Native American Authors
Rita Joe , 1931-2007
Mi'kmaq
Rita Joe was born in 1931, in Wycocomagh, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. She went to Shubencadie Residential School, which she attended until eighth grade. Rita began to write poetry in the late sixties. Her poems gently present the Native experience within dominant society, and they advocate love and understanding between peoples to overcome the barriers that impede communication and peace. Rita won several awards, the most important being the Order of Canada, which is the highest honor Canada can bestow on her citizens. She died March 20th, 2007.
Awards and Honors
Nova Scotia Writers Federation prizeOrder of Canada
Online resources by or about Rita Joe:
The Poetry of Rita JoeAuthor: Michael Sack
Type: authorbio
Description: Biographical information about Joe, along with the text of several poems.
URL: http://accesswave.ca/~mtsack/more.html
Rita Joe
Author: Rita Joe
Type: authorbio
Description: Rita Joe's web site includes a biography, contact information, and descriptions of her publications.
URL: http://tribalfires.com/ritajoe/
Windspeak People of Honour: Rita Joe
Author: Aboriginal Multi-Media Society
Type: authorbio
Description: A profile of Rita Joe, titled "Poet conquers hearts with kindness".
URL: http://www.ammsa.com/achieve/AA97-R.Joe.html
Books by Rita Joe:
Joe, Rita. Lnu and Indians we're calledCharlottetown : Ragweed Press, 1991.
Audience: Adult
ISBN: 0921556225
Joe, Rita. Song of Rita Joe : autobiography of a Mi'kmaq poet
Lincoln : University of Nebraska Press, 1996.
Genre: Autobiography
Audience: Adult
ISBN: 0803275943
Joe, Rita. We are the dreamers : recent and early poetry
Wreck Cove, N.S. : Breton Books, 1999.
Genre: Poetry
Audience: Adult
ISBN: 1895415462
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