Salt Baby

Publisher's Description (Scirocco Drama): 
Growing up on the Six Nations native Reserve, Salt Baby never quite fit in-- her fair skin and curly hair made her more of a Shirley Temple type than a Pocohontas type. As a young woman, Salt Baby begins to explore her identity, Blood quantum, DNA tests, family trees... What does it mean on the Rez? In the city? Will Alligator ever understand? Will she?

With affection and humour, Salt Baby tackles the question of First Nations identity in the 21st century. As Salt Baby says, "It's always different for Indians."

Author's Biography (Scirocco Drama): 
Falen Johnson is Mohawk and Tuscarora from Six Nations. She is an actor, playwright and emerging dramaturg. She is a graduate of George Brown Theatre School. Selected theatre credits include: The Only Good Indian with Turtle Gals Performance Ensemble, The Triple Truth, Savage, Strong Medicine, Death of a Chief, A Very Polite Genocide, and Tombs of the Vanishing Indian all with the Native Earth Performing Arts. She has also been seen in The Ecstasy of Rita Joe, a co-production between Western Canada Theatre and The National Arts Centre. Falen was seen in The River with Nakai Theatre as well as Tout Comme Elle, a co-production between Necessary Angel and Luminato. Falen recently performed in Where the Blood Mixes with Saskatchewan Native Theatre.

Resource type: Book (Fiction/Poetry)

Age recommendation: Grade 4-6, 7-9, 10-12, Post Secondary

Keywords: Aboriginal, Native, Indigenous, First Nations, identity, identity politics, body politics, Mohawk, Tuscarora, Iroquois, language, reservation, reserve, rez, Six Nations, family, protest, generations, ancestors, land, history, passing, archive, records, lineage, DNA, borders, rebellion, hunting, teaching, rememberance, ancestry, un-belonging

Year of publication: 2013

Publisher information: Scirocco Drama