Chief Joe Capilano: Native Legends

Breast Cancer Dept: Johnson wrote a series of stories for the Daily Province newspaper about local native legends told to her by Chief Joe Capilano of the Squamish band. When she fell ill from breast cancer, her friends collected them in a book to raise funds for her care. Legends of Vancouver is still in print, a century later, according to Vancouver Sun. Born on March 10, 1861, on the Grand River reserve near Brantford, Ont., Johnson's father was a Mohawk chief and her mother an English immigrant. Her native name was Tekahionwake and pauline Johnson lived in Vancouver for less than five years. But the iconic native poet is forever associated with the city, where she died 100 years ago today. Johnson also named Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park. "It was a tidal lagoon, so when the tide went out, the water would disappear and turn into mud flats," relates Jolene Cumming, who has organized two events marking the 100th anniversary of Johnson's death. "So she called it her lost lagoon, and wrote a famous poem about it." (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.