Kent Monkman’s gender-fluid alter ego jumps from canvas to page in new books | CBC Radio

Miss Chief Eagle Testickle has, for decades, witnessed Indigenous history as a character in Cree visual artist Kent Monkman’s paintings. 

The “shape-shifting, time-travelling supernatural being” — who is Monkman’s gender-fluid alter ego — is often seen wearing stiletto heels and showing off a muscular physique, spreading love and challenging colonial narratives. 

She exists, Monkman says, as a way to “reverse the gaze” of non-Indigenous interpretations of Indigenous history. 

“As this witness, you know, she’s unable to change the course of history, but she’s there to see it and to sort of be able to tell the story,” Monkman told Unreserved host Rosanna Deerchild.

Now, over two volumes blending history, fiction and memoir, Monkman and co-writer Gisèle Gordon revisit that history in The Memoirs of Miss Chief Eagle Testickle: A True and Exact Accounting of the History of Turtle Island.

Miss Chief’s perspective of the world is grounded in Cree traditions and beliefs, from her creation in the stars to the humour and sensuality she brings to the page.

“I wanted her stitched into our way of seeing the world, our way of understanding the cosmos,” said Monkman.

From exhibit to book

McClelland & Stewart, publisher of the new book, originally approached Monkman in 2017 about writing a book — and he knew he didn’t want it to be about himself.

“I’m really boring compared to Miss Chief…. There’s no question that Miss Chief is a far more dazzling and interesting story,” Monkman said.

Miss Chief’s journey from canvas to page began during the creation of Monkman’s 2017 exhibition, Shame and Prejudice. 

Monkman brought in Gordon, a Toronto-based artist and writer who is non-Indigenous, to help write the texts that accompanied the exhibition’s art. Viewers are led through the exhibit from Miss Chief’s perspective. 

“I was so impressed with how Gisèle was able to take so many complex ideas and bring them so much power and beauty with these labels that, at that time, we were sort of joking that, well, Miss Chief should have her memoir,” Monkman said.

When it came time to begin the book, Monkman and Gordon looked at about 300 of his paintings featuring Miss Chief. They laid them on the ground of his Prince Edward County, Ont., studio and began arranging them to form the memoir’s shape.

Then, the pair talked through the pieces, forming the stories from Miss Chief’s perspective.

“Kent has such an incredible, rich imagination. He’s telling stories with Miss Chief that go in all kinds of different directions,” Gordon said.

“It would take about three hours of just me asking him question after question after question about every single detail — and, I mean, I’ve known his work for a long time, and I was astonished at how much information, how rich they all are.”

In one example, the pair weaved Monkman’s family history as residential school survivors into the book. 

‘Make it sexier’

Monkman and Gordon credit Cree knowledge keepers as instrumental in helping to develop the book. The pair shared drafts with a panel of four throughout the writing. 

Seeking that knowledge was key to ensuring Miss Chief’s memoir not only represented traditions, but Cree people’s history.

“Our truths are so important and this was a way to bring that truth forward,” said Monkman.

While the memoir deals with dark themes and moments in the history of Turtle Island — what’s now known as North America — the two writers aimed to bring in humour and sensuality.

After an early draft, one note from the knowledge keepers was clear: “They all said, ‘Make it funnier and make it sexier,'” Monkman said.

So, they connected Miss Chief to legendary beings in Cree culture, like trickster Wîsahkêcâhk.

“She has this long relationship with Wîsahkêcâhk and, so, whenever we were sort of like finding it was getting too heavy, we would just think, well, she’s got to go find Wîsahkêcâhk,” Monkman said.

“Then, of course, when they meet, you know, wild things happen.”

Beacon of love

Monkman hopes the book can reveal truths about the experiences of Indigenous peoples throughout history.

“Most of the audiences that I’ve encountered as I toured, you know, my exhibitions and, to a certain degree, as I’m also touring this book … were taught only a fraction of the real history of this continent,” he said.

“This book, it’s one art project, it’s one book, but we’re hoping that people will spend more time getting to know Indigenous stories, to listen to Indigenous voices, to make space for Indigenous people.”

Ultimately, Monkman says, the most important lesson from Miss Chief is love.

“This world needs more love and Miss Chief is a beacon of that,” he said. 

“That’s what we wanted the character to be, and that’s what we wanted to remind people about.”