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The Mi'kmaq Anthology
A varied and spiritual collection of work by the Mi'kmaq writers of Atlantic Canada. Both young and old stories and storytellers combine talents to produce short stories, poetry, and personal essays.
286 pages, Paperback
First published January 25, 1997
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About the author
Lesley Choyce
131 books123 followersLesley Choyce is a novelist and poet living at Lawrencetown Beach, Nova Scotia. He is the author of more than 80 books for adults, teens and children. He teaches in the English Department and Transition Year Program at Dalhousie University. He is a year-round surfer and founding member of the 1990s spoken word rock band, The SurfPoets. Choyce also runs Pottersfield Press, a small literary publishing house and hosted the national TV show, Off The Page, for many years. His books have been translated into Spanish, French, German and Danish and he has been awarded the Dartmouth Book Award and the Ann Connor Brimer Award.
Lesley Choyce was born in New Jersey in 1951 and moved to Canada in 1978 and became a citizen.
His YA novels concern things like skateboarding, surfing, racism, environmental issues, organ transplants, and rock bands.
Lesley Choyce was born in New Jersey in 1951 and moved to Canada in 1978 and became a citizen.
His YA novels concern things like skateboarding, surfing, racism, environmental issues, organ transplants, and rock bands.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 17, 2024
The Mi'kmaq Anthology was an entertaining, informative, and at times very emotional read. The book is comprised of writing submissions from various Mi'kmaq authors. There was a lot of poetry which I must admit I skipped as I am not a huge fan of the medium. I particularly enjoyed the chapter that talked about the history of the Micmac people from the Micmac perspective. Reading about what it means to be Micmac and Micmac culture (in terms of the small things) from actual Micmac people. It was also interesting reading about Micmac religion and spiritual beliefs I also thoroughly enjoyed reading the personal mini-biographies that some of the authors submitted and their struggles navigating life in the early 1900's as a Native person. One submission focused on the harrowing experiences of people who attended residential schools. This chapter was very disturbing, but it's ultimately something that people should be aware of. People should be hearing these first-hand accounts. In summary, I feel like I have learned so much that is genuinely fascinating about the Micmac people. This book was a great resource that provides amazing insight and variety.
April 19, 2019
With this eclectic compilation of written works, recognized poet, recipient of the Order of Canada Medal and respected Mi'kmaq Indian, Rita Joe, expands upon her desire to communicate gently with her own people, and reach out to us, the wider community of Canadian readers, to highlight if you will, the sacredness of Indeginous spirituality.
Rita Joe has compiled many short stories, which would usually be oral traditions passed down from elders to their following generations, as well as poems and personal essays/autobiographies and extends her hand to ALL of us in friendship, and reminds us of the native culture that was here LONG before any of the early European settlers.
People have told stories for a long time. As long as there has been language and words, people have told stories. Even before language and words, people told stories through images, signs, and sounds. They drew images on cave walls, on stone, and wood. They carved out meanings. They created songs and rhythms that were passed from one person to the next, and from one generation to the next.
Oral tradition means that the information, the stories, are spoken aloud rather than written down. Sometimes, like the Mi'kmaq, a people may have both a written and an oral tradition. Because people hold the story in their memory, and because sometimes the story changes with the telling, oral histories can be more fluid, more dynamic, more alive, than written histories. This doesn't make them less true than written history, just different.
Oral traditions can be loosely placed in three types of categories: myths, legends, and folklore. I believe that this book is an example of all 3. The Mi'Kmaq Anthology was overall a very enjoyable read for me, hence the
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating.
pg.276
WORDS ON WINGS
There are words I want to put on wings
That when I am gone, someone read Maybe to create the emotions inside And tell their own story, instill pride.
Then their word will have wings
To create another thought, pretend we are a chain, linking together
To span a bridge where communication scatters. (1995)
Rita Joe has compiled many short stories, which would usually be oral traditions passed down from elders to their following generations, as well as poems and personal essays/autobiographies and extends her hand to ALL of us in friendship, and reminds us of the native culture that was here LONG before any of the early European settlers.
People have told stories for a long time. As long as there has been language and words, people have told stories. Even before language and words, people told stories through images, signs, and sounds. They drew images on cave walls, on stone, and wood. They carved out meanings. They created songs and rhythms that were passed from one person to the next, and from one generation to the next.
Oral tradition means that the information, the stories, are spoken aloud rather than written down. Sometimes, like the Mi'kmaq, a people may have both a written and an oral tradition. Because people hold the story in their memory, and because sometimes the story changes with the telling, oral histories can be more fluid, more dynamic, more alive, than written histories. This doesn't make them less true than written history, just different.
Oral traditions can be loosely placed in three types of categories: myths, legends, and folklore. I believe that this book is an example of all 3. The Mi'Kmaq Anthology was overall a very enjoyable read for me, hence the
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating.
pg.276
WORDS ON WINGS
There are words I want to put on wings
That when I am gone, someone read Maybe to create the emotions inside And tell their own story, instill pride.
Then their word will have wings
To create another thought, pretend we are a chain, linking together
To span a bridge where communication scatters. (1995)
February 19, 2024
A very good collection of stories, fiction, non-fiction, poetry and essays by mi'kmaq authors who portray the past, and present through a lens. Some of it is uplifting. Some of it down right horrifying.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews