Area Six Nations author releases new book
“Ego of a Nation” is the first title released by Rogers’ new press house, Ojistoh Publishing
After spending 25 years in British Columbia developing her voice as a writer, celebrated Indigenous author Janet Marie Rogers has published a book from her southwestern Ontario home, Six Nations of The Grand River.
“I just feel like I’m in a fresh phase of my creative career, because the things I’m producing here just seem to have a lot more power to them,” she said. “I really kind of relate that to coming back home.”
Released in May, “Ego of a Nation” documents, through a collection of poems, the ongoing injustices sustained by Indigenous peoples.
The collection was formally introduced at a virtual book launch through the Hamilton Public Library (HPL) June 19, with a live reading and discussion with the author.
Rogers has authored six other poetry collections, all published while she was living in B.C., including “Splitting the Heart,” “Red Erotic,” “Unearthed” and “Peace In Duress.”
Her latest book, “Ego of a Nation,” is the first title to be released under her own label, Ojistoh Publishing, an Indigenous press house she launched earlier this spring.
“I thought, well, I’ll be my own guinea pig before I start to publish anybody else,” she said.
Rogers said she hopes the first Ojistoh release — one of her most successful books under any publisher — will inspire others to give it a try.
“I realized that within this community alone, there are so many really talented, interesting, creative voices that deserve to go farther than this community,” she said. “I just thought, through a publishing house I could help nurture those voices, provide platform for those voices.”
Ojistoh is a Mohawk word that translates to “white star, or shiny light.” The publishing house, which Rogers hopes will be up-and-running by 2021, will provide a space for Indigenous authors.
“It’s definitely intended to support Indigenous voices locally, first and foremost people from Six Nations, but then also expand into other Indigenous voices from other communities in other nations,” she said.
This month, Rogers is celebrating her first anniversary in Ontario — she moved back home to Six Nations of The Grand River from British Columbia in June 2019.
“I don’t come back home empty-handed,” she said. “I come back home with the skills that I’ve acquired through being away and through my travels, and learning how to publish is definitely one of them.”
Rogers is also the Mabel Pugh Taylor writer-in-residence, a program run through a partnership between Hamilton Public Library and McMaster University.
“Everything is new this year, so Janet is also breaking ground on physical distancing writer-in-residence responsibilities,” said Lisa Weaver, director of collections and program development at HPL.
The virtual writer-in-residence role includes consultations with local writers, hosting book talks and producing a podcast, released in two episodes on June 22 and 24.
“We strongly believe in our relationship that we have with our Six Nations community and local Indigenous community,” Weaver said.
Prior to the pandemic, HPL had started to share collections with Six Nations Public Library, and had a bookmobile stop in Ohsweken, on Six Nations territory.
“During the physical closure, we continue to work with the Six Nations Library as they also prepare to welcome back their customers,” she said.
“Ego of a Nation” can be purchased for $25 by emailing Rogers at janetmarie@pacificcoast.net.