Poets and playwrights take freedom to read seriously

Page 8

Every Wednesday, patrons of the Art Bar Poetry Series meet at the Victory Cafe in Toronto's Bloor-Bathurst neighbourhood. It's a way to hang out with friends, share stories and listen to fellow writers read from their latest works. On Feb. 26, five poets shared the stage for Freedom to Read Night, an event marking Freedom to Read Week. Three of the five poets, Simon Ortiz, Nicole Tanguay and Rebeka Tabobondung, are Native Americans. Maurice Mireau, who performed first in the line-up, is a Winnipeg-based writer. April Severin is an established literary writer and a Native rights supporter. Hosts Sharon Singer and Dan Johnston said an Aboriginal theme had been chosen to honor "voices not heard, writers not read."

For Ortiz, "freedom to read is the freedom to live." He is an Acoma Pueblo from New Mexico. Simon has published several books of poetry, among other writings, and his work has received awards. He came to Toronto from New Mexico two years ago, to teach in the University of Toronto's Department of English. He read No Choice, a poem he had written for Poets Against the War, an anti-war effort that began in Washington, to protest war against Iraq.

Tanguay believes "it's important to talk about racism."

She is Metis, born in Ontario. She has counselled street people and women in shelters. She is a poet, playwright and full-time student. But when she was growing up, Tanguay said, she did not read. Not because of an oral tradition, just because there were no books around. There was a lot of music, but no books.

When she was 20, she discovered Alice in Wonderland and read it from cover to cover. She is inspired by other writers, and wants to "remember where she came from so she won't forget where she's going."

Tabobondung makes documentary films and she writes poetry. The Original Summit: Journey to the Sacred Uprising, is a film she made with Adrian Kahgee. She is an Ojibwa from Wasauksing First Nation, who wants to "build meaningful links between First Nations in the south and the north."

The summers of 1995 and 1998 she worked with Indigenous organizations in Guatemala. In December 1998, Tabobondung shared her experiences in our sister publication, Windspeaker.

Severin makes books her life. She works for the Bookmobiles Branch of the Hamilton Public Library. "Reading is a life skill needed daily, and books are friends. Reading and books open us up to new ideas and worlds, and prompt us to feel, think, and act," she said.

Poetry is her favorite genre. "Poetry is a powerful force. It is a form of activism enabling me to advocate about everything I feel passionately about. I can editorialize in a way that is entertaining as well as educational." Her poems express her love of animals, nature and heritage.

"The lives of animals are still considered cheap in this society," said Severin, before reading a poem written to protest the sentence given to two young men who had videotaped their torture and killing of a cat. Severin is a member of the Tower Poetry Society, and has published five chapbooks.

Freedom to Read Week is celebrated across the country every year, to remind Canadians not to take their rights and freedoms for granted. This year is also the 55th anniversary of the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights. The Canada Council for the Arts, the League of Canadian Poets and the Toronto Arts Council sponsored Freedom to Read Night.