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Basil H. Johnston

March 12, 2024

Basil H. Johnston OOnt (13 July 1929 – 8 September 2015) was an Anishinaabe (Ojibwa) and Canadian writer, storyteller, language teacher and scholar.

Basil Johnston
Born(1929-07-13)July 13, 1929
Parry Island Indian Reserve
DiedSeptember 8, 2015(2015-09-08) (aged 86)
Wiarton, Ontario
Notable awardsOrder of Ontario, Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour

Biography edit

 
St. Peter Claver School for Boys

Johnston was born July 13, 1929, on the Parry Island Indian Reserve to Rufus and Mary (née Lafrenière) Johnston.[1][2] He was a member of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation, formerly Cape Croker (Neyaashiinigmiing), in the Bruce Peninsula.[3][4][5]

Johnston was educated in reserve schools in Cape Croker and later sent, along with his sister Marilyn, to residential school in Spanish, Ontario. He wrote about his experience as a student at St. Peter Claver School for Boys in his 1988 book Indian School Days.[3] After graduating high school as class valedictorian, he earned his B.A. with Honours from Loyola College (1954) and a high school teaching certificate from the Ontario College of Education (1962).[6] In 1959, Johnston married Lucie Desroches, with whom he had three children – Miriam, Tibby and Geoffery.[7]

Johnston died in 2015 at Wiarton, Ontario.[8] Before his death he donated his papers, including photographs, correspondence and manuscripts to the McMaster University Library for use by researchers in the William Ready Division of Archives and Research Collections.[9]

Teaching edit

Johnston taught high school at Earl Haig Secondary School in North York, Ontario, from 1962 to 1969, before taking a position in the Ethnology Department of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.[6][10] Part of his focus during his 25 years with the museum was the regeneration of the language, values and beliefs of Anishinaabe heritage.[11] He developed an extensive series of Ojibwa language courses on tape and in print, believing that traditional language education was essential to understanding Indigenous culture.[6] In the 1990 essay "One Generation From Extinction"[12] he examined the essential role Indigenous language and literature play in restoring lost "Indianness". Of the impacts of lost language he explains:

There is cause to lament but it is the native peoples who have the most cause to lament the passing of their languages. They lose not only the ability to express the simplest of daily sentiments and needs but they can no longer understand the ideas, concepts, insights, attitudes, rituals, ceremonies, institutions brought into being by their ancestors; and, having lost the power to understand, cannot sustain, enrich, or pass on their heritage. No longer will they think Indian or feel Indian.

Writing edit

Johnston wrote extensively in both English and Ojibwa.[6] Though he went on to publish numerous books, articles and poems, publishing companies were initially reluctant to release Johnston's work.[13] While publishers recognized the authenticity of his writing, they questioned whether there was a market for it. His first book Ojibway Heritage was published in 1976 thanks to the support of Jack McClelland and Anna Porter of McClelland & Stewart. In 1978 Porter proved equally instrumental, fighting for the publication of Johnston's second book, Moose Meat and Wild Rice, after a McClelland & Stewart editor suggested the publisher pass on the title, in part, because stories of its kind were "currently passé."[7] The book, which was nominated for a Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour, comprised 22 fictional short-stories and offered satirical comment about the relationship between Indigenous peoples, government officials and the nature of acculturation.[14]

Awards edit

Johnston was honoured with numerous awards for his work in preserving Ojibwa language and culture in addition to Honorary Doctorates from the University of Toronto, Laurentian University and Brandon University.[8][15][16]

  • Order of Ontario (1989)[17]
  • 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal (1992)[16]
  • National Aboriginal Achievement Award for Heritage and Spirituality (2004) [15]
  • Debwewin Citation for excellence in storytelling (2012)[16]
  • Ontario Arts Council Aboriginal Arts Award (2013)[15]
  • National Aboriginal Achievement Award for Heritage and Spirituality (2014)[18]

