Emma_LaRocque

Emma LaRocque

Emma LaRocque

Canadian academic (born 1949)

Emma LaRocque (born 1949) is a Canadian academic of Cree and Métis descent. She is currently a professor of Native American studies at the University of Manitoba.[2]

Quick Facts Born, Academic background ...

She is also a published poet, writing brief, imagist poems about her ancestral land and culture.[3] LaRocque's works have critically engaged topics such as Indigenous identities, contemporary Indigenous literature, postcolonial literary criticism, decolonization and resistance, and Indigenous representation in Canadian history, literature, and popular culture.[4]

LaRocque has published works in numerous fields, making her work relevant to a diverse array of scholars. LaRocque's work offers a nuanced conception of Indigenous literatures as resistance, and brings misrepresentation of Indigenous peoples in Canada to light. Such contributions have had reverberations in Native Studies, sociology,[5] education, and poetry alike. LaRocque is also known for her deconstruction of the "civilized/savage" dichotomy, which she problematizes in relation to her own Métis identity.[6]

Early life

LaRocque was born in the remote community of Big Bay, Alberta, near the town of Lac La Biche. She came from a family of fur trappers, and was one of the first in her family to receive a formal education.[3] Despite her parents' uneasiness toward their daughter's enthusiasm for education, the author-to-be "howled [her] way into school".[7] Though English was not LaRocque's first language, this did not impede her from excelling in her early education.[7] After she completed high school, LoRocque worked as a counsellor for juvenile criminal offenders.[4] LaRocque also worked as a teacher at the Janvier 194 reserve until 1971, when she moved to the United States to attend Goshen College, Indiana.[8]

Education

In 1973, LaRocque graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and English from Goshen College, and later attended the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, graduating with a Master of Arts degree in peace studies in 1976.[9] Before entering academia herself, she briefly worked as a reporter and editor for Native People, a newspaper published by the Alberta Native Communications Society.[8]

LaRocque joined the University of Manitoba faculty in 1976, and received a second Master of Arts degree in 1980, in Canadian history. She completed a doctorate in 1999 from the University of Manitoba, on the subject of "Aboriginal resistance literature".[9]

Publications

Books

  • When the Other Is Me: Native Resistance Discourse 1850-1990, University of Manitoba Press. 2010.
  • Paul DePasquale, Renate Eigenbrod and Emma LaRocque (eds). Across Cultures/Across Borders: Canadian Aboriginal and Native American Literatures. Broadview Press, 2010.
  • Emma LaRoque, Defeathering The Indian. Agincourt: Book Society of Canada, 1975.
  • E. LaRoque, O. Haythorne, S. Layton.   Natives of North America: A Selected Bibliography.  Alberta Department of Education, Edmonton, 1975.

