Emily Pauline Johnson Date of issue of stamp: March 10, 1961 Designed by Bernard James Reddie Portrait and picture engraved by Yves Baril Lettering engraved by Gordon Mash The stamp shows a profile of the Native poetess, wearing a high ruffled collar of Victorian apparel superimposed on a background of forests, plains and mountains. In the background, a full-length likeness of Miss Johnson in tribal costume is shown to emphasize her two personalities of Indian princess and Victorian lady. In the foreground lower left corner, "1861", the year of her birth, appears on the pages of an open book representing her contribution to Canadian literature 35,450,000 copies of the stamp were printed by the Canadian Bank Note Company.

© Canada Post Corporation Reproduced with permission

Emily Pauline Johnson.  Born Six Nations Indian Reserve, Canada West (Ontario) 1861. Died March 7, 1913. Canada’s first renowned native poet she was also the first native born cultural ambassador. She worked towards unity for all peoples and the land when most settlers were only thinking of human unity.  She took her poems all over Europe where she performed her readings in her native dress. Her native name was Tekahionwake. The latest biography (2002)  is by Charlotte Gray and can be found at your Public Library.