A leading figure in First Nations literature and custodian of Indigenous myths, activist and university professor Lee Maracle died on November 11 at the age of 71 from a heart complication at Surrey Memorial Hospital in British Columbia. “A very sad day for the literature of the whole world and the feminist and decolonial thought”, summarized on Twitter the writer, translator and project manager at Hannenorak Daniel Grenier.
Member of the Stó: lō nation, born Marguerite Aline Carter of a Métis mother and a Salish father on July 2, 1950 in North Vancouver, the future lady of letters dropped out of school and became a member of the Red Power movement. After making a living in the film industry in California and Toronto, she returned to Vancouver to study at Simon Fraser University. In 1975, she published her autobiographical novel Bobby Lee: Indian Rebel. A dozen books followed, including seven novels and three collections of poetry, among which Hope Matters (2019), written in collaboration with his daughters, Columpa Bobb and Tania Carter.
“A great lady has passed away, not without having inspired a whole generation of young indigenous authors whose voices resonate loudly today. It was an honor and a privilege to have been able to meet her briefly, learn from her and translate two of her books. My thoughts are with those close to him, ”declared Joanie Demers, translator of the novels, in a press release. The crow’s song (2018) and Celia’s song (2021), published by Mémoire Encrier.
During his career, Lee Maracle has received prestigious awards. Named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2018, she was also a finalist for the Neustadt International Prize in 2020 with Celia’s song. Granddaughter of conductor Dan George, author and musician seen alongside Dustin Hoffman in Little big man (1970), by Arthur Penn, Lee Maracle is survived by four children and several grandchildren.
“I am an orphan again // You are going back to your last camp // I keep your words to retain your presence”, expressed the Innu poet Joséphine Bacon in a press release distributed by Mémoire encrier.