Bibliography edit

  • North American Indians: outline. Indian-Eskimo Association of Canada (Toronto: 1971).
  • Ojibway heritage. New York: Columbia University Press. 1976. ISBN 0231041683.
  • Canada: Discovering Our Heritage. Pearson Custom Publishing (Boston: 1977). By David Smith, Chris Andreae, Basil Johnston, E. Mitchner and Ann MacKenzie.
  • How the birds got their colours = Gah w'indinimowaut binaesheehnyuk w'idinauziwin-wauh. Toronto: Kids Can Press. 1978. ISBN 0919964192. With Del Ashkewe. Illustrated by David Johnson.
  • Moose meat and wild rice. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart. 1978. ISBN 0771044437.
  • Ojibway Language Course Outline for beginners. Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto: 1978).
  • Ojibway Language Lexicon for beginners. Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto: 1978).
  • Tales the elders told : Ojibway legends. Toronto: Royal Ontario Museum. 1981. ISBN 0888542615. Drawings by Shirley Cheechoo.
  • Brève histoire du Collège Saint-Alexandre. Collège Saint-Alexandre (Touraine: 1981).
  • Grosser Weisser Falke : der Lebenskreis eines Ojibwa. Eugen Diederichs Verlag (Köln: 1982).
  • Und Manitu erschuf die Welt : Mythen und Visionen der Ojibwa. Diederichs (München: 1984).
  • Nanabusch und Grosser Geist : Geschichten der Odschibwä Indianer (Kanada). Verlag St. Gabriel (Mödling-Wien: 1985). By Basil Johnston; Shirley Cheechoo; Käthe Recheis.
  • By Canoe & Moccasin: Some Native Place Names of the Great Lakes. Waapoone Publishing and Promotion (Lakefield: 1986). Illustrated by David Beyer.
  • Ojibway ceremonies (3. [Dr.] ed.). Toronto, Ontario: McClelland & Stewart. 1994. ISBN 0771044453.
  • Indian School Days. Toronto: University of Oklahoma Press. 1988. ISBN 9780806126104.
  • "One Generation from Extinction" in Native Writers and Canadian Literature. University of British Columbia Press (Vancouver: 1990).
  • Hudson Bay Watershed: a photographic memoir of the Ojibway, Cree, and Oji-Cree. Dundurn Press (Toronto: 1991). By John MacFie and Basil H. Johnston.
  • Hudson Bay portraits: native peoples of the Hudson Bay watershed. Dundurn Press (Toronto: 1992). By John Macfie and Basil Johnston.
  • Tales of the Anishinaubaek. Royal Ontario Museum. 1993. With Maxine Noel and the Royal Ontario Museum.
  • The Manitous : the spiritual world of the Ojibway (1. ed.). New York, NY: HarperCollins. 1995. ISBN 0060171995.
  • The bear-walker and other stories. Toronto: Royal Ontario Museum. 1995. ISBN 0888544154. Illustrated by David Johnson.
  • Readings: selections from HarperCollins Spring/Summer 1995 nonfiction list. HarperCollins Publishers (New York: 1995). By Annie Dillard; Basil Johnston; Ellis Cose; Philip Langdon; Emma Donoghue; Lawrence Graham; Paul Solotaroff; Eleanor Anne Lanahan; HarperCollins (Firm)
  • American film stories. P. Reclam (Stuttgart: 1996). By Reingard M. Nischik; Sam Shepard; Basil Johnston; Tom Clark; Richard Brautigan; Jayne Anne Phillips; T Coraghessan Boyle; Ray Bradbury; William Saroyan; Charles Johnson
  • The star man and other tales (Wah-sa-ghe-zik). Toronto: Royal Ontario Museum. 1996. ISBN 0888544197. With Jonas George.
  • Mermaids and Medicine Women. Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto: 1998).
  • The Art of Norval Morrisseau, The Writings of Basil H. Johnston. The Glenbow Museum (Calgary: 1999).
  • Crazy Dave. Toronto: Key Porter Books. 1999. ISBN 155263051X.
  • The nature of plants: excerpted from Ojibway heritage by Basil Johnston. Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission (Odanah, WI: 199X).
  • Honour Earth Mother: Mino-audjaudauh Mizzu-Kummik-Quae. University of Nebraska Press (Lincoln: 2003).
  • Anishinaubae Thesaurus. Michigan State University Press (East Lansing: 2007).
  • Think Indian: languages are beyond price. Kegedonce Press (Chippewas of Nawash First Nation, Ontario: 2011).
  • Living in Harmony: Mino-nawae-indawaewin. Kegedonce Press (Chippewas of Nawash First Nation, Ontario: 2012).