Appears in

  • Emma LaRocque. “Decoloniser les postcoloniaux” in Nous Sommes des Histoires: reflexions sur la literature autochtone: 193-206. Marie-Helene Jeannotte, J. Lamy and I. St-Amand, eds. Trad. By Jean-Pierre Pelletier. Montreal: Memoire d’encrier, 2018. 277p. Trans. From my book When the Other Is Me (2010).
  • “Metis and Feminist: Contemplations on Feminism, Human Rights, Culture and Decolonization.” Revised. Joyce Green, ed. Making Space for Indigenous Feminism (2nd edition). Halifax and Winnipeg: Fernwood Publishing, 2017.  pp 122–145. *Two poems “My Hometown Northern Canada South Africa” and “Long Way From Home” are also in this edition.
  • “Contemporary Metis Literature: Roots, Resistance, Innovation”, Cynthia Sugars, ed. Oxford Handbook of Canadian Literature. New York: Oxford University Press, 2016. pp 129–49.
  • “‘Resist No Longer’: Reflections on Resistance Writing and Teaching.” Elaine Coburn, editor. Foreword by Emma LaRocque. More Will Sing Their Way to Freedom: Indigenous Resistance and Resurgence. Halifax: Fernwood Publishers, 2016. pp 5-23.
  • “Teaching Aboriginal Literature: The Discourse of Margins and Mainstreams.” (Rpt)  Deanna Reder and L. Morris, eds. Approaching Indigenous Literatures in the 21st Century. Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2016. pp 55–72.
  • “Preface or Here Are Our Voices - Who Will Hear?” (Rpt).  Heather McFarlane and A. Ruffo, eds. Introduction To Indigenous Literary Criticism in Canada. Peterborough: Broadview Press, 2016. pp 47–60.
  • “Geese Over the City”, “Nostalgia”, and “Progress” (poems, rpts), analyzed in Carl Tracie, Shaping a World Already Made: Poetry and Landscape in Western Canada. Regina: University of Regina Press, 2016.
  • “Uniform of the Dispossessed” (poem), Rpt. Woman: An Anthology. Alana Brooks, ed. Winnipeg: At Bay Press, 2014.
  • “For the Love of Place - Not Just Any Place: Selected Metis Writings”, Adele Perry and Leah Morton, eds. Place and Replace: Collection of Essays. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 2013.
  • “A Personal Essay on Poverty” (section from Defeathering The Indian), Armand Ruffo, Daniel David Moses & T. Goldie, Anthology: Canadian Native Literature in English (4th edition), Oxford University Press, 2012.
  • Three poems included in N.J. Sinclair and Warren Cariou, eds.  Manitowapow: Aboriginal Writings From the Land of Water. Winnipeg: Portage and Main Press, 2012.
  • “Reflections on Cultural Continuity Through Aboriginal Women’s Writing”, Gail Valaskakis, Madeleine Dion Stout and Eric Guimond, eds. Restoring The Balance: First Nations Women, Community, and  Culture. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 2009.
  • “Metis and Feminist: Ethical Reflections on Feminism, Human Rights and Decolonization”, and “My Hometown Northern Canada South Africa” in  J. Green, ed. Making Space for Indigenous Feminism.  Halifax: Fernwood Publisher,  2007.
  • “When the Wild West Is Me: Re-viewing Cowboys and Indians.” Challenging Frontiers: The Canadian West. B. Rasporich and L. Felske, eds. University of Calgary Press, 2005.
  • “A Personal Essay on Poverty” (Excerpt from Defeathering The Indian, 1975).  Pens of Many Colours: A Canadian Reader (3rd Edition). Eva C. Karpinski, ed. Scarborough: Thomson-Nelson, 2002.
  • “Teaching Native Literatures: Margins and Mainstreams.” Creating Community: A Roundtable on Canadian Aboriginal Literature. Renate Eigenbrod and Jo-Ann Episkenew, eds. Brandon University: Bearpaw Publishing and Penticton: Theytus Publishing, 2002.
  • “Native Identity and the Metis: Otepayimsuak Peoples.”  A Passion For Identity: An Introduction to Canadian Studies (4th edition). D. Taras and B. Rasporich, eds. International Thomson Publishing, 2001.
  • Poetry (9 poems) in Anthology of Native Poetry in Canada, Lally Grauer and Jeannette Armstrong, eds. Broadview Press, 2001.
  • “Long Way From Home” (poem, 1994). Rpt in Pushing The Margins: Native and Northern Studies. J. Oakes and R. Riewe, M. Bennet and B. Chisholm, eds. Native Studies Press, 2000.
  • “Loneliness” (poem, 1990). Rpt in Prentice Hall, 2000.
  • “From the Land to the Classroom: Broadening Aboriginal Epistemology” Issues in the North, Special Issue: Celebrating 25 Years of Excellence in Native Studies, University of Manitoba, 2000
  • “An Evening Walk” (poem, 1986). Rpt in Sightlines Grade 8. Toronto: Prentice Hall Ginn, 1999.
  • “Tides, Towns and Trains” in  Reinventing The Enemy’s Language: Contemporary Native Women’s Writings of North America, Joy Harjo and Gloria Bird, eds. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1997, pp. 361–374.
  • “Re-examining Culturally Appropriate Models in Criminal Justice Applications” in  Aboriginal and Treaty Rights in Canada: Essays on Law, Equality and Respect for Difference, Michael Asch, ed. UBC Press, 1997, pp. 75–96.
  • “When The Other Is Me: Native Writers Confronting Canadian Literature” in  Issues in the North, Volume I,  Jill Oakes and Ricke Riewe, eds. Canadian Circumpolar Institute, 1996, pp. 115–124.
  • “The Colonization of a Native Woman Scholar” in  Women of the First Nations, P. Chucryk and C. Miller, eds.  University of Manitoba Press, 1996, pp. 11–18.
  • "Violence in Aboriginal Communities" in The Path To Healing: Report of the National Round Table on Aboriginal Health and Social Issues, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, Minister of Supply and Services, 1993, pp. 72–89.
  • ”Three Conventional Approaches to Native People In Society and In Literature” Survival of the Imagination: The Mary Donaldson Memorial Lectures, Brett Balon and Peter Resch, eds.  Coteau Books: Saskatchewan Library Association, 1993, pp. 209–218.
  • “Conversations with Emma LaRocque” in Contemporary Challenges: Conversations with Canadian Native Authors, Hartmut Lutz. Saskatchewan: Fifth House Publishers, 1991, pp. 181–202.
  • “Racism Runs Through Canadian Society” in Racism in Canada, Ormond McKague, ed.  Saskatoon: Fifth House Publishers, 1991, pp. 73–76.
  • “Brown Sister” “Eulogy For Priscilla” “The Geese Over the City” (translated into German) in Four Feathers: Poems and Stories by Canadian Native Authors, Hartmut Lutz, ed. O.B.E.M.A. Co-operative, Germany, 1991, pp. 142–159.
  • Excerpt from Defeathering The Indian and two poems:  “When I First Came to the City” and  “The Geese Over the City” in Our Bit of Truth, Agnes Grant, ed., Winnipeg: Pemmican Publications, 1990, pp. 205–208, 341-343.
  • "Preface or Here Are Our Voices -- Who will Hear?"  Writing The Circle: Women of Western Canada, Jeanne Perreault and Sylvia Vance, eds.  Edmonton: NeWest Publishers, 1990, pp. xv-xxx.
  • Thirteen Poems in Writing The Circle: Women of Western Canada, Jeanne Perreault and Sylvia Vance, eds. Edmonton: NeWest Publishers Publishers, 1990, pp. xxx, and 143-155.
  • "Racism/Sexism and its Effects on Native Women" in Public Concerns on Human Rights: A Summary of Briefs, Ottawa: Canadian Human Rights Commission, 1990, pp. 30–40.
  • "On The Ethics of Publishing Historical Documents" in 'The Orders of the Dreamed': George Nelson on Cree and Northern Ojibwa Religion a Myth, 1823.  Jennifer S.H. Brown, Robert Brightman, eds., University of Manitoba Press, 1988, pp. 199–203.
  • "Cuthbert Grant".  The Canadian Encyclopedia, Vol. II, Hurtig Publishers, 1985,  p. 766.
  • E. LaRocque and M. Beaucage. "Two faces of the New Jerusalem: Indian/Metis reaction to the missionaries."   Visions of the New Jerusalem: Religious Settlement of the Prairies, B. Smillie,  ed., NeWest Publishers, Edmonton, Alberta, 1983, pp. 27–38.

