Anne Cameron

(Barbara) Anne Cameron (born August 20, 1938 in Nanaimo, British Columbia)[1] is a Canadian novelist, poet, screenwriter, short story and children's book writer.

She legally changed her name from her birth name, Barbara Cameron, to Cam Hubert and later changed her name from Cam Hubert to Anne Cameron. She has written under these names.[2]

Much of her work is inspired by Northwest Coast First Nations' mythology and culture and centered women as characters asserting non-conformist independence.[3] Cameron is a feminist and has been influential in bringing the injustices of patriarchal and colonial systems under scrutiny in her body of work.[4]

Personal

(Barbara) Anne Cameron is the daughter of Annie Cameron (née Graham) and Matthew Angus Cameron.[5] Cameron has described her family as "hard-working, dirt poor," and highlights the peace and order she found in reading books as a child.[6] She began writing at a young age, "scribbling notes on toilet paper,"[7] and attended high school in Nanaimo, British Columbia. At fourteen her mother gifted her a typewriter "even though she could not afford it."[8] Cameron did not complete high school, and resisted certain subjects like home economics, preferring instead to spend time in the library.[9]

She has lived briefly in Ontario, and in the mainland Vancouver area, but has spent most of her life on Vancouver Island. She married and divorced,[10] and parented 5 children, Alex Hubert, Erin Hubert, Pierre Hubert, Marianne Hubert Jones, and Tara Hubert Miller.[5] Lacking the formal school credits to attend university, and later declined admission by Simon Fraser University as a mature student applicant, Cameron developed her writing through her own ingenuity and collaborative projects with friends. She especially credits time spent listening to storytellers; in particular she references Welsh coal-mining women and North English women storytellers, Chinese elder and Indigenous elder storytellers.[11]

Writing

She includes details about the First Nations storytellers whose stories are reflected in her books in the foreword.[12] She wrote for the Indian Voice in Vancouver (founded in 1969 by British Columbia Indian Homemakers' Association) and engaged her writing as a form of activism, winning a centennial play-writing contest for Windigo, a stage adaptation of a documentary poem about racism.[13] One outcome of winning the contest was that the play toured the province and was performed by First Nations inmates in Matsqui Penitentiary, Abbortsford, British Columbia.[14] This experience led her to co-found the Tillicurn Theatre[5] in 1974, a First Nations theatre group formed locally that toured British Columbia and performed "dramatizations of legends and a theatre piece based on the death of Fred Quilt, a Chilcotin man who died of ruptured guts after an encounter with two RCMP on a back road at night."[15] In an interview with Alan Twigg, referring to this work, she explains that "It started out political. It has become very personal."[16][17]

Among other jobs, she worked as a student psychiatric nurse (1955-57), as a medical assistant with the Royal Canadian Air Force (1957-59), an Instructor in creative writing at Malaspina College, Powell River, and writer in residence at Simon Fraser University, the institution that had declined her admission as a mature university student years earlier on the basis of insufficient high school credits.[5] Some screenplays were written under her name at the time, Cam Hubert; Cameron later added novels and children's books to her body of work.[18]

Her bestselling Daughters of Copper Woman (1981),[19] first printed by the Vancouver feminist collective Press Gang Publishers,[20] is regarded as "a groundbreaking bestseller and women's studies staple"[21] has been reprinted thirteen times. Writing an academic article about Cameron's work, Christine St. Peter contacted Press Gang Publishers and was told that "women from all over the world write to describe how reading Daughters of Copper Woman has changed their lives" (interview with Della McCreary, 20 July 1987; St. Peter, 1989, at page 500).[12]

Cameron's writing focuses on British Columbia First Nations lives, mainly in coastal communities such as Powell River and Nanaimo. Her characters explore spirituality, resilience, sexuality, resistance, and healing, and encounter violence, oppression, misogyny, and poverty.[22] Many stories reflect specific Indigenous cultures and myths, and offer a critical feminist, anti-colonial narrative that cherishes creation stories and oral histories (e.g. Daughters of Copper Woman, based on Nootka myths and legends,[23] and Dzelarhons: Myths of the Northwest Coast).[24][12][25] The "destructive impact of white culture on the Indian population, particularly on the cultural position of women" is powerfully communicated in Daughters of Copper Woman (1981), alongside "women's strength, courage, sisterhood, and transmission of knowledge for survival [...] considered basic to the well-being of their society."[26] In an interview with Alan Twigg, owner and publisher of the newspaper, B.C. BookWorld, Cameron explained "We identify with British Columbia much more than we identify as Canadians" (1988 Interview by Alan Twigg).[27] The royalties from her book sales have supported causes that center Indigenous and First Nations' priorities (2002 interview with author reproduced on BC Book Look).[28]

