Maria Campbell facts for kids

Maria Campbell (born April 26, 1940, near Park Valley, Saskatchewan) is a well-known Métis author, playwright, filmmaker, and respected Elder. She is recognized for her important work in Canadian literature and for being a strong voice for Indigenous rights.

Maria speaks four languages fluently: Cree, Michif, Western Ojibwa, and English. Her books have been published in many countries and translated into several languages. She is especially famous for her memoir, Halfbreed, which shares her experiences as a Métis woman and the challenges she faced.

Maria Campbell's Early Life

Maria Campbell is the oldest of eight children. When her mother passed away, she had to leave school to take care of her younger brothers and sisters. At fifteen, she moved to Vancouver. Later, in her twenties, she returned to Saskatchewan and became an important organizer in her community.

Maria remembers her childhood community fondly. She and her siblings learned how to hunt, trap, dance, and play the fiddle. They also learned about roots, herbs, and barks from their elders. Her family was a mix of Scottish, French, Cree, English, and Irish heritage.

Maria also recalls difficult times at school in Spring River. She experienced racism, where white and Métis children were often separated. Métis children were sometimes bullied by white children. These experiences made her feel unhappy about school and even her community.

Challenges and Return Home

After her mother's death, Maria and her siblings were left to care for themselves. At age fifteen, Maria married a man named Darrel. She moved to Vancouver with him, hoping for a better life. However, she found that poverty in Vancouver was even worse than what she had seen before.

Darrel eventually left Maria, leaving her without money or a job. During this tough time, she had to send her daughter to a convent because she couldn't support her. Maria felt that Vancouver was unfair to her because she was a Métis woman.

Maria was away from her home community for seventeen years. When she finally returned to Saskatchewan, she found it had changed a lot. She saw more poverty than she remembered from her childhood. Eventually, Maria was reunited with her children. She has faced many challenges, similar to those experienced by many other Métis women.

Halfbreed: A Powerful Story (1973)

Maria Campbell's first book, Halfbreed, was published in 1973. This memoir tells her personal story as a Métis woman in Canada. It explores what it feels like to be part of two cultures, neither fully Indigenous nor fully European.

Halfbreed covers different parts of Maria's life. It starts with her early years in rural Saskatchewan and then moves to her time in Vancouver. The book also discusses the difficulties she faced as a single mother. It shares her involvement in the Indigenous rights movement in Calgary.

The first chapters of Halfbreed show how her community near Spring River helped shape who she was. As her community faced changes, Maria felt more isolated. The book also talks about the struggles many Indigenous women face when they move to cities. It criticizes political systems that are unfair or biased against women.

The book highlights important issues like systemic racism and the effects of colonization. It focuses on the strong sense of shared identity among Métis people. Maria was born and raised in a Métis community. She chose to use the term "halfbreed" in her book's title because there were many discussions about the exact meaning of "Métis" at the time. She also explained the difference between "Indian" and "halfbreed" identities.

Halfbreed is considered a very important book in Indigenous literature in Canada. It has led to many discussions among scholars about Indigenous identity and experiences. The original manuscript was very long, but editors helped Maria shorten it to about 200 pages. When it was first published, some people criticized it, saying it wasn't authentic.

Maria uses humor in her book to balance the difficult experiences she describes. This humor shows how people survive tough times. It helps readers understand the struggles faced by many Indigenous people without making the story seem too dark.

Other Creative Works

Maria Campbell has also written three children's books: People of the Buffalo (1975), Little Badger and the Fire Spirit (1977), and Riel's People (1978). These books are designed to teach Métis children about their spirituality and heritage. She has also translated stories from The Road Allowance People into Cree and Michif. Maria chose to translate her work into what she calls "Village English." She felt this style better represented her experiences and community than standard English.

Her short story, "Blankets of Shame," is featured in the book #NotYourPrincess (2017), which collects writings and art by Native American women. Maria has also been a guest on the CBC Radio talk show Our Native Land.

Plays and Films

Maria Campbell's first play produced professionally was Flight. This was a groundbreaking production because it was the first all-Aboriginal theatre show in modern Canada. Flight combined modern dance, storytelling, and drama with traditional Aboriginal art. This style became a hallmark of her later works. The play won the Dora Mavor Moore Award in Toronto in 1986. It also won Best Canadian Production at the Quinzanne International Festival in Quebec City.

Two of her plays have traveled widely, performing across Canada and in countries like Scotland, Denmark, and Italy. From 1985 to 1997, Maria owned her own production company, Gabriel Productions. She has written and directed films for the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). One of her films, My Partners My People, was shown on CTV for three years.