Filmography edit

  • The Man, the Snake and the Fox. National Film Board of Canada (Montreal: 1978). Directed and produced by Tony Snowsill, written by Basil Johnston.
  • Native Indian folklore. National Film Board of Canada (Montreal: 1993). By Alanis Obomsawin; Wolf Koenig; Brian McLeod; Tony Westman; Tony Snowsill; Basil Johnston; Les Krizson; Francois Hartman; Eunice Macaulay; Tex Kong; National Film Board of Canada.

References edit

  1. ^ Stoffman, Judy (26 September 2015). "Writer Basil Johnston paved way for First Nations literature". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  2. ^ New, William H. (2002). Encyclopedia of Literature in Canada. University of Toronto Press. p. 555. ISBN 9780802007612. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  3. ^ a b Edwards, Brendan F.R. "Basil H. Johnston". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  4. ^ "Ontario Regional Chief Offers Condolences to the Family of Author and Educator Basil Johnston". www.chiefs-of-ontario.org. Chiefs of Ontario. 10 September 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  5. ^ Robertson, Becky (11 September 2015). "Anishnaabe author Basil H. Johnston dies at 86". quillandquire.com. Quill and Quire. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d Petrone, Penny (2006). Benson, Eugene; Toye, William (eds.). The Oxford companion to Canadian literature (2. ed.). Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press. ISBN 9780195411676.
  7. ^ a b Meilie, Dianne (2015). "Basil Johnston Editor wrote 'Indians are passe' on author's manuscript". Windspeaker. 33 (7): 26. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  8. ^ a b Langlois, Denis (10 September 2015). . wiartonecho.com. Wiarton Echo. Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  9. ^ Nolan, Daniel (26 September 2013). "Ojibwa author Johnson donates papers to McMaster". Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  10. ^ Fitzgerald, Judith (16 July 1983). "Johnston avoids Indian stereotypes: An Ojibway writes about his own". Toronto: The Globe & Mail. ProQuest 1238650711.
  11. ^ "Anishinabek remember storyteller Basil Johnston". Anishinabek News. 10 September 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  12. ^ Johnston, Basil H. (1990). "One Generation from Extinction". In New, William H. (ed.). Native writers and Canadian writing Canadian literature special issue (Special issue, reprinted. ed.). Vancouver [B.C.]: UBC Press. ISBN 0774803703.
  13. ^ Edwards, Brendan F.R. (2009) "Deemed 'authentic': Basil H. Johnston. Historical Perspectives on Canadian Publishing. http://hpcanpub.mcmaster.ca/hpcanpub/case-study/deemed-authentic-basil-h-johnston Accessed June 25, 2017
  14. ^ Petrone, S. Penny (2004). Benson, Eugene; Conolly, L.W. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Post-Colonial Literatures in English. Routledge. ISBN 9781134468485. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  15. ^ a b c . www.arts.on.ca. Archived from the original on 28 June 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  16. ^ a b c Brown, Lynne. "Sacred Fire. In Memorium. Basil H. Johnston 1929–2015 | SaultOnline.com". saultonline.com. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  17. ^ "Nineteen honored With Order of Ontario". Toronto: The Globe & Mail. 19 April 1989. ProQuest 1237819861.
  18. ^ Switzer, Maurice. "Basil Johnston could tell – and write – stories". BayToday.ca. Retrieved 28 October 2016.

