Jeannette Armstrong
Encyclopedia
Jeannette Armstrong is an Okanagan
Canadian author
, educator, artist
, and activist. She was born and grew up on the Penticton Indian reserve
in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. Armstrong has lived on the Penticton Indian Reserve for most of her life and has raised her two children there.
Armstrong’s 1985 work Slash is considered the first novel by a Native
woman in Canada. Armstrong is the grandniece of Mourning Dove
, who is regarded as one of the earliest Native American
woman novelists for her 1927 work Cogewea, the Half-Blood.
Armstrong is best known for her involvement with the En’owkin Centre, writing
, and perspectives on subjects such as creativity
, education
, ecology
, and Indigenous rights
.
Armstrong first discovered her talent for and attraction to writing at age fifteen when a poem she wrote on John F. Kennedy
was published in a local newspaper (Voices). As a teenager, Armstrong continued to publish poetry and develop her literary voice by listening to and reading works by Aboriginal
authors such as Pauline Johnson
and Chief Dan George, who she identifies as her early influences.
In 1978, Armstrong received a diploma of Fine Arts from Okanagan College
and a Bachelor of Fine Arts
degree from the University of Victoria
where she studied Creative Writing
. Armstrong’s education establishes the basis for her multifarious work and accomplishments.
The En’owkin Centre, located on the Penticton Indian Reserve and operated exclusively by the six bands of the Okanagan Nation, is managed in conjunction with Okanagan College and the University of Victoria and aims to provide students with a strong cultural and academic foundation for success in further post-secondary studies (En’owkin and Petrone 140). The objectives of the society which governs En’owkin, as Armstrong describes, are “to record and perpetuate and promote ‘Native’ in the cultural sense, in education, and in our lives and our communities” (qtd in Lutz 27).
To support these objectives, the En’owkin Centre created the Okanagan Curriculum Project as a component of its institution (Lutz 27). This project aspires to develop school curriculum that presents Okanagan history in an accurate and dignified way (Lutz 27). Armstrong and her fellow members on the Okanagan Tribal Education Committee believe that Okanagan people must tell their own stories; therefore, the curriculum project created the Learning Institute, which provides adult Native people with skills in research and writing so that First Nations individuals can develop quality, correct, and appropriate information for the project (Lutz 28).
Theytus Books Ltd., the first publishing house in Canada owned and operated by First Nations
people, was established in 1980 as part of the curriculum project and continues to run as a division of the En’owkin Centre (Lutz 28 and Theytus). The En’owkin Centre’s programs help to provide Theytus with proficient employees who work collectively in efforts to produce and promote appropriate reading material and information created by Native authors, illustrators, and artists (Lutz 28 and Theytus).
Armstrong was appointed as the Executive Director
of the En’owkin Centre in 1986 and she carries on in this role to present day.
In 1989 Armstrong helped to establish the En’owkin School of International Writing and became its director as well as an instructor (Petrone 140). The En’owkin School of International Writing is the first credit-giving creative writing school in Canada operated entirely by and for Aboriginal people (Petrone 140 and Voices).
Like the En’owkin Learning Centre, Theytus Books, and the En’owkin School of International Writing, Armstrong’s novel Slash, which was published in 1985 by Theytus, originates from the Okanagan Indian Curriculum Project. Commissioned for use as part of a grade eleven study in contemporary history, Armstrong wanted Slash to connect with and relate to contemporary students (Jones 60). Furthermore, Armstrong assumed the project in order to anticipate the work of more famous non-Aboriginal authors who were “dripping at the mouth” to document Native history (Williamson qtd in Jones 60).
Slash relates a history of the North American Indian protest movement through the critical perspective of central character Tommy Kelasket, who is eventually renamed Slash. Despite the intolerance that Tommy encounters in an assimilationist school system and racist North American society, his family encourages him to be proud of his Okanagan heritage and he eventually becomes an activist for Aboriginal rights. Armstrong clearly states that Slash is not a chronicle of AIM (American Indian Movement
) from the AIM point of view; rather, the text provides a personalized account of the origins and growth of Native activism since the 1960s (Lutz 22 and Jones 51).
Since the appearance of Slash on the Canadian literary scene, Jeannette Armstrong has continued to write and publish widely. Armstrong’s poetry appears in anthologies and her collection Breath Tracks (1991). Her short stories are collected in works such as All My Relations: An Anthology of Contemporary Canadian Native Fiction edited by Thomas King. Armstrong’s second novel, Whispering in Shadows, which traces the life experiences of a young Okanagan activist woman, was published in 2000.