Cameron published 'A Short Story' in the 1981 'Lesbiantics' issue of Fireweed, a quarterly feminist publication, and has been recognised for foregrounding "the pleasure of women living together and the humour, for example, of a lesbian couple nailing the sign 'Women' over their outhouse" (p. 651 in the Oxford Companion to Canadian Literature, 2nd Ed.).[29] Cameron has said of the characters in her stories, "Their being queer is not why they are in my stories. It's just part of who they are."[30] She is celebrated as a queer writer,[31] identifies as lesbian,[32] and currently lives in Tahsis, British Columbia with her partner.[1]

In 2010 she was awarded the 16th annual George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award, commemorated by the installation of a plaque with her name in the Writers' Walk at the Vancouver Public Library on Georgia Street in Vancouver, British Columbia.[33]

Works

Film

Stage
  • Cantata: The Story of Sylvia Stark (1989)

Fiction
  • Dreamspeaker [34][35](1979)
  • Daughters of Copper Woman[36][37] (1981)
  • The Journey[38] (1982)
  • Dzelarhons: Mythology of the Northwest Coast[39] (1986)
  • Child of Her People[40] (1987)
  • Stubby Amberchuk & The Holy Grail [41](1987)
  • Tales of the Cairds[42] (1989)
  • Women, Kids & Huckleberry Wine (1989)
  • South of an Unnamed Creek [43](1989)
  • Bright's Crossing[44] (1990)
  • Escape to Beulah[45] (1990)
  • Kick the Can [46](1991)
  • A Whole Brass Band[47] (1992)
  • Wedding Cakes, Rats and Rodeo Queens[48] (1994)
  • DeeJay & Betty[49] (1994)
  • The Whole Fam Damily [50](1995)
  • Selkie [51](1996)
  • Aftermath[52] (1999)
  • Those Lancasters (2000)
  • Sarah's Children[53] (2001)
  • Hardscratch Row[54] (2002)
  • Family Resemblances (2003)
  • Dahlia Cassidy[55] (2004)

Audio
  • Loon and Raven Tales (1996)

Poetry
  • Earth Witch (1983; reprinted five times)
  • The Annie Poems[56] (1987)
  • Windigo (1974)

Children's books
  • How Raven Freed the Moon[57] (1985); Illustrated by Tara Miller
  • How the Loon Lost her Voice[58] (1985); Illustrated by Tara Miller
  • Raven Returns the Water [59](1987); Illustrated by Nelle Olsen
  • Orca's Song[60] (1987); Illustrated by Nelle Olsen
  • Lazy Boy[61] (1988); Illustrated by Nelle Olsen
  • Spider Woman[62] (1988); Illustrated by Nelle Olsen
  • Raven & Snipe[63] (1991); Illustrated by Gaye Hammond
  • Raven Goes Berrypicking[64] (1991); Illustrated by Gaye Hammond
  • The Gumboot Geese[65] (1992); Illustrated by Jane Huber
  • T'aal: The One Who Takes Bad Children[66] (1998)

Awards
  • 1972: Alberta Poetry Competition
  • 1973: Bliss Carman Award for Poetry, Banff School of Fine Arts
  • 1973: Alberta Poetry Competition
  • 1979: Gibson's Literary Award
  • 1979: Etrog for best Screenplay - Dreamspeaker (screen) [In 1968, a bronze award statuette was designed by sculptor Sorel Etrog and the award was often referred to as an "Etrog". The awards were formally renamed Genie Awards in 1980.]
  • 1979: Gibson Award for Literature - Dreamspeaker (novel)

