The Brandon Aboriginal Literary Festival was presented by the Brandon University Faculty of Arts and the John E. Robbins Library. It was held October 25-27, 2007 in the J.R.C. Evans Lecture Theatre and the Lorne Watson Recital Hall at Brandon University and included readings, panels, performances and a Saturday night social with the Juno-nominated Billy Joe Green Band.
Participants included: Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm; Annharte; Joanne Arnott; Di Brandt; Linda Burridge; Maria Campbell; Warren Cariou; Colleen Cutschall; Rosanna Deerchild; Paul DePasquale; Marilyn Dumont; Susan Dupis, Billy Joe Green; Scott Grills; Louise Halfe; Tomson Highway; Erroll Kinistino; Dale Lakevold; Emma LaRocque; Roberta Mackinnon; Lorraine Mayer; Neal Mcleod; Duncan Mercredi; Daniel David Moses; Beatrice (Culleton) Mosionier; Yvette Nolan; Jill Oman; Darrell Racine; Eden Robinson; Armand Garnet Ruffo; Gregory Scofield; Marvin Smoker; Richard Van Camp; Katherena Vermette; and Lynn Whidden.
A second festival, held under the name Ogamas Aboriginal Literary Festival, was held in October 2009.
Custodial History
Records in the sub sub series were donated to the McKee Archives by Linda Burridge, University Librarian and Festival Committee member in November 2007, October and November 2008 and July 2009.
Scope and Content
Sub sub series consists of festival documents created by the Festival Committee and collected by Linda Burridge. Sub sub series also contains photographs, taken by John Jacobson, of festival participants, volunteers, and attendees.
Accruals
Linda Burridge will be forwarding electronic files related to the festival.
Storage Location
Textual records:
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 8: Library Services
8.4 Library special events
Photographs:
Hard copy CD is located with the textual records. Descriptions use the 5-2009 accession number.
Maureen Johnson (nee Sills) was born in Brandon, MB in 1936 and grew up in western Manitoba. She spent three years in Ethiopia (1958-1961) and two years in Houston, Texas before taking up permanent residence in Winnipeg, MB. She attended Brandon College in 1953-1954, living in the Tower Room of Clark Hall.
From 1960-1979, Johnson raised her family, volunteered in the St. Vital community and was Secretary to the Manitoba Schools Science Symposium (1973-1977). She worked in the Office of the President at the University of Manitoba from 1980 to 1996.
Johnson is a visual artist and photographer, and is a member of the Winnipeg Sketch Club, Manitoba Society of Artists and Winnipeg South Photo Club. Her work is on permanent display at Medea Gallery (www.medeagallery.ca) where she has been a member since 1985. She also has work in the Rental Program at the Winnipeg Art Gallery.
For biographical information on Sarah Persis Darrach see RG 1 Brandon College fonds, Series 9: Clark Hall women's residence.
Custodial History
The original photographs in accession 10-2009 are in the custody of Maureen Johnson in Winnipeg, MB. Copies were digitally scanned by Johnson and sent to the Archives in March 2009. The 1921 photographs of Brandon College students were given to Johnson by Eileen McKenzie, her aunt, who attended Brandon College at that time. The photos of Sarah Persis Darrach (Johnson's great-aunt and maternal grandmother's sister) are from her family albums.
All of the records in accession 14-2009, except for the 1920 Quill and the Clark Hall Rules 1912, were collected by Johnson during her time at Brandon College. The Quill issue belonged to Johnson's aunt Eileen McKenzie, a student at Brandon College in the early 1920s. The records were in Johnson's possession at her home until their donation to the McKee Archives in May 2009.
Scope and Content
Accession 10-2009 consists of seventeen digital photographs. Seven photographs are of Sarah Persis Darrach (nee Johnson), taken primarily during her time as a nursing sister during World War I. Two photographs are of Eileen McKenzie. The remaining photographs depict students and student activities at Brandon College in the early 1920s.
Accession 14-2009 consists of a copy of the sound recording and program for Mr. College Spirit, a musical comedy presented by the Brandon College Literary Board and written by James Struthers and Kenneth Gunning. Accession also includes fifteen photographs from 1953-1954, when Johnson attended Brandon College. Subjects include: Freshie King and Queen; Graduation Banquets (1955, 1956); senior and lady sticks; Jim Casey Trophy; Grand March 1954; Capettes basketball team 1954; Glee Club 1953; Variety Night - Men's Chorus; Caps Football Team; Caps Hockey Team 1954; Cheerleaders 1954; Caps Basketball 1954; and Touques.
Textual records include graduation banquet and commencement programs, news clippings, programs for Variety Night and Be Your Age, a list of football cheers and a copy of the Fall Number of the 1920 Quill. Textual records also include two color photocopies: Clark Hall Rules 1912 and Johnson's Arts and Science Departments, Brandon College Registration card.
Notes
History/Bio information and Custodial History provided by Maureen Johnson (April 2009). A review of the play, written by Kay Rowe, appeared in the March 6, 1953 issue of the Quill.
