Gregory Scofield facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gregory Scofield
Gregory Scofield
Born	July 20, 1966 Maple Ridge, British Columbia
Occupation	poet
Nationality	Canadian
Period	1990s-present
Notable works	The Gathering: Stones for the Medicine Wheel, Native Canadiana: Songs from the Urban Rez, Thunder Through My Veins

Gregory Scofield was born on July 20, 1966, in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. He is a Canadian Métis poet, artist, and writer. He is known for his beadwork art and for writing non-fiction and plays.

Scofield studied at the Gabriel Dumont Institute. His writing and performances often use Cree storytelling traditions. He has also written two books that teach people how to do Métis flower-beadwork.

About Gregory Scofield

Gregory Scofield is a Red River Métis person. This means he has both Cree and European ancestors. His family history includes people from the North American fur trade. Some of his ancestors lived in Kinesota, Manitoba.

He speaks the Cree language and uses it in his poems. Scofield had a difficult childhood. He wrote about his early life in his 1999 book, Thunder Through My Veins.

His Career Path

Scofield has published eight books of poetry. He also wrote a non-fiction memoir. He has been a writer-in-residence at different universities. These include Memorial University of Newfoundland and the University of Winnipeg.

He used to work as a social worker with young people in Vancouver. He has also taught about First Nations and Métis literature. He taught at Brandon University and the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. Today, Scofield is a professor of English literature. He teaches at Laurentian University.

In 2007, a documentary film was made about him. It was called Singing Home the Bones: A Poet Becomes Himself.

Understanding Identity

Scofield sees himself as a "community worker." His writing often explores his different identities. At first, he felt ashamed of his Métis background. This was because Canadian schools sometimes spoke badly about Métis history. They also made fun of heroes like Louis Riel.

He wanted to have a "pure" Cree identity. He knew his own grandfather had hidden his Cree/Métis identity because of shame. In an early poem, "Between Sides," he wrote:

"I move in-between

Careful not to shame either side"

Scofield learned to be proud of his Métis identity. This happened after he went to "Back to Batoche Days." This is an annual Métis cultural gathering and festival.

He believes that embracing all parts of himself helps his community work. He especially supports young people in finding their own identities. He hopes his poetry and writing can help younger generations. He wants them to feel comfortable with who they are.

Awards and Recognition

Gregory Scofield has won several important awards for his work.

• In 1994, he won the Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize. This was for his first poetry book, The Gathering: Stones for the Medicine Wheel.
• In 2013, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. Many Canadians were given this medal.
• In 2016, Scofield won the Latner Writers' Trust Poetry Prize. This award recognized all the amazing work he had done throughout his career.

Published Works

• The Gathering: Stones for the Medicine Wheel (1993)
• Native Canadiana: Songs from the Urban Rez (1996)
• Love Medicine and One Song (1997)
• I Knew Two Métis Women (1999)
• Thunder Through My Veins (1999) memoir
• Singing Home the Bones (2005)
• kipocihkân: Poems New & Selected (2009)
• Louis: The Heretic Poems (2011)
• Witness, I Am (2016)