The White Wampum

<p><I>The White Wampum</I> (1895) is the debut poetry collection of E. Pauline Johnson. Originally published in London <I>The White Wampum</I> launched her career as one of Canada's most distinguished artists. Revered as one the foremost indigenous poets of her time Johnson was a prolific writer whose works explored her Mohawk heritage while shedding light on the racism and persecution faced by indigenous peoples across North America. <I>The White Wampum</I> captures Johnson's range as a poet in tune with the Romantic tradition without erasing her dualistic sense of identity as a woman of Mohawk and English heritage. Choosing to emphasize the former Johnson who also went by Tekahionwake her great-grandfather's name adopts the persona of a Mohawk wife devoted to her husband a powerful warrior: I am Ojistoh I am she the wife / Of him whose name breathes bravery and life / And courage to the tribe that calls him chief. / I am Ojistoh his white star and he / Is land and lake and sky-and soul to me. When members of the rival Huron tribe capture Ojistoh their plan for retribution fails to account for her own strength and willpower. Outnumbered and unarmed she remains certain she will return to her husband alive. In The Camper Johnson invokes the beauty and simplicity of life on the plains erasing for a moment all distinction between man and god heaven and earth: Night neath the northern skies lone black and grim: / Nought but the starlight lies twixt heaven and him. / Of man no need has he of God no prayer; / He and his Deity are brothers there. This edition of E. Pauline Johnson's <I>The White Wampum</I> is a classic of Canadian literature reimagined for modern readers.</p> <p>Since our inception in 2020 <b>Mint Editions</b> has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.</p> <p>With thousands of titles in our collection we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.</p>