In addition to her creative works, Armstrong has published and continues to compose a wealth of critical works such as The Native Creative Process, a collaborative discourse between Armstrong and Douglas Cardinal
on Aboriginal artistry, and “Land Speaking,” which addresses how land and Okanagan language influence her writing.
She is a consultant to the Center for Ecoliteracy
in Berkeley
, California
. This foundation encourages education that develops sustainable patterns of living. Moreover, she has acted as a consultant to social and environmental organizations such as the Centre for Creative Change, Esalen Institute
, Omega Institute, and the World Institute for Humanities at Salado ("Awardee").
As a campaigner for Aboriginal rights, Armstrong serves as an international observer to the Continental Coordinating Commission of Indigenous Peoples and Organizations. She was also named as one of seven Indigenous Judges to the First Nations Court of Justice called by the Chiefs of Ontario and to the Council of Listeners in the International Testimonials on Violations of Indigenous Sovereignty for the United Nations
("Awardee").
includes Jeannette Armstrong amongst a young generation of university trained Aboriginal authors who contributed purposeful, exciting, and original creative works to Canadian literature
during the 1980s (138).
Despite Armstrong’s involvement in the 1980s upsurge of Aboriginal literary activity and her prolific work, in-depth scholarship on her writing principally examines her poetry and, more extensively, her first novel. Petrone, nevertheless, comments on Armstrong’s poetry, describing it as “direct, unequivocal, and assertive, even aggressive” (163).
The scholarship on Slash, however, is more abundant and varied. In a 1989 interview with Hartmut Lutz
, Armstrong relates that some feminist scholars question her decision to select a male central character for her novel; however, Armstrong compellingly contends that female strength and male development are portrayed effectively through the perspective of Slash (18). In the same interview, Armstrong notes, “I’ve been criticized by non-Native critics in terms of character development” (qtd in Lutz 15-16). She explains that she could not isolate the character of Slash from his community in order depict his individual nature and still compose the story for her people (Lutz 16). Significantly, and consistent with the view she expresses in “Land Speaking,” Armstrong argues that Slash’s personal growth can be perceived through his relationships with his family and community (Lutz 16).
In her study of Slash, Manina Jones catalogues a number of critical responses to the work and states that many academic articles concerning it relate the difficulties that audiences experience in their attempts to address Armstrong’s novel. Jones also describes Slash as a work that refuses priority to speech or writing, insisting instead on a hybrid status (55). As Jones and the critics to whom she refers demonstrate, Slash is unique in its aesthetic practice and didactic purpose. In Slash, therefore, Armstrong compels audiences to read and consider her text in ways that may be unfamiliar to them. Ultimately, an innovative critical reading approach is essential for the appreciation of her work and to achieve the aims of the Okanagan Indian Curriculum Project.
Armstrong is dedicated to the advancement of literature and the arts among First Nations people and the realization and promotion of the distinct artistic forms of Aboriginal people in the international arts and literary community (Creative 126). Armstrong’s insights as an educator, creative force, and activist are respected by First Nations individuals and international audiences alike.
Okanagan people
The Okanagan people, also spelled Okanogan, are a First Nations and Native American people whose traditional territory spans the U.S.-Canada boundary in Washington state and British Columbia...
Canadian author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, educator, artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, and activist. She was born and grew up on the Penticton Indian reserve
Indian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...
in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. Armstrong has lived on the Penticton Indian Reserve for most of her life and has raised her two children there.
Armstrong’s 1985 work Slash is considered the first novel by a Native
Aboriginal peoples in Canada
Aboriginal peoples in Canada comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The descriptors "Indian" and "Eskimo" have fallen into disuse in Canada and are commonly considered pejorative....
woman in Canada. Armstrong is the grandniece of Mourning Dove
Mourning Dove (author)
Mourning Dove was a Native American author and best known for her 1927 novel Cogewea the Half-Blood: A Depiction of the Great Montana Cattle Range, which tells the story of Cogewea, a mixed-blood ranch woman on the Flathead Indian Reservation. The novel is one of the first written by a Native...
, who is regarded as one of the earliest Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
woman novelists for her 1927 work Cogewea, the Half-Blood.
