E. Pauline Johnson (1861–1913)

I loved this book! Johnson is a much better poet than I expected after skimming Legends of Vancouver. She has a sure sense of poetic meter and rhythm. While the themes are sometimes dated (the noble savage poems at the beginning) and the diction occasionally archaic, the poems are always very readable. I especially liked the subtlety of her nature subjects.

The ending of the poem Shadow River:

O! pathless world of seeming !
O! pathless life of mine whose deep ideal
Is more my own than ever was show more the real.
For others Fame
And Love's red flame,
And yellow gold : I only claim
The shadows and the dreaming. show less

This is a book of its times: quaint turn-of-the-century writing for North American and European readers who have had little direct experience of native peoples, using overwrought phrasing and pop words of the era (notably 'paleface', 'redskin' and 'Happy Hunting Ground', which peaked in usage around 1900 according to Google ngrams). It fits neatly into the period of Wild West shows and boys' adventure literature, when indigenous peoples and their cultures were being interpreted as noble but show more inevitably vanishing. The short book mentions familiar landmarks in southern British Columbia, but the human representations seem, at best, unfamiliar. show less

Legends of Vancouver by Pauline Johnson is a charming compilation of Coastal Indian myths. It was a delight to read the tales about so many locations and attractions I grew up with: Siwash Rock, Lost Lagon, Coal Harbour, Point Grey and Deer Lake. Also included is a Native version of The Great Flood and a very interesting account of Britain's Prince Arthur of Connaught and the Iroquois, which I'm sure might be viewed as controversial today due it's description of the Iroquois support of the show more British crown. The writing reflects the racial sentiments of the day (1911).

As mixed race English and Iroquois, Johnson lives in both worlds and writes with authenticity and great love for the Native peoples. The prose is beautiful albeit a bit florid for today's tastes.

I learned a lot about the culture of the Coastal First Nations peoples as I previously didn't imagine our Coastal Indians using canoes, arrows and being as warlike as depicted in these tales.

The book would have been enhanced by photos of the various locations throughout the city and with illustrations of the mythical warriors, princesses, Chiefs and medicine men as well.

Legends of Vancouver should be required reading for all Vancouver schoolchildren. show less

Sublime writing by an intelligent and creative and much overlooked poet.