References
  1. "Cameron, Anne". ABCBookWorld. 2007. Retrieved June 21, 2007.
  2. "Dreamspeaker" at Google Books.
  3. "#107 Anne Cameron". bcbooklook.com. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  4. Harbour Publishing: Anne Cameron.
  5. (Barbara) Anne Cameron." Gale Literature: Contemporary Authors, Gale, 2001. Gale Literature Resource Center. Accessed 9 Mar. 2020.
  6. Harbour Publishing: Anne Cameron.
  7. "George Woodcock Life Time Achievement Awards Anne Cameron 2010 « BC Book Awards". bcbookawards.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  8. Harbour Publishing: Anne Cameron.
  9. Harbour Publishing: Anne Cameron.
  10. "George Woodcock Life Time Achievement Awards Anne Cameron 2010 « BC Book Awards". bcbookawards.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  11. Harbour Publishing: Anne Cameron.
  12. St. Peter, Christine (Autumn 1989). ""Woman's Truth" and the Native Tradition: Anne Cameron's "Daughters of Copper Woman"". Feminist Studies. 15 (3): 499–523. doi:10.2307/3177942. JSTOR 3177942.
  13. "George Woodcock Life Time Achievement Awards Anne Cameron 2010 « BC Book Awards". bcbookawards.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-11.
  14. "Cameron Anne". ABC BookWorld. Retrieved 2020-03-11.
  15. "George Woodcock Life Time Achievement Awards Anne Cameron 2010 « BC Book Awards". bcbookawards.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  16. Harbour Publishing: Anne Cameron.
  17. Twigg, Alan, 1952- (1988). Strong voices : conversations with fifty Canadian authors. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Pub. ISBN 0-920080-96-0. OCLC 20392721.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. Harbour Publishing: Anne Cameron.
  19. Harbour Publishing: Daughters of Copper Woman.
  20. "#107 Anne Cameron". bcbooklook.com. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  21. "Daughters of Copper Woman · Canadian Book Review Annual Online". cbra.library.utoronto.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-11.
  22. "#107 Anne Cameron". bcbooklook.com. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  23. "Daughters of Copper Woman · Canadian Book Review Annual Online". cbra.library.utoronto.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-11.
  24. "Dzelarhons: Myths of the Northwest Coast · Canadian Book Review Annual Online". cbra.library.utoronto.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-11.
  25. Harbour Publishing: Dzelarhons.
  26. Bossen, Laurel (Autumn 1983). "Reviewed Work: Daughters of Copper Woman by Anne Cameron". Signs. 9 (1): 158–159. doi:10.1086/494036. JSTOR 3173675.
  27. "#107 Anne Cameron". bcbooklook.com. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  28. "#107 Anne Cameron". bcbooklook.com. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  29. The Oxford Companion to Canadian Literature. Toye, William., Benson, Eugene. (2nd ed.). Toronto: Oxford University Press. 1997. ISBN 0-19-541167-6. OCLC 39624837.CS1 maint: others (link)
  30. "Queer writer wins George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award". Xtra Magazine. 2010-08-26. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  31. "Queer writer wins George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award". Xtra Magazine. 2010-08-26. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  32. "Queer writer wins George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award". Xtra!, August 27, 2010.
  33. "The George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award- Prize History « BC Book Awards". bcbookawards.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  34. Cameron, Anne, 1938- (1978). Dreamspeaker (1st Harbour Pub. ed.). Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Pub. ISBN 1-55017-364-2. OCLC 57392523.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  35. Cameron, Anne. (1978). Dreamspeaker and Tem Eyos Ki and the land claims question. Toronto: Clarke, Irwin. ISBN 0-7720-1220-2. OCLC 5288511.
  36. Cameron, Anne, 1938- (2002). Daughters of Copper Woman (Rev. ed.). Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Pub. ISBN 1-55017-245-X. OCLC 48534677.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  37. "Daughters of Copper Woman · Canadian Book Review Annual Online". cbra.library.utoronto.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-11.
  38. Cameron, Anne. (1986). The journey : a novel. San Francisco: Spinsters/Aunt Lute. ISBN 0-933216-24-6. OCLC 15275721.
  39. Cameron, Anne. (2015). Dzelarhons : mythology of the northwest coast. [Place of publication not identified]: Harbour Publishing. ISBN 978-1-55017-758-9. OCLC 951926008.
  40. Cameron, Anne. (1987). Child of her people (First ed.). San Francisco: Spinsters/Aunt Lute. ISBN 0-933216-28-9. OCLC 17821459.
