Indigenous Linguistic and Cultural Revitalization in Canada: Toward the Demarginalization of Indigenous Narrative Voices and “Texts”

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article will briefly present the work of five intercultural mediators who have contributed actively to sharing knowledge between dominant and Indigenous groups in Canada—Robert Dickson (interlinguistic settler translator); Tompson Highway (Cree writer, (self-)translator, and dramatist); An Antane Kapesh (Innu writer); José Mailhot (interlinguistic settler translator); and Kent Monkman (Cree painter and (intra-)semiotic (self-)translator). While Highway and Dickson produce “minor” narrative texts, “minor” will also be applied to the field of the visual arts to discuss Kent Monkman’s use of Cree in certain works and his rewriting of canonical works of art. The article will examine the extent to which these five mediators are “(un)known” and their works have entered a transnational space. Furthermore, the article will analyze the relations of these mediators with their respective Indigenous, and English or French language(s) and culture(s). The case studies are aimed at adding to the literature on the narrative activities of members of minority cultures, which have managed to penetrate a global translation zone. The political dimension of intercultural mediation will also be briefly assessed. Finally, the interlinguistic translators of Kapesh’s essays and Highway’s novel will be considered as mediators for dominant culture recognition.