anthology (2003).

Rita Joe is the subject of a 1993 NFB documentary titled 'Song of Eskasoni'. Her memoir, Song of Rita Joe: Autobiography of a Mi'kmaq Poet was published in 1996. She relates both the terrible difficulties and the amazing accomplishments of her life in unassuming but compelling prose. Her autobiography also includes poetry, music, and photographs.

Rita Joe received many accolades and honours. She was a member of both the Order of Canada and the Queen's Privy Council for Canada. She received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award, and was awarded a number of honorary doctorates. Rita Joe is often referred to as the "poet laureate" of the Mi'kmaq
...more

Combine Editions
Rita Joe’s books

Average rating: 4.22 · 351 ratings · 50 reviews · 12 distinct works • Similar authors

	I Lost My Talk by Rita Joe, Pauline Young (Illustrator) 4.43 avg rating — 142 ratings — published 2019 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Song of Rita Joe: Autobiography of a Mi'kmaq Poet 4.10 avg rating — 119 ratings — published 1996 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	We are the Dreamers: Recent and Early Poetry 3.96 avg rating — 27 ratings — published 1999 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Lnu and Indians We're Called 3.94 avg rating — 17 ratings — published 1991 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Song of Eskasoni: More Poems of Rita Joe 4.31 avg rating — 13 ratings — published 1989	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Blind Man's Eyes 4.31 avg rating — 13 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Poems of Rita Joe 3.70 avg rating — 10 ratings — published 1978	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	FOR THE CHILDREN by Rita Joe, Burland E. Murphy (Illustrator) 4.20 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2008	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Nous sommes les rêveurs (ANTHOLOGIE SECRETE) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Rita Joe- The Middle Years: Song of Eskasoni and L'nu and Indians We're Called 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Rita Joe…

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Read Across Canad...: Books set in Nova Scotia & Cape Breton Island	27	181	Mar 28, 2015 10:56AM
Ultimate Popsugar...: March Challenge - I finished!	17	298	Oct 07, 2020 10:38AM
Ultimate Popsugar...: 3. A book by an indigenous author.	21	162	Nov 05, 2020 07:33AM
CanadianContent: 2020 Indigenous Reads challenge - Completion Plans ONLY	15	67	Feb 17, 2021 08:01PM
Ultimate Popsugar...: Week 23: 6/4 - 6/10	162	160	Jun 22, 2021 10:25AM
Ultimate Popsugar...: 16 - A book by an indigenous author	96	2623	Dec 28, 2021 01:23PM
Ultimate Popsugar...: 42 - A book that features two languages	85	2452	Jan 05, 2023 08:52AM

More…

Rita Joe’s Followers (23)

Rita Joe

Combine EditionsRita Joe’s books

Topics Mentioning This Author

Combine Editions
Rita Joe’s books