  41. Cameron, Anne, 1938- (1987). Stubby Amberchuk & the Holy Grail. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Pub. ISBN 0-920080-22-7. OCLC 16713112.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  42. Cameron, Anne, 1938- (1989). Tales of the Cairds. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Pub. ISBN 1-55017-004-X. OCLC 20094897.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  43. Cameron, Anne, 1938- (1989). South of an unnamed creek. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Pub. ISBN 1-55017-013-9. OCLC 20358783.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  44. Cameron, Anne, 1938- (1990). Bright's Crossing : short stories. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Pub. ISBN 1-55017-022-8. OCLC 21672657.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  45. Cameron, Anne, 1938- (1990). Escape to Beulah. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Pub. ISBN 1-55017-029-5. OCLC 22505494.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  46. Cameron, Anne, 1938- (1991). Kick the can : a novel. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Pub. ISBN 1-55017-039-2. OCLC 23968961.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  47. Cameron, Anne. (1992). A whole brass band : a novel. Madeira Park, BC, Canada: Harbour Pub. ISBN 1-55017-075-9. OCLC 28182812.
  48. Cameron, Anne, 1938- (1995). Wedding cakes, rats and rodeo queens (1st HarperPerennial ed.). Toronto: HarperPerennial. ISBN 0-00-647958-8. OCLC 32530775.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  49. Cameron, Anne. (1996). DeeJay & Betty. London: Women's Press. ISBN 0-7043-4484-X. OCLC 39876949.
  50. Mallet, Julien (2002). "Histoire De vies, histoire d'une vie: Damily, musicien de tsapiky, troubadour des temps modernes". Cahiers de musiques traditionnelles. 15: 113–132. doi:10.2307/40240447. ISSN 1015-5775. JSTOR 40240447.
  51. Cameron, Anne, 1938- (1996). Selkie. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Publishing. ISBN 1-55017-152-6. OCLC 35969400.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  52. Cameron, Anne. (1999). Aftermath. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Pub. ISBN 1-55017-193-3. OCLC 39385130.
  53. Cameron, Anne. (2001). Sarah's children. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Pub. ISBN 1-55017-274-3. OCLC 47162513.
  54. Cameron, Anne. (2002). Hardscratch Row. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Pub. ISBN 1-55017-290-5. OCLC 50143810.
  55. Cameron, Anne. (2004). Dahlia Cassidy. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Pub. ISBN 1-55017-344-8. OCLC 55474717.
  56. Cameron, Anne. (1987). The Annie poems. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Pub. Co. ISBN 0-920080-91-X. OCLC 17509596.
  57. Cameron, Anne. (1985). How raven freed the moon. Miller, Tara. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Pub. ISBN 0-920080-67-7. OCLC 14370906.
  58. Cameron, Anne. (1985). How the loon lost her voice. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Pub. ISBN 0-920080-55-3. OCLC 17183753.
  59. Cameron, Anne, 1938- (1987). Raven returns the water. Olsen, Nelle. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Pub. Co. ISBN 0-920080-19-7. OCLC 16181062.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  60. Cameron, Anne, 1938- (1987). Orca's song. Olsen, Nelle. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Pub. Co. ISBN 0-920080-29-4. OCLC 16181061.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  61. Cameron, Anne, 1938- (1988). Lazy boy. Olsen, Nelle. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Pub. Co. ISBN 0-920080-63-4. OCLC 17582267.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  62. Cameron, Anne, 1938- (1988). Spider woman. Olsen, Nelle. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Pub. Co. ISBN 0-920080-73-1. OCLC 17582261.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  63. Cameron, Anne, 1938- (1991). Raven & Snipe. Hammond, Gaye. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Pub. ISBN 1-55017-037-6. OCLC 22505567.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  64. Cameron, Anne, 1938- (1991). Raven goes berrypicking. Hammond, Gaye. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Pub. ISBN 1-55017-036-8. OCLC 22505581.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  65. Cameron, Anne, 1938- (1992). The gumboot geese. Huber, June. Madeira Park, B.C.: Harbour Pub. ISBN 1-55017-063-5. OCLC 25548988.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  66. Pielle, Sue. (1998). T'aal : the one who takes bad children. Cameron, Anne., Guzek, Greta. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Pub. ISBN 978-1-55017-180-8. OCLC 42054548.
  67. "George Woodcock Life Time Achievement Awards Anne Cameron 2010 « BC Book Awards". bcbookawards.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
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