Amazing L’nu’k: A Celebration of the People of Mi’kma’ki
Amazing L’nu’k: A Celebration of the People of Mi’kma’ki
“The more I learned, the more I got enraged. What was taken from my dad was also taken from me.” Yet the more she learned, the more powerful her Indigenous voice became, and slowly her magic resurfaced. In 2013, after watching then Halifax Poet Laureate El Jones perform spoken word, Rebecca became inspired. “I was like, ‘I want to do that!’” Shortly after becoming an informal mentor to Rebecca, El Jones was performing at an open mic in Halifax and invited her mentee to take the stage. El also recommended Rebecca succeed her as the city’s next poet laureate.
“Rebecca’s voice fit in that (poet laureate) tradition in terms of someone who would get up and speak about what they knew to be true…without worrying what the response would be,” El told the Canadian Press.
In 2016, right on the heels of El Jones, Rebecca became Halifax’s first ever Indigenous poet laureate. She’s used her public persona to bring Indigenous issues to light ever since.
“I often call on my people to better and become active in making our community a better place. I want people to think for a moment that their perspective as a non-Indigenous person isn’t the only perspective,” she said. “I don’t mince words.”
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Rebecca said she’s often discovered her most authentic voice, or magic, by allowing her vulnerability to surface.
“Softness is often seen as passive or ineffective, but I think it has a real power. It takes incredible strength to maintain softness,” Rebecca said. “But, if you need to be hard to protect yourself, that’s ok, too.”
Every community has individuals who stand out, taking it upon themselves to make the world a better place. Through vignettes of Mi’kmaq leaders and advocates present and past, readers will learn about the impressive achievement of individuals who have shown bravery in their actions, preserving their Mi’kmaq culture, changing systems biased against them, and showing everyone, Mi’kmaq and non-Mi’kmaq, what can be achieved with determination and commitment regardless of the barriers and discouragement faced along the way. Each profile shows the resilience of these individuals, along with their commitment to preserving and teaching others about Mi’kmaq culture.
A brief history of Mi’kma’ki and the Mi’kmaq’s thirteen thousand years here, a map of the seven regions the Mi’kmaq divide Mi’kma’ki into, along with the pronunciation and meaning of the names and areas included in each, introduce readers to the territory. A glossary of Mi’maw terms provides readers with additional knowledge to better understand the culture while the effects of colonialism and the methods used to assimilate the Mi’kmaq, as well as other Indigenous people across Canada, are briefly touched on. Some profiles discuss the injustices faced by Mi’kmaq people since colonizers arrived. However, the resilience of the Mi’kmaq in passing on and practicing their culture in secret when they were not allowed to do it openly and the celebration of Mi’kmaq culture and people now are the foci of the profiles. Each profile has a short bibliography for anyone who wants to learn more about the individuals.
Amazing L’nu’k: A Celebration of the People of Mi’kma’ki is divided into six themes: activists and heroes; artists; athletes; educators and knowledge keepers, two-eyes seeing scientist and digital media techsplorers; and crusaders and entrepreneurs. Each theme opens with a description of the theme or quotes selected from the profiles. Accompanied by a full-colour drawn portrait, a summary of select awards and honours, and ‘did you know’s that provide additional information on history and culture, each profile highlights how the individuals have used their personal strengths, self-discovered or identified by others who saw their potential, to strengthen and promote their culture, to advocate for their communities, and to show the world that anything is possible when you put your mind to it.
There are many firsts to be celebrated, along with lessons on how to be an ally to Indigenous people regardless of where you live. With names familiar and new and profiles that span different interests, young and old, and different genders, readers will be inspired by these individuals who, through actions large and small, have left their mark. Whether the book is read cover-to-cover, by selected themes, or randomly selected profiles, readers of all ages will be inspired by the people included in Amazing L’nu’k: A Celebration of the People of Mi’kma’ki.
Crystal Sutherland (MLIS, MEd (Literacy)) is a librarian living in Halifax, Nova Scotia.