PAULINE JOHNSON - NATIVE POETESS
British magazines did not buy her writings. Disillusioned, she returned to Vancouver and after one exhausting tour of the United States, retired to become a full-time fiction and magazine article writer. At the time, she published Legends of Vancouver, a collection of Squamish stories. In 1912, Pauline published one final collection of works - Flint and Feather.
Pauline died of breast cancer on March 7, 1913. She was 52. All flags in Vancouver flew at half-mast the day she was buried.
Before her death, Pauline had requested she be buried in Stanley Park, her favorite retreat in Vancouver. She is the only person who has ever been buried in the park. Though she requested that her grave have no monument, the Women's Canadian Club erected a large stone etched with her picture and Mohawk designs.
I have been to Chiefswood, Pauline's birthplace many times. It officially opened to the public in May 1977. In recent years, the Six Nations have had the house restored to its original splendor.
Chiefswood is located in Southern Ontario on the Six Nations Reserve of the Grand River Territory, just off Highway # 54 between Brantford and Hamilton, near the village of Onondaga. If in the area, be sure to visit.
Many tourists say they can feel Pauline's spirit when they are visiting the mansion. Some claim to have seen her ghost. Whatever the case, when you enter Chiefswood, you take a step back in time. It is a truly inspiring experience for those who are interested in history and Native Culture.
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