Birthday of Maria Campbell

Maria Campbell is an influentual nêhiyaw-âpihtawikosisân (Cree-Métis) writer, educator and community worker from Treaty 6 territory, in central Saskatchewan, well-known for her 1973 autobiography, Halfbreed. She is the author of children's books on Métis and Cree history, as well as the editor of the important collection Stories of the Road Allowance People. She is an advocate for returning to traditional Cree-Métis values such as wâhkôhtowin (relationality in its most general sense). In an interview, she explained, "about reconciliation, there is no such thing. We can’t go back to a good time to begin again because there never was a 'good' time. But conciliation – kwaysk astaswin – to put things right. I can do that if someone is willing to work with me."