Maria is also involved with Sage Ensemble, a community theatre group for Aboriginal elders. She works closely with the Gordon Tootoosis Nikaniwin Theatre in Saskatoon.

Activism and Education

Beyond her artistic work, Maria Campbell is a dedicated volunteer and advocate for Aboriginal rights and women's rights. She helped start the first women's halfway house and the first emergency crisis center for women and children in Edmonton.

She has worked with Aboriginal youth in community theatre. She has also helped set up food and housing co-ops. Maria has led women's circles and pushed for more Indigenous people to be hired and recognized in the arts. She has mentored many Indigenous artists in different art forms.

Maria serves as an Elder on the Saskatchewan Aboriginal Justice Commission. She is also a member of the Grandmothers for Justice Society. In her academic work, she teaches Métis history and how to research using oral traditions. She has met with elders to collect and record traditional knowledge. This includes information about medicine, diet, spirituality, and cultural practices.

Maria has completed studies for a Master's degree in Native Studies at the University of Saskatchewan. She has also received special honorary degrees from the University of Regina, York University, and Athabasca University.

Maria has become a leader in many Métis social movements. She is very active in the political community. After moving to Vancouver and facing challenges there, Maria felt disconnected from her community in Saskatchewan. Her involvement in activism and politics has helped her reconnect with her childhood home.

Selected Works

Books and Plays

• Keetsahnak / Our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Sisters (co-editor) (2018)
• Stories of the Road Allowance People (1995)
• The Book of Jessica (co-writer) (1989)
• Achimoona (editor) (1985)
• Little Badger and the Fire Spirit (1977)
• Riel's People (1976)
• People of the Buffalo (1975)
• Halfbreed (1973)

Film and Video

• Wapos Bay (Cree voice for Kohkum in "The Hardest Lesson") (2009)
• Journey to Healing (Writer/Director) (1995)
• La Beau Sha Sho (Writer/Director) (1994)
• Joseph's Justice (Writer/Director) (1994)
• A Centre for Buffalo Narrows (Writer/Director) (1987)
• My Partners My People (Co-Producer) (1987)
• Cumberland House (Writer/Director) (1986)
• Road to Batoche (Writer/Director) (1985)
• Sharing and Education (Writer/Director) (1985)
• Red Dress (Writer) (1977)
• Edmonton's Unwanted Women (Writer/Director) (1968)

Radio

• Kiskamimsoo (Writer/Interviewer) (1973–1974)
• Tea with Maria (Writer/Interviewer) (1973–1975)
• Batoche 85 (Writer/Interviewer) (1985)

Awards and Recognition

Awards

• Lieutenant Governor’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Saskatchewan Arts Awards (2021)
• Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Fellowship (2012)
• Officer of the Order of Canada (2008)
• Distinguished Canadian Award (2006)
• Saskatchewan Order of Merit (2006)
• Canada Council for the Arts Molson Prize (2004)
• Saskatchewan Theatre Hall of Fame (2000)
• Chief Crowfoot Award, University of Calgary (1996)
• National Aboriginal Achievement Award (1995)
• Golden Wheel Award, Rotary Club, Saskatchewan (1994)
• Saskatchewan Achievement Award, Government of Saskatchewan (1994)
• Gabriel Dumont Medal of Merit, Gabriel Dumont Institute (1992)
• Chalmers Award for Best New Play (1986)
• Dora Mavor Award (1986)
• Order of the Sash, Métis Nation of Saskatchewan (1985)
• National Hero, Native Council of Canada (1979)
• Vanier Award, Vanier Institute (1979)
• Honorary Chief, Black Lake First Nations (1978).

Honorary Doctorate Degrees

• University of Regina (1985)
• York University (1992)
• Athabasca University (2000)
• Ryerson University (2018)
• University of Winnipeg (2018)

Teaching and Residencies

Maria Campbell has held several important teaching positions. She is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Saskatchewan. She teaches in the English, Drama, and Native Studies departments.

Academic Positions

• Assistant Professor at the University of Saskatchewan (current)
• Stanley Knowles Distinguished Visiting Professorship, Brandon University (2000–01)
• Sessional Instructor, Saskatchewan Federated Indian College (since 1998)
• Aboriginal Scholar, University of Saskatchewan (1995)
• Lecturer, University of Saskatchewan (1991–1997)

Writer-In-Residence

• University of Winnipeg (2008–09)
• University of Saskatchewan (1998–99)
• Whitehorse Public Library (1994–95)
• Prince Albert Public Library (1985–86)
• Persephone Theatre (1983–84)
• Regina Public Library (1980–81)
• University of Alberta (1979–80)