Book
Writing as witness : essay and talk
"Beth Brant is a Bay of Quinte Mohawk from the Tyendinaga Mohawk Reservation in Ontario, Canada. Her paternal grandparents moved from the reservation to Detroit, Michigan, where Brant was born in 1941. Her mother was white (Irish-Scots) and her father was Mohawk. Because her mother's family disapproved initially, at least, of her marriage to an Indian, the Brants went to live with the father's family in Detroit. The racism experienced from her mother's side of the family may have been one of Brant's first experiences with it. Addressing racism is one theme that appears often in Brant's writing. In the essay "From the Inside Looking at You," from Writing as Witness: Essay and Talk (1994), Brant asserts "when I use the enemy's language to hold onto my strength as a Mohawk lesbian writer, I use it as my own instrument of power in this long, long battle against racism. " ...
In 1994, Brant published another collection, Writing as Witness: Essay and Talk. The contents of this book include essays and writings that are based on (or were the basis of) speeches or lectures she has given. It is in this collection of writings that the themes, style, and issues most important to Brant are well represented. Several of the essays and "talks" from the book have been mentioned throughout this essay. Other writings in the book include the essay "Anodynes and Amulets. " Here, Brant discusses racism through the exploitation of Native American spirituality. The essay is a criticism of the "new-age" religion, which Brant suggests has stereotyped/idealized Native Americans, in addition to "borrowing" some Native spiritual aspects. Brant writes, "I long for a conclusion to the new-age religion, and in its place, a healthy respect for sovereignty and the culture that makes Nationhood. We do not object to non-Natives praying with us (if invited). We object to the theft of our prayers that have no psychic meaning to them. " In short, Writing as Witness: Essay and Talk captures the essence of Brant and her work."--from ://voices.cla.umn.edu/artistpages/brantBeth.php.
Additional keywords : Aboriginal or Native peoples, Indians, women.
Record details
- ISBN: 0889612005
- ISBN: 9780889612006
- Physical Description: 127 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
- Publisher: Toronto : Women's Press, ©1994.
Content descriptions
- Bibliography, etc. Note:
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 125-127).
- Formatted Contents Note:
- Preface -- The Good Red Road -- Anodynes and Amulets -- Keep the Drum Playing -- Recovery and Transformation -- From the Inside: Looking at You -- Physical Prayers -- Writing as Witness -- To Be or Not To Be Has Never Been the Question -- Grandmothers of a New World -- Writing Life -- A Beginning Bibliography.
Search for related items by subject
- Subject:
- Brant, Beth, 1941-2015.
Women and literature > Canada > History > 20th century.
Lesbians' writings, Canadian > History and criticism.
Indian lesbians > Canada > Intellectual life.
Indians in literature.
Indians in literature.
Lesbians' writings, Canadian.
Women and literature.
Canada.
Women authors, Canadian (English) > Biography. - Genre:
- Criticism, interpretation, etc.
History.
Available copies
- 1 of 1 copy available at Northwest Indian College.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 1 total copy.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lummi Library | PS 8551 .R368 W75 1994 | 289547 | Stacks | Available | - |
Electronic resources
Related Resource: http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0715/95129376-d.html
- Publisher description