Halifax names Mi'kmaq slam poet Rebecca Thomas new poet laureate

For the first time Halifax has named a Mi'kmaq woman as its poet laureate.

Rebecca Thomas will be the sixth person to step into the role, which advocates for literature and the arts.

"We get interpretations of our stories, we get perspectives of our stories, but they're never from us, they're always from someone else," said the 30-year-old spoken word artist.

"To have an indigenous person, in unceded Mi'kmaq territory, in Mi'kmaki, to be able to speak with a Mi'kmaq voice is huge."

Thomas officially took over from outgoing laureate El Jones on April 1, just in time for national poetry month.

She grew up in Moncton, N.B., and now works in Halifax as the co-ordinator for aboriginal student services at Nova Scotia Community College.

Slam poetry

As a spoken word artist, Thomas is a fast-rising star. Primarily an academic writer, she only found her poetic voice three years ago.

"Nobody wants to read a 127 page master's thesis," she said with a laugh. 

So she wrote and submitted a poem for a professional development course. The well-received piece led to another and then to open mic nights and then to performing at slam poetry competitions. In slam poetry, participants are given three minutes to perform, then judges score and rank them based on content, performance and audience reaction.

Thomas was hooked.

"[Slam poetry] tends to be hot button topics or controversial stuff or things that have trigger warnings, but it's also melodic and powerful and so full of emotion that you can't help but be in awe of the people and the bravery that they have to go up on that mic and bare their heart," she said. 

Hopes for her role

Thomas has since organized workshops, volunteered with the Halifax Youth Slam Team and serves as the current captain — or Slam Master — of the city's adult team. As poet laureate she hopes to share her Mi'kmaq culture, voice and experience, while being fearless and unapologetic.

"Someone once said to me that the only way native people get on the news is through the four D's — if you're drumming, dancing, drunk or dead," she said.

"You don't have to be in your leathers and your feathers to be an indigenous person with indigenous perspective and culture and experience. You can be a poet. You can be a storyteller."