Duke Redbird facts for kids

Duke Redbird (born in 1939) is an important Indigenous Canadian poet, journalist, and activist. He is known for helping to shape First Nations literature in Canada. He has also worked as an actor, businessman, and teacher.

Duke is an Ojibwe person from the Saugeen First Nation in Ontario. When he was very young, he was taken into care by a children's organization after his mother passed away. He grew up mostly with non-Indigenous foster families. He started writing as a way to deal with unfair treatment he faced in school because of his Indigenous background.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

In the mid-1960s, Duke Redbird began his career as a spoken word artist. He performed his poetry at folk festivals, coffeehouses, and theatres across Canada. He later became the editor of an Indigenous newspaper called The Thunderbird. He was also a strong organizer of protests and spoke out about Indigenous rights.

During this time, he lived near famous singer Joni Mitchell in Toronto. He also had his first acting role in a TV show called Adventures in Rainbow Country. A book about his life, Red on White, was published in 1971.

A Voice Through Writing

Duke Redbird has published several collections of poetry. These include I Am Canadian (1978) and Loveshine and Red Wine (1981). He has also created special works for big events in Canada. These include the opening of the Canadian Museum of Civilization and Expo 67.

In 1977, a musical play based on his poetry was performed for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. In 1985, Duke represented Canada at a world poetry festival in Delhi, India.

He worked with musician Winston Wuttunee in the 1970s. They performed together at the Mariposa Folk Festival and released an album called See the Arrow. Later, two CDs of his spoken word work were released: Duke Redbird the Poet (1994) and In Other Words (1999). In 1999, Indigenous rapper TKO asked Duke to work with him, calling Duke "the old master of the spoken word."

A song Duke recorded in 1975 with musician Shingoose, "Silver River," was included on the 2014 album Native North America, Vol. 1. He also helped write a guidebook for an art exhibition about artist Daphne Odjig.

Standing Up for Indigenous Rights

In the 1970s, Duke Redbird was a leader in the Native Council of Canada. He later earned a master's degree in political science. His academic paper, We Are Metis, was published in 1980. He then served as president of the Ontario Métis and Non-Status Indian Association. This group worked for the rights of Métis and other Indigenous people in Ontario.

Working in Media

Duke Redbird started working in television and film in the 1990s. He wrote a TV play called Four Directions: A Canoe for the Making for CBC Television. He was also a producer for the movie Dance Me Outside. He created a documentary about Indigenous art for the National Film Board. He also worked as a news producer and reporter for Citytv, focusing on First Nations issues.

During this time, he also acted in several TV shows and movies. He appeared in Wonderfalls, Relic Hunter, Elimination Dance, The Shaman's Source, and Casino Jack.

Sharing Wisdom and Teaching

After leaving Citytv in 2009, Duke Redbird joined OCAD University. He worked there as a mentor and advisor for their Indigenous visual culture program until 2012. In 2013, the university gave him an honorary doctorate, which is a special award.

In 2019, he worked with the Myseum of Toronto on a project about Indigenous history at Ontario Place. He continues to be an important voice and elder, sharing his wisdom and helping Indigenous communities achieve their goals.