E. Pauline Johnson

For the British actress, see Pauline Johnson (actress). For the British-Canadian scientist, see Pauline Johnson (immunologist).

E. Pauline Johnson
E. Pauline Johnson, c. 1885–95
E. Pauline Johnson, c. 1885–95
BornEmily Pauline Johnson
(1861-03-10)10 March 1861
Six Nations, Canada West
Died7 March 1913(1913-03-07) (aged 51)
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Resting placeStanley Park, Vancouver
LanguageMohawk, English
NationalityCanadian
CitizenshipMohawk Nation
British subject
GenrePoetry
Notable works
  • The White Wampum
  • Canadian Born
  • Flint and Feather

Emily Pauline Johnson (10 March 1861 – 7 March 1913), also known by her Mohawk stage name Tekahionwake (pronounced dageh-eeon-wageh, lit. 'double-life'),[1] was a Canadian poet, author, and performer who was popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Her father was a hereditary Mohawk chief, and her mother was an English immigrant.[2]

Johnson's poetry was published in Canada, the United States, and Great Britain, and she was among a generation of widely read writers who began to define Canadian literature. She was a key figure in the construction of the field as an institution and has made an indelible mark on Indigenous women's writing and performance as a whole.

Johnson was notable for her poems, short stories, and performances that celebrated her mixed-race heritage, drawing from both Indigenous and English influences. She is most known for her books of poetry The White Wampum (1895), Canadian Born (1903), and Flint and Feather (1912); and her collections of stories Legends of Vancouver (1911), The Shagganappi (1913), and The Moccasin Maker (1913). While her literary reputation declined after her death, since the late 20th century there has been a renewed interest in her life and works. In 2002, a complete collection of her known poetry was published, entitled E. Pauline Johnson, Tekahionwake: Collected Poems and Selected Prose.

  1. ^ "Tekahionwake: an Indian Poetess in London," Pauline Johnson Archive: Tekahionwake. Archives and Research Collections, McMaster University. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
  2. ^ Rose, Marilyn J. [1998] 2003. "Johnson, Emily Pauline." Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 14. University of Toronto and Université Laval.