 Janice
Acoose's roots stem from the Sakimay (Saulteaux) First
Nation and the Marival Metis Community. Born in
Broadview, Saskatchewan in 1954, she attended the Cowesis
Indian Residential School in the early 1960's, and was
culturally nourished in both the Saulteaux and Metis
ways.
Currently
an Associate Professor with the Saskatchewan Indian
Federated College, she is also a distinguished scholar
whose work has been acknowledged through the awarding of
numerous scholarships. At this time, she is in the
process of studying for a doctorate in English. As both
Professor and Student of Indigenous literature, Ms.
Acoose aspires to empower Indigenous peoples through
critical reading and writing in the English language
while simultaneously advocating for the retention of
Indigenous languages.
Through
her studies within mainstream university she strives to
ensure that First Nations and Metis cultures are
acknowledged, represented, honoured, and celebrated in
all disciplines. Accordingly, in her doctoral work, she
is studying the work of Cree, Metis, and
Ojibway/Saulteaux writers and debunking the notion that
Indigenous people are one big brown blob - singular and
culturally indistinguishable from one another.
Ms. Acoose
is a writer/scholar/producer who has utilized print,
video, radio and television to enlighten mainstream
society about the beauty, strength, and power of First
Nations and Metis peoples. As a writer, she was
Saskatchewan's first Native Affairs Columnist for the
Saskatoon Star Phoenix. In addition to the Saskatoon
newspaper, she also regularly contributed to the Regina
Leader Post, the Prince Albert Herald, Aboriginal Voices,
New Breed, and Windspeaker. Also throughout her career
she has produced the following literary and film works:
Acoose,
Janice, prod-scriptwriter. Voices in the Wind.
dir. Chris Triffo. Partners in Motion, 1995.
-
- - -. Iskwewak Kah Yaw Ni Wahkomakanak,
Toronto: Women's Press, 1995.
-
- -, scriptwriter. Our Way of Life (a
documentary about Metis trappers, hunters,
fishermen, and gatherers). prod/dir. Neil
Collins. Collins Prod., 1995.
-
- -, and Brenda Zeman. "Acoose: Man Standing
Above Ground." Voices of First Nations.
The Senior Issues Collection. Eds. Freda
Ahenakew, Brenda Gardipy, and Barbara Lafond.
Rpt. McGraw Hill-Ryerson, 1995. 112-124.
-
- -. "Deconstructing Five Generations of
white christian patriarchal Rule." Residential
Schools: The Stolen Years, Saskatoon:
University of Saskatchewan, 1993, 3-7 Rpt. 1995.
-
- -. "Post Halfbreed." Looking
at the Words of Our People: First Nations
Analysis of Literature. Ed.
Jeannette Armstrong. Penticton: Theytus Press,
1994. 28-44.
-
- -. "A Revisiting of Maria Campbell's
Halfbreed." Looking at the Words of Our
People. Ed. Jeannette Armstrong. Penticton:
Theytus Press, 1994. 138-150.
-
- -."In Memory of Koochum
Madeline." Gatherings: The En'owkin
Journal of First North American Peoples
5. Ed. Beth Cuthand, Penticton: Theytus
Press, 1994. 77.
-
- -."Where Were the Women?"
Gatherings 5. Ed. Beth Cuthand, Penticton:
Theytus Press, 1994. 173.
-
- -. "We Are Sensual/Sexual,
Happy/Beautiful, Strong/Powerful People,
Too." Gatherings 5. Penticton:
Theytus Press, 1994. 174.
-
- -, scriptwriter. "The 1993 Indigenous
Games." prod. Chris Triffo. Partners in
Motion, 1993.
-
- -, and Brenda Zeman. "Acoose: Man Standing
Above Ground." Playmaking
(audiotape). Scarborough: Prentice Hall, 1994.
-
- -. "All My Relations." Native
Voices. The Issues Collection. Eds. Freda
Ahenakew, Brenda Gardipy, Barbara Lafond.
Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited, 1993. 150.
-
- -, and Brenda Zeman. "Acoose: Man Standing
Above Ground." Playmaking. Ed. Jean
Ferrer. Rpt. Prentice Hall Canada, Inc. 1992.
83-84.
-
- -, and Brenda Zeman. "Acoose: Man Standing
Above Ground." Arts Education. Rpt.
Regina: Saskatchewan Education, 1992.
-
- -, scriptwriter. Wanuskewin: A Place of
Harmony. producer Pat McCloski. McCloski
productions, 1992.
-
- -. "Acoose: Man Standing Above
Ground." Studio One: Stories Made For
Radio. Ed. Wayne Schmalz. Regina: Coteau
Books, 1990. 81-93.
-
- -. "In Memory of Koochum Madeline O'Soup
Acoose." Canadian Women's Studies:
Growing Into Age 12 (1992): 87.
-
- -, scriptwriter and co-prod. "Designers
and Dreamers." Our Partners, Our People.
co-prod. Maria Campbell. CKCK TV, 1987.
-
- -. "Acoose: Man Standing Above
Ground." Ambiance. CBC Regina,
1985.
Links: (click on X in top right
corner of outside link to return to photo gallery)
SIFC English Department - Faculty and
Support Staff
Womens Presses
Library Project - Authors - ...Keeping women's words in
circulation
New Indian Books -
August 1996 - Iskewak--Kah'Ki Yaw Ni Wahkomakanak:
Neither Indian Princesses nor Easy Squaws / Janice
Acoose. Toronto: Women's Press, 1995.
Recommended Books
About Native American Women
New books at OSU
Nov95 - Bibliography of New Books at Oklahoma State U. -
November, 1995 - by John Berry
U of S - Graduate
Students - Acoose builds bridge between university and
community: By Cassandra Phillips
Women's Press
University of
Regina - Statement of Goals of the University of Regina -
The Council
Attack on
literature's stereotypes
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