Northern Voices: Inuit Writings in English
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.81 (717 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 080207717X |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 314 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2014-11-28 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Inuit of northern Canada have a rich oral tradition in their ancient languages and a more recent tradition of written English. The book's first section includes traditional legends, myths, folk history told by native story-tellers, and poetry sung by Inuit composers. The final section includes contemporary Inuit writing, from essays and speeches to fiction, poetry, and other genres of imaginative literature. Penny Petrone traces the two paths that link the cultural past of arctic peoples with its expression in the present day. The second presents statements and observations by some of the first Inuit to come into contact with European newcomers, including official reports, interviews, letters, and diaries. The editor has provided an introduction for each item and arranged the material chronologically to give historical perspective and continuity to the whole.. Next are early poetry and prose in translation, much of it autobiographical
'A good introduction to the rich culture of the Inuit, and a powerful argument for their right to self-determination.' (Now Magazine)'Petrone's own prose is vibrant and clear, imbued with love and respect for the people whose voices she has made accessible to those who would hear.' (The Globe and Mail)'A valuable cultural document.' (Canadian Historical Review)
Penny Petrone is retired from the Faculty of Education, Lakehead University. She is the editor of First People, First Voices, a collection of Native writing in English.
"From Oral to Press" according to carolyn redl. Northern Voices, now in paperback, offers an multi-dimensional perspective of Inuit culture. The literature comes from various places in the Canadian Arctic and from different times, before contact to the present. The genres are as diverse as the historical representation. There are selections of stories that have been passed on for generations in the oral tradition. Other selections are of poetry, diary entries, short narratives and excerpts from longer works. Taken as an entirety, however, the work can be studied from colonial and post-colonial, gender, and ethnographic perspectives. Essential reading for Canadian and Northern Studie