Armstrong is best known for her involvement with the En’owkin Centre, writing
Writing
Writing is the representation of language in a textual medium through the use of a set of signs or symbols . It is distinguished from illustration, such as cave drawing and painting, and non-symbolic preservation of language via non-textual media, such as magnetic tape audio.Writing most likely...
, and perspectives on subjects such as creativity
Creativity
Creativity refers to the phenomenon whereby a person creates something new that has some kind of value. What counts as "new" may be in reference to the individual creator, or to the society or domain within which the novelty occurs...
, education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, ecology
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
, and Indigenous rights
Indigenous rights
Indigenous rights are those rights that exist in recognition of the specific condition of the indigenous peoples. This includes not only the most basic human rights of physical survival and integrity, but also the preservation of their land, language, religion and other elements of cultural...
.
Early life and education
While growing up on the Penticton Indian Reserve, Armstrong received a formal education at a one-room school on the reserve as well as a traditional Okanagan education from her family and Elders. Armstrong’s customary education enabled her to learn the Okanagan language and she remains a fluent speaker of both Okanagan and English today. For many years since her childhood, Armstrong has studied traditional Okanagan teachings and practiced traditional ways under the direction of Elders.Armstrong first discovered her talent for and attraction to writing at age fifteen when a poem she wrote on John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
was published in a local newspaper (Voices). As a teenager, Armstrong continued to publish poetry and develop her literary voice by listening to and reading works by Aboriginal
Aboriginal peoples in Canada
Aboriginal peoples in Canada comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The descriptors "Indian" and "Eskimo" have fallen into disuse in Canada and are commonly considered pejorative....
authors such as Pauline Johnson
Pauline Johnson
Emily Pauline Johnson , commonly known as E. Pauline Johnson or just Pauline Johnson, was a Canadian writer and performer popular in the late 19th century...
and Chief Dan George, who she identifies as her early influences.
In 1978, Armstrong received a diploma of Fine Arts from Okanagan College
Okanagan College
Okanagan College is a public, post-secondary institution with over 120 certificates, diplomas, degrees and programs including Apprenticeship & Pre-apprenticeship Trades programs. It is located in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada...
and a Bachelor of Fine Arts
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
degree from the University of Victoria
University of Victoria
The University of Victoria, often referred to as UVic, is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It is a research intensive university located in Saanich and Oak Bay, about northeast of downtown Victoria. The University's annual enrollment is about 20,000 students...
where she studied Creative Writing
Creative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
. Armstrong’s education establishes the basis for her multifarious work and accomplishments.
Armstrong as educator
In 1978 Jeannette Armstrong began employment with the Penticton Band in a number of cultural and political capacities while also pursuing her work as a researcher, consultant, and writer at the En’owkin Centre (Lutz 13 and Petrone 140).The En’owkin Centre, located on the Penticton Indian Reserve and operated exclusively by the six bands of the Okanagan Nation, is managed in conjunction with Okanagan College and the University of Victoria and aims to provide students with a strong cultural and academic foundation for success in further post-secondary studies (En’owkin and Petrone 140). The objectives of the society which governs En’owkin, as Armstrong describes, are “to record and perpetuate and promote ‘Native’ in the cultural sense, in education, and in our lives and our communities” (qtd in Lutz 27).
To support these objectives, the En’owkin Centre created the Okanagan Curriculum Project as a component of its institution (Lutz 27). This project aspires to develop school curriculum that presents Okanagan history in an accurate and dignified way (Lutz 27). Armstrong and her fellow members on the Okanagan Tribal Education Committee believe that Okanagan people must tell their own stories; therefore, the curriculum project created the Learning Institute, which provides adult Native people with skills in research and writing so that First Nations individuals can develop quality, correct, and appropriate information for the project (Lutz 28).
Theytus Books Ltd., the first publishing house in Canada owned and operated by First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
people, was established in 1980 as part of the curriculum project and continues to run as a division of the En’owkin Centre (Lutz 28 and Theytus). The En’owkin Centre’s programs help to provide Theytus with proficient employees who work collectively in efforts to produce and promote appropriate reading material and information created by Native authors, illustrators, and artists (Lutz 28 and Theytus).
Armstrong was appointed as the Executive Director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of the En’owkin Centre in 1986 and she carries on in this role to present day.
In 1989 Armstrong helped to establish the En’owkin School of International Writing and became its director as well as an instructor (Petrone 140). The En’owkin School of International Writing is the first credit-giving creative writing school in Canada operated entirely by and for Aboriginal people (Petrone 140 and Voices).
