Allow Me To Introduce Myself....
Read more: https://www.yukonpoetlaureate.com/long-distance-sled-dog-racing/
On Canada Day July 1st 1994 I was formally invested by Yukon Commissioner the Honourable Kenneth McKinnon and became the first official Yukon poet laureate, the first officially-invested poet laureate in Canada, and the only non-British invested poet laureate in the world. On that day I was also given the title “Poet Laureate of the Yukon” and presented with a signed official proclamation and the official “Poet Laureate of the Yukon” pin as my insignia. I was also presented with my personal symbol of office - the carved Talking Stick by former Yukon MP Audrey McLaughlin. My official title is: PJ Yukon - Poet Laureate of the Yukon.
Formal Investiture - Canada Day July 1st 1994 - Whitehorse Yukon
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Yukon Commissioner the Honourable Kenneth McKinnon reads the official proclamation
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Leaving the stage holding the talking stick
*My laureateship is not a paid position, governed appointment, or program. It is a title granted in recognition of my contributions and achievements as an artist.
I am the daughter of a Yukon trapper also known as "The Yukon Raven Lady" - a self-proclaimed Yukon "Raven Maniac" who led a successful campaign to have her personal symbol and spirit guide the Northern Raven declared the official symbol of the Yukon in 1985.
Yukon Raven Campaign Button Designed by PJ Yukon and artist Jim Robb
I am also an animal rights advocate and a section of this website is dedicated to honouring and protecting the creatures with whom we share this planet. At present I am campaigning to have the two brutal 1,000-mile sled dog races permanently banned due the on-going inhumane treatment of the sled dogs. More at: https://bit.ly/3H6SPil and: PJ Yukon - ANIMAL ADVOCATE!
I have been active in the arts for many years as a musician/composer, actress, poet, playwright, photographer, performance artist, creative mentor and Yukon ambassador. As a storyteller of the oral tradition my poems stories and songs have been televised and performed nationally and globally and published widely and translated into Greek, Polish, Italian, Farci, Welsh, Bengali and other languages. Many of my original creative works have been performed live and televised at various local, national, and international venues.
In 1992 as an annual performer at the Yukon International Storytelling Festival I composed and produced the play "Dance of the Northern Lights" and was invited by the National Capital Commission to perform it at the National Gallery of Canada and the Astrolabe Theatre in Ottawa. My performances have also been featured on a variety of national television and radio programs such as CTV's "Canada AM", CBC's "Midday", ABC's "Ripley's Believe It Or Not!", Peter Gzowski's "Morningside" and WTN's "Lifestyles" Network and the New York Parrot TV show. Examples of my creative works and links to recent magazine interviews in national publications can be viewed on this website and also on various social media sites online.
I have a condition called Nonverbal Learning Disorder or NVLD which is a visual-spatial learning disability and basically means that I don’t learn by reading. Reading is for me a necessary evil. When dealing with any kind of written or printed text I am limited considerably which is also why the majority of my creative works have been presented via live performance and I tend to refer to myself as a storyteller rather than a writer. More at: About My NLD
National Arts Centre - Ottawa 2017
My first influence as an artist was listening to the elders talk story in the ancient oral storytelling tradition. As a person with a learning disability I have often said that when attempting to comprehend written text the words often seem to swim around on the page like so many fish - but when the storyteller speaks I understand implicitly. Hence the majority of my creative works have been presented via live performance. I speak about my journey with NVLD to encourage others who have a learning disability to realize that they can still pursue their dreams. More at: About My NLD....
Performing "Colour Me Canadian" - National Arts Centre Ottawa 2017
My first book "I Sing Yukon" was a small collection of my earliest poems and stories published in 1982 now out of print. A second book "Rhymes Of The Raven Lady" published by Hancock House in 1995 was basically a reprint of “I Sing Yukon”.
My most recent book “it’s howlin’ time!” published in 2019 in celebration of my 25th year as Poet Laureate of the Yukon is available at Mac's Fireweed Books www.macsbooks.ca/ and Chapters Indigo in Whitehorse https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/
I have dedicated a section of this website to honouring and protecting the creatures with whom we share this planet. At present I am campaigning to have the two brutal 1,000-mile sled dog races permanently banned due the on-going inhumane treatment of the sled dogs. More at: https://bit.ly/3H6SPil and: ANIMAL ADVOCATE!
I have been active in the arts for many years as a musician/composer, actress, poet, playwright, photographer, performance artist, creative mentor and Yukon ambassador. As a storyteller of the oral tradition my poems stories and songs have been televised and performed nationally and globally and published widely and translated into Greek, Polish, Italian, Farci, Welsh, Bengali and other languages. Many of my original creative works have been performed live and televised at various local, national, and international venues.
I am still composing, producing, and performing at various events. I also enjoy running creative workshops and serving as a mentor to aspiring creative artists.
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Thanks for dropping by. Be sure to come back often!
Canada Day 2017 welcoming the R.C.M.P. Musical Ride back to Whitehorse to celibrate the 150th anniversary of our nation.
