Liz Howard and Armand Garnet Ruffo. Authors of mixed origins, Aboriginal and European. They both share the same opinions on their poems as well as on Indigenous writing. What are their views? Keep on reading.
Liz Howard
They both grew up in the small town of Chapleau, Ontario. They are both of mixed European - Aboriginal origins. Ruffo is a poet of Ojibwe origins whereas Howard is of Anishinaabe descent. As they both admit, Indigenous writing and tradition influence their works to a huge extent.
Howard admits that her First Nations origins were unfamiliar to her and made her feel separated from the community for a very long time. She says, however, that she is very much connected with nature, which is closely related to the culture of Indigenous people, which may suggest that somehow she has always been aware of her heritage.
Liz Howard stated that Canada is built on denial and a lie. Silencing, which is the main cause of trauma among Aboriginal People, is something that the poet definitely wants to fight against.
For her, creation is documenting the experiences of Indigenous People. Literature and poetry are not only what helps people deal with their own weaknesses, but presents the reality of the Aboriginals to a wider audience.
It is the Native population that Howard wishes to be the main recipient of her poetry. As she says herself, she wants Aboriginal People to be able to identify with what is touched upon in her works.
Among all of the issues that Aboriginal People need to face, disappearing of Native languages is particularly important for the author. Language, as a source of knowledge, the beginning of everything and the best way to express emotions is crucial to her.
My ultimate confession, as you have got so right, is a disaster of language as a result of trauma. There is the fear of revealing too much. There is the fear of not getting it right. There is the fear of it not really being my right to speak, even if it is my own experience.
Liz Howard claims that it was only in the process of writing poems that she realized she was using this form of expression to address her father of European roots, her grandmother or her ancestors in general. For her, poetry is something thanks to which she is able not only to rediscover herself and her identity but also deal with the past related to her family and origin. The author says that the poem Thinktent is the one that touches upon the subject of the family or Indigenous experience throughout years.
Armand Garnet Ruffo
Just like Liz Howard, Ruffo admits that his Indigenous roots are his greatest inspiration during creation.
Being of Ojibway heritage, I draw much of my poetic inspiration from the history and culture of First Nations peoples in Canada. In this regard, it is important for me to write something that engages with society in general, and speaks to both Indigenous and Settler Canadians.
The author neither had access nor was aware of the existence of Indigenous writers, because only a few of them were published. His first experiences with Native Literature were poems that his grandmother recited. It was she who had the greatest impact on his artistic work. As a result, he began to discover and explore his Indigenous roots and culture.
In his poem The Fallout, Ruffo mentions an aunt who has experienced education at a residential school, which definitely left a mark on her and significantly affected her attitude towards the rest of her family members.
In the very same poem, the author mentions how little physical contact he experienced from his aunt and grandmother, which, in his opinion, was caused by traumatic experiences associated with attending the residential school and trauma as one of the outcomes.
He also, similarly to Howard, mentions oral culture and the impression it made on him. Ruffo also says that it was women who had a decisive influence on his life and awareness about culture.
People need to realize is that in Indigenous culture—at least in Ojibwe—it is the women who pass on culture to the children, especially in the early years, and I happened to grow up with some strong Ojibwe women (Anishinaabekwe), meaning that they survived against incredible odds, and so I guess that’s where my writing (mostly) comes from.
In his poems, Ruffo also addresses his father and issues of his mixed origin. As with Howard, Ruffo through his poems talks about family members of both Aboriginal and European roots.
Referring to European ancestors is a reference to the times of colonialism and a reminder that Europeans are the cause of the current condition of Indigenous People in Canada. This seems to be a very troubling issue for Ruffo.
A shared understanding of Aboriginal writing
Ruffo believes that both his and Howard's works are closely related to their origins. This Indigenous part of their identity has significantly influenced and continues to affect their work. In a conversation, both authors reflect on the responsibilities and the role of Indigenous writers. They wonder if the only task of the writers is to tackle traumatic topics related to the uneasy past.
Both poets believe that exaggerated and total focus on trauma closes the field of interpretation, and what is more, it favours the perpetuation of stereotypes about the Natives among non-Native recipients.
Futurisms, healing, regeneration: that’s where we have to go with our writing and, above all, our lives.
"Futurism" is what both poets would like to focus on. According to them, putting emphasis on the future and artistic potential is what would free Native People from trauma and being constantly stuck in the past.
The Thunderbird Poems
by Armand Garnet Ruffo
Harbour Publishing, 2015
As you can see, the authors share both origins as well as their attitude towards their own and Indigenous writing. The perspective they share is what cast a new light on Indigenous creation. Even though they are not poets of typical Indigenous origins, they still make a huge contribution to Native writing. They approach literary theory and the process of creation from a slightly different way, which all in all may turn out to be an impactful one.
Other poems:
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