External links edit

  • "Basil H. Johnston fonds". McMaster University Library. The William Ready Division of Archives and Research Collections. Retrieved 8 March 2016.

March 12, 2024
basil, johnston, oont, july, 1929, september, 2015, anishinaabe, ojibwa, canadian, writer, storyteller, language, teacher, scholar, basil, johnstonborn, 1929, july, 1929parry, island, indian, reservediedseptember, 2015, 2015, aged, wiarton, ontarionotable, awa. Basil H Johnston OOnt 13 July 1929 8 September 2015 was an Anishinaabe Ojibwa and Canadian writer storyteller language teacher and scholar Basil JohnstonBorn 1929 07 13 July 13 1929Parry Island Indian ReserveDiedSeptember 8 2015 2015 09 08 aged 86 Wiarton OntarioNotable awardsOrder of Ontario Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Teaching 1 2 Writing 2 Awards 3 Bibliography 4 Filmography 5 References 6 External linksBiography edit nbsp St Peter Claver School for BoysJohnston was born July 13 1929 on the Parry Island Indian Reserve to Rufus and Mary nee Lafreniere Johnston 1 2 He was a member of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation formerly Cape Croker Neyaashiinigmiing in the Bruce Peninsula 3 4 5 Johnston was educated in reserve schools in Cape Croker and later sent along with his sister Marilyn to residential school in Spanish Ontario He wrote about his experience as a student at St Peter Claver School for Boys in his 1988 book Indian School Days 3 After graduating high school as class valedictorian he earned his B A with Honours from Loyola College 1954 and a high school teaching certificate from the Ontario College of Education 1962 6 In 1959 Johnston married Lucie Desroches with whom he had three children Miriam Tibby and Geoffery 7 Johnston died in 2015 at Wiarton Ontario 8 Before his death he donated his papers including photographs correspondence and manuscripts to the McMaster University Library for use by researchers in the William Ready Division of Archives and Research Collections 9 Teaching editJohnston taught high school at Earl Haig Secondary School in North York Ontario from 1962 to 1969 before taking a position in the Ethnology Department of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto 6 10 Part of his focus during his 25 years with the museum was the regeneration of the language values and beliefs of Anishinaabe heritage 11 He developed an extensive series of Ojibwa language courses on tape and in print believing that traditional language education was essential to understanding Indigenous culture 6 In the 1990 essay One Generation From Extinction 12 he examined the essential role Indigenous language and literature play in restoring lost Indianness Of the impacts of lost language he explains There is cause to lament but it is the native peoples who have the most cause to lament the passing of their languages They lose not only the ability to express the simplest of daily sentiments and needs but they can no longer understand the ideas concepts insights attitudes rituals ceremonies institutions brought into being by their ancestors and having lost the power to understand cannot sustain enrich or pass on their heritage No longer will they think Indian or feel Indian Writing edit Johnston wrote extensively in both English and Ojibwa 6 Though he went on to publish numerous books articles and poems publishing companies were initially reluctant to release Johnston s work 13 While publishers recognized the authenticity of his writing they questioned whether there was a market for it His first book Ojibway Heritage was published in 1976 thanks to the support of Jack McClelland and Anna Porter of McClelland amp Stewart In 1978 Porter proved equally instrumental fighting for the publication of Johnston s second book Moose Meat and Wild Rice after a McClelland amp Stewart editor suggested the publisher pass on the title in part because