Vera Manuel (March 20, 1948 – January 22, 2010, Secwepemc-

Ktunaxa The Kutenai ( ), also known as the Ktunaxa ( ; ), Ksanka ( ), Kootenay (in Canada) and Kootenai (in the United States), are an indigenous people of Canada and the United States. Kutenai bands live in southeastern British Columbia, norther ...

), was a playwright, poet, writer, healer and educator in British Columbia, Canada. Her native name was ''Kulilu Paⱡki'' (Butterfly Woman). Her plays were produced both in Canada and the United States.

Biography

She was the first daughter of cultural leader Marceline Paul (

) and

George Manuel George Manuel, OC (February 21, 1921 – November 15, 1989) was an Indigenous leader in Canada. Born and raised in British Columbia, he became politically active there and in Alberta. In 1970 he was elected and served until 1976 as chief of the ...

, Sr ( Secwepemc). Both her parents were survivors of the

Canadian Indian residential school system The Canadian Indian residential school system was a network of boarding schools for Indigenous peoples. The network was funded by the Canadian government's Department of Indian Affairs and administered by various Christian churches. The sch ...

. Manuel grew up on the

Neskonlith reserve The Neskonlith Indian Band (sometimes Neskainlith) is a First Nations government in the Canadian province of British Columbia located in the Shuswap district east of Kamloops. It is a member of the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council, one of two main ...

in the interior of

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

. She lived for many years as an adult in coastal

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. She died there in January 2010, aged 61. Manuel worked in diverse communities across North America. She wrote and produced numerous

plays Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...

exploring cultural oppression and genocide in First Nations communities. She worked both independently and through Storytellers Theatre of

Cookeville, Tennessee Cookeville is the county seat and largest city of Putnam County, Tennessee, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, its population was reported to be 34,842. It is recognized as one of the country's Cookeville micropolitan area, mic ...

, writing and producing '' The Strength of Indian Women'' and '' Every Warrior's Song''. Her poetry and short stories were published in journals and anthologies, and—like her plays—performed in spoken word events at a variety of venues across Canada and the United States. Her play, ''Strength of Indian Women'' was staged throughout North America. It was published in the book, ''Two Plays about Residential Schools'' (1998), along with one by Larry Loyie (

Cree The Cree, or nehinaw (, ), are a Indigenous peoples of the Americas, North American Indigenous people, numbering more than 350,000 in Canada, where they form one of the country's largest First Nations in Canada, First Nations. They live prim ...

). Described by one critic as "beautiful in dramatic terms alone", Manuel's play has been staged as part of

decolonization Decolonization is the undoing of colonialism, the latter being the process whereby Imperialism, imperial nations establish and dominate foreign territories, often overseas. The meanings and applications of the term are disputed. Some scholar ...

healing events across Canada.

Legacy and honours

Her work was honoured by inclusion at the Native American Women Playwrights Program, housed at Miaml University, in

Oxford, Ohio Oxford is a city in northwestern Butler County, Ohio, United States. The population was 23,035 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. A college town, Oxford was founded as a home for Miami University and lies in the southwestern portion ...

Works

;Plays *''Song of the Circle'', 1989 *''Honouring the Strength of Indian Women'', 1992

References

External links

;Books and other media
Beyond the Pale: Dramatic Writing from First Nations Writers & Writers of Colour, Yvette Nolan et al, 1996

* ttps://books.google.com/books?id=f_nktJA4a5gC&q=Vera+Manuel&pg=PA65 ''Monologues for Actors of Color, Women'', Roberta Uno, ed. Routledge, 2000
''Survivor'' (2008; videopoem; Director, Doreen Manuel; Soundscape/composer, Sandy Scofield; Poem "Justice" by Vera Manuel)
;Critical responses
''Native American Drama, A Critical Perspective'', Christy Stanlake (Cambridge University Press), 2009''Footpaths & Bridges: Voices from the Native American Women Playwrights Archive'', Shirley Huston-Findley & Rebecca Howard, eds. (University of Michigan Press), 2008

''The Native American Women Playwrights Archive'': Adding Voices, Rebecca Howard

"An Introduction to the North American Indian Drama Collection", Christy Stanlake

''A Companion to Twentieth Century American Drama'', David Krasner, Blackwell, 2005
{{DEFAULTSORT:Manuel, Vera 1949 births 2010 deaths 20th-century Canadian poets Canadian women dramatists and playwrights Canadian women poets First Nations dramatists and playwrights Secwepemc people 20th-century Canadian dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Canadian women writers First Nations poets First Nations women writers 20th-century First Nations writers 20th-century First Nations women