EARLY LIFE
Emily Pauline Johnson was born on March 10th 1861, daughter of a hereditary Mohawk chief and English immigrant made a large impact on Canadian literature before her passing on March 7th 1913. Emily was born and raised in the Sixth Nations of Ontario, Canada but throughout her career travelled around Canada performing her works. E. Pauline also went by Tekahionwake, meaning 'double-life' to represent her mixed-race background.Â
Throughout Emily's childhood she was often sick and was unable to attend school with her peers. She was taught by her mother, family and community members in their home. It is to be noted that at 14 Emily attended Brantford Central Collegiate where she graduated from in 1877
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After her fathers passing in 1884 Emily/Tekahionwake was inspired to begin writing to provide income for her family. Throughout her works she was best known for her perspectives and portrayals of indigenous cultures. In 1883 she published her first poem titled "My Little Jean" in the New York Gems of Poetry. She went on to publish 3 more poems in the same magazine before 1885 while also getting published eight times in a Toronto based magazine titled Week. In 1895 E. Pauline released her collection of Poetry titled The White Wampam. (Robinson 2008)
STAGE CAREER
In 1892, Emily was invited to perform her works for the Young Mens Liberal Club of Toronto. After this performance and the success of it, Emily began touring her works and developed a strong stage presence across North America. E. Pauline toured for 17 years before she was unable to perform anymore. Her performances captivated audiences due to beginning her act in traditional Mohawk dress and finishing in victorian clothing. She emphasized her native background through her performances which helped advance her unique shows to audiences. Her shows became more popular throughout the years before her last show in 1909.
LATER LIFE
Johnson died in 1913 after her battle with breast cancer. She was buried in Stanley Park near the
Siwash Rock as she had wished for before her passing. After her death in 1922 a memorial was
placed in Stanley park to commemorate her lifelong works and impact on Canadian literature. In
2016, Canada considered Johnson for an appearance on a Canadian bank note. Although the
award did not go to her, this shows the impact that she had on Canada and even indigenous
peoples as a whole.