stories of its kind were currently passe 7 The book which was nominated for a Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour comprised 22 fictional short stories and offered satirical comment about the relationship between Indigenous peoples government officials and the nature of acculturation 14 Awards editJohnston was honoured with numerous awards for his work in preserving Ojibwa language and culture in addition to Honorary Doctorates from the University of Toronto Laurentian University and Brandon University 8 15 16 Order of Ontario 1989 17 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal 1992 16 National Aboriginal Achievement Award for Heritage and Spirituality 2004 15 Debwewin Citation for excellence in storytelling 2012 16 Ontario Arts Council Aboriginal Arts Award 2013 15 National Aboriginal Achievement Award for Heritage and Spirituality 2014 18 Bibliography editNorth American Indians outline Indian Eskimo Association of Canada Toronto 1971 Ojibway heritage New York Columbia University Press 1976 ISBN 0231041683 Canada Discovering Our Heritage Pearson Custom Publishing Boston 1977 By David Smith Chris Andreae Basil Johnston E Mitchner and Ann MacKenzie How the birds got their colours Gah w indinimowaut binaesheehnyuk w idinauziwin wauh Toronto Kids Can Press 1978 ISBN 0919964192 With Del Ashkewe Illustrated by David Johnson Moose meat and wild rice Toronto McClelland and Stewart 1978 ISBN 0771044437 Ojibway Language Course Outline for beginners Royal Ontario Museum Toronto 1978 Ojibway Language Lexicon for beginners Royal Ontario Museum Toronto 1978 Tales the elders told Ojibway legends Toronto Royal Ontario Museum 1981 ISBN 0888542615 Drawings by Shirley Cheechoo Breve histoire du College Saint Alexandre College Saint Alexandre Touraine 1981 Grosser Weisser Falke der Lebenskreis eines Ojibwa Eugen Diederichs Verlag Koln 1982 Und Manitu erschuf die Welt Mythen und Visionen der Ojibwa Diederichs Munchen 1984 Nanabusch und Grosser Geist Geschichten der Odschibwa Indianer Kanada Verlag St Gabriel Modling Wien 1985 By Basil Johnston Shirley Cheechoo Kathe Recheis By Canoe amp Moccasin Some Native Place Names of the Great Lakes Waapoone Publishing and Promotion Lakefield 1986 Illustrated by David Beyer Ojibway ceremonies 3 Dr ed Toronto Ontario McClelland amp Stewart 1994 ISBN 0771044453 Indian School Days Toronto University of Oklahoma Press 1988 ISBN 9780806126104 One Generation from Extinction in Native Writers and Canadian Literature University of British Columbia Press Vancouver 1990 Hudson Bay Watershed a photographic memoir of the Ojibway Cree and Oji Cree Dundurn Press Toronto 1991 By John MacFie and Basil H Johnston Hudson Bay portraits native peoples of the Hudson Bay watershed Dundurn Press Toronto 1992 By John Macfie and Basil Johnston Tales of the Anishinaubaek Royal Ontario Museum 1993 With Maxine Noel and the Royal Ontario Museum The Manitous the spiritual world of the Ojibway 1 ed New York NY HarperCollins 1995 ISBN 0060171995 The bear walker and other stories Toronto Royal Ontario Museum 1995 ISBN 0888544154 Illustrated by David Johnson Readings selections from HarperCollins Spring Summer 1995 nonfiction list HarperCollins Publishers New York 1995 By Annie Dillard Basil Johnston Ellis Cose Philip Langdon Emma Donoghue Lawrence Graham Paul Solotaroff Eleanor Anne Lanahan HarperCollins Firm American film stories P Reclam Stuttgart 1996 By Reingard M Nischik Sam Shepard Basil Johnston Tom Clark Richard Brautigan Jayne Anne Phillips T Coraghessan Boyle Ray Bradbury William Saroyan Charles Johnson The star man and other tales Wah sa ghe zik Toronto Royal Ontario Museum 1996 ISBN 0888544197 With Jonas George Mermaids and Medicine Women Royal Ontario Museum Toronto 1998 The Art of Norval Morrisseau The Writings of Basil H Johnston The Glenbow Museum Calgary 1999 Crazy Dave Toronto Key Porter Books 