Pauline Johnson

Pauline Johnson. Emily Pauline Johnson was a prominent Canadian poet, author, and stage performer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Celebrated for her works that explored her dual Indigenous and European heritage, she became one of the country's most popular and successful literary figures. Her dynamic performances across Canada, the United States, and England brought unique perspectives on nature, identity, and Canadian nationalism to wide audiences, securing her lasting fame.

Early life and background

Emily Pauline Johnson was born on 10 March 1861 at her family's home, Chiefswood, on the Six Nations of the Grand River reserve in Canada West. Her father, George Henry Martin Johnson, was a Mohawk chief and a cultural interpreter, while her mother, Emily Howells, was an immigrant from England. This bicultural upbringing at Chiefswood, situated near Brantford, exposed her to both Mohawk oral traditions and Victorian literary classics. Educated largely at home and briefly at the Brantford Collegiate Institute, she was deeply influenced by the works of poets like Lord Tennyson and the natural landscape of the Grand River.

Literary career

Johnson began publishing poetry in her twenties, with early work appearing in periodicals like *The Week* and the *Globe*. Her big break came with a public reading at the Toronto Young Men's Liberal Club in 1892, which launched her professional performance career. Her first published collection, The White Wampum (1895), was followed by Canadian Born (1903) and the posthumous compilation Flint and Feather (1912). Her writing often featured themes from the Canadian wilderness, Iroquois legends, and critiques of colonial injustice, as seen in famous poems like "The Song My Paddle Sings" and "A Cry from an Indian Wife." She also authored collections of stories, such as Legends of Vancouver (1911), which were based on tales from her friend, Squamish chief Joe Capilano.

Performance and stage persona

Johnson was a pioneering stage performer, touring extensively for nearly two decades across North America and Great Britain. She crafted a distinctive stage persona, often performing the first half of a recital in a gown and the second in a buckskin dress, symbolizing her dual heritage. Her tours took her to major venues from Massey Hall in Toronto to Steinway Hall in London. She frequently performed with fellow entertainers like Walter (Billy) McRaye, who acted as her manager and stage partner. Her dramatic elocution and compelling presence made her a major draw on the Chautauqua and lyceum circuits, helping to finance her literary work and spread her messages.

Advocacy and cultural impact

Through her art, Johnson became a significant advocate for Indigenous cultures and a critic of assimilation policies. While her work sometimes employed romanticized tropes popular in the era, it consistently asserted the dignity and value of First Nations histories and rights. Her writings contributed to early formations of Canadian nationalism and a distinct Canadian literature, celebrating the nation's landscapes and peoples. She was a member of the Toronto Women's Press Club and moved in literary circles that included figures like Charles G.D. Roberts and Bliss Carman, influencing the Confederation Poets.

Later life and legacy

After retiring from touring due to ill health, Johnson moved to Vancouver, British Columbia in 1909. She continued to write for publications like the *Vancouver Daily Province* until her death from breast cancer on 7 March 1913. Her funeral in Vancouver was a major public event, and she was buried in Stanley Park at her request. Her legacy endures through numerous schools, parks, and a memorial in Toronto's High Park named in her honor. In 2016, the Bank of Canada announced she would be featured on a commemorative $10 banknote, cementing her status as a foundational figure in Canadian cultural history. Category:Canadian poets Category:Mohawk writers Category:1861 births Category:1913 deaths