Biography of Rita Joe

Rita Joe was born on March 15 1932 and spent her childhood in a Mi'kmaq Reserve in Cape Breton. After the death of her mother, at the age of five, she spent most of her time living with foster families. Rita as orphaned at the age of ten. By the age of twelve she had decided that she was going to go to school in mainland Nova Scotia, at the Shubenacadie Indian Residential School. Later, Rita moved back to Cape Breton with her husband and raised ten children, including two adopted sons. 

She recalls being told, "You're no good." when she went to school in Shubenacadie. So she began writing to challenge this negativity. "My greatest wish is that there will be more writing from my people, and that our children will read it. I have said again and again that our history would be different if it had been expressed by us."

Rita Joe has gone on to write, at least, five books and has received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award. She was also a member of both the Order of Canada and the  Queen's Privy Council for Canada. Sadly, Rita Joe died at the age of seventy-five.