1999 ISBN 155263051X The nature of plants excerpted from Ojibway heritage by Basil Johnston Great Lakes Indian Fish amp Wildlife Commission Odanah WI 199X Honour Earth Mother Mino audjaudauh Mizzu Kummik Quae University of Nebraska Press Lincoln 2003 Anishinaubae Thesaurus Michigan State University Press East Lansing 2007 Think Indian languages are beyond price Kegedonce Press Chippewas of Nawash First Nation Ontario 2011 Living in Harmony Mino nawae indawaewin Kegedonce Press Chippewas of Nawash First Nation Ontario 2012 Filmography editThe Man the Snake and the Fox National Film Board of Canada Montreal 1978 Directed and produced by Tony Snowsill written by Basil Johnston Native Indian folklore National Film Board of Canada Montreal 1993 By Alanis Obomsawin Wolf Koenig Brian McLeod Tony Westman Tony Snowsill Basil Johnston Les Krizson Francois Hartman Eunice Macaulay Tex Kong National Film Board of Canada References edit Stoffman Judy 26 September 2015 Writer Basil Johnston paved way for First Nations literature The Globe and Mail Retrieved 8 March 2016 New William H 2002 Encyclopedia of Literature in Canada University of Toronto Press p 555 ISBN 9780802007612 Retrieved 5 November 2016 a b Edwards Brendan F R Basil H Johnston The Canadian Encyclopedia Historica Canada Retrieved 28 October 2016 Ontario Regional Chief Offers Condolences to the Family of Author and Educator Basil Johnston www chiefs of ontario org Chiefs of Ontario 10 September 2015 Retrieved 28 October 2016 Robertson Becky 11 September 2015 Anishnaabe author Basil H Johnston dies at 86 quillandquire com Quill and Quire Retrieved 28 October 2016 a b c d Petrone Penny 2006 Benson Eugene Toye William eds The Oxford companion to Canadian literature 2 ed Oxford Oxford Univ Press ISBN 9780195411676 a b Meilie Dianne 2015 Basil Johnston Editor wrote Indians are passe on author s manuscript Windspeaker 33 7 26 Retrieved 8 March 2016 a b Langlois Denis 10 September 2015 Esteemed Anishinaabe author Basil Johnston dies wiartonecho com Wiarton Echo Archived from the original on 2015 09 23 Retrieved 8 March 2016 Nolan Daniel 26 September 2013 Ojibwa author Johnson donates papers to McMaster Hamilton Spectator Retrieved 4 November 2016 Fitzgerald Judith 16 July 1983 Johnston avoids Indian stereotypes An Ojibway writes about his own Toronto The Globe amp Mail ProQuest 1238650711 Anishinabek remember storyteller Basil Johnston Anishinabek News 10 September 2015 Retrieved 29 March 2016 Johnston Basil H 1990 One Generation from Extinction In New William H ed Native writers and Canadian writing Canadian literature special issue Special issue reprinted ed Vancouver B C UBC Press ISBN 0774803703 Edwards Brendan F R 2009 Deemed authentic Basil H Johnston Historical Perspectives on Canadian Publishing http hpcanpub mcmaster ca hpcanpub case study deemed authentic basil h johnston Accessed June 25 2017 Petrone S Penny 2004 Benson Eugene Conolly L W eds Encyclopedia of Post Colonial Literatures in English Routledge ISBN 9781134468485 Retrieved 5 November 2016 a b c Basil Johnston receives 2013 Ontario Arts Council Aboriginal Arts Award www arts on ca Archived from the original on 28 June 2016 Retrieved 28 October 2016 a b c Brown Lynne Sacred Fire In Memorium Basil H Johnston 1929 2015 SaultOnline com saultonline com Retrieved 28 October 2016 Nineteen honored With Order of Ontario Toronto The Globe amp Mail 19 April 1989 ProQuest 1237819861 Switzer Maurice Basil Johnston could tell and write stories BayToday ca Retrieved 28 October 2016 External links edit Basil H Johnston fonds McMaster University Library The William Ready Division of Archives and Research Collections Retrieved 8 March 2016 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Basil H Johnston amp oldid 1155635481, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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