Shirley Bear facts for kids

Shirley Bear, born on May 16, 1936, is an amazing artist, poet, and activist from the Tobique First Nation. She is also a traditional herbalist, meaning she knows a lot about plants and how they can be used for medicine. Shirley is part of the Wabanaki language group in New Brunswick.

Early Life and Education

Shirley Bear was born on the Negootgook reserve in New Brunswick. Her parents were Susan Paul-Bear and Noel Bear Jr. She went to Collège Maillet in Saint-Basile. Later, she studied photography and painting in New Hampshire. In 1968, she received a special award called a Ford Foundation fellowship, which helped her continue her studies.

Her Art and Exhibitions

Shirley Bear's artwork has been shown in many places. Her art has appeared in exhibitions at the Clement Cormier Gallery in Moncton. It was also shown at the Université Saint-Louis in Edmundston. Her work has been part of group shows in both Canada and the United States.

In 2011, the Beaverbrook Art Gallery held a big exhibition just for her. It was called "Nekt wikuhpon ehpit — Once there lived a woman, The Painting, Poetry and Politics of Shirley Bear." This show was put together by Terry Graff.

Shirley Bear's art is kept in important collections. These include the National Indian Art Centre, the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, and Carleton University. Her work is also at the First Nations House of Learning at the University of British Columbia. You can find her art at the University of Moncton and in the Canadian Museum of History's permanent collection.

Some of her paintings kept at the New Brunswick Art Bank are Crane Woman, Abenaki Woman, and Moose with a Woman's Spirit.

In 1990, Shirley Bear helped organize a traveling art show. This exhibition featured art by Indigenous women and was called Changers: A Spiritual Renaissance.

A short film about her, called Minqwon Minqwon, was made in 1990 by Catherine Martin for the National Film Board. Shirley Bear believes it's important to work towards a peaceful life. She feels this peace existed between men and women in North America before Europeans arrived.

Fighting for Rights

Shirley Bear has spent a long time working for the rights of Indigenous women. In 1980, she joined the Tobique Women's Group. They started by helping single mothers and dealing with housing problems at the Big Cove Reserve.

Later that year, Shirley Bear and the Tobique Women's Group were invited to a meeting. This meeting was for Aboriginal women who wanted to create a political group. This group would speak for Indigenous women in the Canadian province of New Brunswick.

Awards and Recognition

Shirley Bear has received important awards for her work.

• In 2002, she was given the New Brunswick Arts Board's Excellence in the Arts Award.
• In 2011, she was named to the Order of Canada. This is one of the highest honors a Canadian citizen can receive.

Published Works

Shirley Bear's writing can be found in many books. These include collections of different authors' works, like The Color of Resistance: A Contemporary Collection of Writing by Aboriginal Women.

Some of her well-known books and works include:

• "Nekt wikuhpon ehpit Once there lived a woman: The Painting, Poetry and Politics of Shirley Bear." This was a book for her art exhibition, written by Terry Graff, with essays by Susan Crean and Carol Taylor.
• Nine Micmac Legends by Alden Nowlan, which features illustrations by Shirley Bear.
• Enough is Enough (1987)
• Everywoman's Almanac (1991)
• The Colour of Resistance (1993)
• Kelusultiek (1994)
• Virgin Bones / Belayak Kcikug'nas'ikn'ug (2006). This book was her own collection of artwork, poetry, and political writings. It was published by McGilligan Books.
  • Some famous pieces from Virgin Bones are:
    • Freeport, Maine
    • History Resource Material
    • Baqwa'sun Wuli, Baqwa'sun
    • September Morning
    • Fragile Freedoms