Indigenous Literatures in English in Lands Claimed by Canada

Abstract

There is a common assumption that Indigenous peoples living across lands claimed by Canada have only recently begun to write. This belief neglects the aspirations of generations of writers and storytellers, many of whom who have had limited access to publication. The assumption that Indigenous people prefer not to write disregards the barriers that have existed and distracts researchers from asking why it has been so difficult for Indigenous writers to find publishing opportunities.

Also, there is a common assumption that “Indigenous literature” is a single category, when in fact there are over fifty Indigenous languages and over 1.8 million people who identify as Indigenous in Canada. Most are recognized as Aboriginal people under the Constitution Act (1982) in one of three categories: First Nations, Inuit, or Métis. The literatures of these three groups demonstrate their differing contexts and the diversity of Indigenous experience. Many have different, often ancient stories, each governed by varying protocols around storytelling and retelling. Over-relying on Euro-American methods to understand Indigenous literatures risks ignoring or never developing diverse culturally inspired approaches.

That being said, there are common themes and contexts in Indigenous literatures, despite differing cultures and storytelling traditions. Authors from various nations have been profoundly impacted by Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2008–2015) that has affected how both Indigenous peoples and settlers understand Canadian history and have contributed to a growing corpus on residential school experiences. Also, in the 21st century a generation of often young, often urban emerging Indigenous writers, while living far from home communities, and sometimes estranged from their cultures, have written about how they understand the role that colonialism has played in their dispossession. Several use genre fiction to reach their audiences, writing against the idea that horror and apocalypse are new to Indigenous peoples; instead, they write about Indigenous experience to assert their survival and continued presence.