From
Goodreads ~
An unflinchingly honest memoir of her experience as a Métis woman in Canada, Maria Campbell's "Halfbreed" depicts the realities that she endured and, above all, overcame.
Maria was born in Northern Saskatchewan, her father the grandson of a Scottish businessman and Métis woman - a niece of Gabriel Dumont whose family fought alongside Riel and Dumont in the 1885 Rebellion; her mother the daughter of a Cree woman and French-American man.
This extraordinary account, originally published in 1973, bravely explores the poverty, oppression, alcoholism, addiction, and tragedy Maria endured throughout her childhood and into her early adult life, underscored by living in the margins of a country pervaded by hatred, discrimination, and mistrust. Laced with spare moments of love and joy, this is a memoir of family ties and finding an identity in a heritage that is neither wholly Indigenous or Anglo; of strength and resilience; of indominatable spirit.
This edition of "Halfbreed" includes a new introduction written by Indigenous (Métis) scholar Dr. Kim Anderson detailing the extraordinary work that Maria has been doing since its original publication 46 years ago, and an afterword by the author looking at what has changed, and also what has not, for Indigenous people in Canada today. Restored are the recently discovered missing pages from the original text of this groundbreaking and significant work.
Halfbreed is Maria Campbell’s memoir about growing up Métis in Saskatchewan. She talks about her childhood in a loving but struggling family, the racism she faced and the kind of poverty that shaped almost every part of her life. As she gets older, things get even tougher ... she deals with heartbreak, addiction and people taking advantage of her. But it isn’t just about hardship. It’s also about strength, family, culture and finding her voice. Campbell shows how she learned to stand up for herself and her community, eventually becoming an activist.
I've never heard of the
author and I don't know how it landed on my to-be-read list but I'm glad it did. It was interesting but sad and disturbing to read all she, her family and the rest of her people had (and still continue) to endure. I liked the writing style and found it to be honest and eye-opening. As a head's up, there is swearing, violence, drug use and adult activity.
