Kiskajeyi — I Am Ready

Michelle Sylliboy, edited by Michael Calvert

Image | Kiskajeyi

(Rebel Mountain Press)

This hieroglyphic poetry book is the first of its kind. Aboriginal artist and writer, Michelle Sylliboy blends her poetry, photography, and Mi'kmaq (L'nuk) hieroglyphic poetry in this unprecedented book.
Publication is timed to coincide with the 2019 Year of Indigenous Languages, and the launch of Michelle Sylliboy's Mi'kmaq hieroglyphic art exhibit in Nova Scotia.
The International Year of Indigenous Languages is a United Nations observance in 2019 that aims to raise awareness of the consequences of the endangerment of Indigenous languages across the world, with an aim to establish a link between language, development, peace, and reconciliation.

​"The photographs in this book are a recognition of land and how the Komqwejwi'kasikl language comes from the land. The importance of saving our water and our lands in the time of resource extraction is critical." (From Rebel Mountain Press)

Why Michelle Sylliboy wrote Kiskajeyi — I Am Ready

"When residential schools took over our communities, our education was interrupted by the system. The government took over what we should learn and how we should learn through residential schools.
"Schools that literally stopped the continuation and the knowledge of the hieroglyphics. Because of this occurring, the last fluent readers have since passed away.
The narrative got stolen and that's the part that I wanted to reclaim. - Michelle Sylliboy
"When I started to research the history about the hieroglyphics and how it was used, I learned it was used to convert the Mi'kmaq, my people. But the narrative got stolen and that's the part that I wanted to reclaim.
"That's how and why my people need to reclaim the historical narrative. Because it was taken away from us."
Read more in her interview with The Next Chapter.

Interviews with Michelle Sylliboy

Media | Michelle Sylliboy on Kiskajeyi -- I am Ready

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