References

  1. [1]
    LaRocque, Emma (1999). Native Writers Resisting Colonizing Practices in Canadian Historiography and Literature (PDF) (Thesis). Winnipeg: University of Manitoba. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  2. [2]
    "University of Manitoba - Faculty of Arts - Native Studies - Dr. Emma LaRocque". umanitoba.ca. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  3. [3]
    Donovan, Kathleen. (1993). "LaRocque, Emma". In Bataille, Gretchen M.; Lisa, Laurie (eds.). Native American Women: A Biographical Dictionary. Garland Publishing. pp. 152–153.
  4. [4]
    Larocque, Emily (7 June 2011). "Interview with a Professor". Constellations. 2 (2): 157–158. doi:10.29173/cons10504. ISSN 2562-0509.
  5. [5]
    Coburn, Elaine, author, editor. LaRocque, Emma, 1949- writer of foreword. More will sing their way to freedom : indigenous resistance and resurgence. OCLC 1123871963. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. [6]
    Sugars, Cynthia; Davey, Frank (1 January 2016), "Constructing "Canadian Literature"", The Oxford Handbook of Canadian Literature, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199941865.013.2, ISBN 978-0-19-994186-5
  7. [7]
    LaRoque, Emma (1977). Defeathering the Indian. Book Society of Canada. OCLC 729250656.
  8. [8]
    LAROCQUE, EMMA (b. 1949), Encyclopedia of the Great Plains. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  9. [9]
    Dr. Emma LaRocque, Department of Native Studies, University of Manitoba. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
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