Armstrong as author
Armstrong’s literary production increased in breadth and magnitude shortly after her 1978 graduation. She published two children’s books in the early 1980s, Enwhisteetkwa (or Walk in Water) in 1982 and Neekna and Chemai the following year, and performed two years of research in preparation for writing Slash, her first and most famous novel (Petrone 179 and Lutz 22).Like the En’owkin Learning Centre, Theytus Books, and the En’owkin School of International Writing, Armstrong’s novel Slash, which was published in 1985 by Theytus, originates from the Okanagan Indian Curriculum Project. Commissioned for use as part of a grade eleven study in contemporary history, Armstrong wanted Slash to connect with and relate to contemporary students (Jones 60). Furthermore, Armstrong assumed the project in order to anticipate the work of more famous non-Aboriginal authors who were “dripping at the mouth” to document Native history (Williamson qtd in Jones 60).
Slash relates a history of the North American Indian protest movement through the critical perspective of central character Tommy Kelasket, who is eventually renamed Slash. Despite the intolerance that Tommy encounters in an assimilationist school system and racist North American society, his family encourages him to be proud of his Okanagan heritage and he eventually becomes an activist for Aboriginal rights. Armstrong clearly states that Slash is not a chronicle of AIM (American Indian Movement
American Indian Movement
The American Indian Movement is a Native American activist organization in the United States, founded in 1968 in Minneapolis, Minnesota by urban Native Americans. The national AIM agenda focuses on spirituality, leadership, and sovereignty...
) from the AIM point of view; rather, the text provides a personalized account of the origins and growth of Native activism since the 1960s (Lutz 22 and Jones 51).
Since the appearance of Slash on the Canadian literary scene, Jeannette Armstrong has continued to write and publish widely. Armstrong’s poetry appears in anthologies and her collection Breath Tracks (1991). Her short stories are collected in works such as All My Relations: An Anthology of Contemporary Canadian Native Fiction edited by Thomas King. Armstrong’s second novel, Whispering in Shadows, which traces the life experiences of a young Okanagan activist woman, was published in 2000.
In addition to her creative works, Armstrong has published and continues to compose a wealth of critical works such as The Native Creative Process, a collaborative discourse between Armstrong and Douglas Cardinal
Douglas Cardinal
Douglas Joseph Cardinal, OC is a Canadian architect.Born of Métis and Blackfoot heritage, Cardinal is famous for flowing architecture marked with smooth lines, influenced by his Aboriginal heritage as well as European Expressionist architectureIn 1953, he attended the University of British...
on Aboriginal artistry, and “Land Speaking,” which addresses how land and Okanagan language influence her writing.
Armstrong as artist
Armstrong also expresses her imaginative vision through works of sculpture, art, and music. Her artistry has been recognized through a number of awards.Armstrong as activist
In addition to the activism Armstrong displays in her educational work, writing, and art, she is also a sought after speaker who serves on a number of committees that reflect her beliefs and interests.She is a consultant to the Center for Ecoliteracy
Center for Ecoliteracy
The Center for Ecoliteracy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to education for sustainable living.-About:Located in Berkeley, California, the Center for Ecoliteracy's stated mission is to support schooling for sustainability....
in Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. This foundation encourages education that develops sustainable patterns of living. Moreover, she has acted as a consultant to social and environmental organizations such as the Centre for Creative Change, Esalen Institute
Esalen Institute
Esalen Institute is a residential community and retreat in Big Sur, California, which focuses upon humanistic alternative education. Esalen is a nonprofit organization devoted to activites such as meditation, massage, Gestalt, yoga, psychology, ecology, and spirituality...
, Omega Institute, and the World Institute for Humanities at Salado ("Awardee").
As a campaigner for Aboriginal rights, Armstrong serves as an international observer to the Continental Coordinating Commission of Indigenous Peoples and Organizations. She was also named as one of seven Indigenous Judges to the First Nations Court of Justice called by the Chiefs of Ontario and to the Council of Listeners in the International Testimonials on Violations of Indigenous Sovereignty for the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
("Awardee").
Criticism and influence
In her study of Native literature, Penny PetronePenny Petrone
Dr. Penny Serafina Petrone was a Canadian writer, educator, patron of the arts, and philanthropist. She was the daughter of Luisa Sisco and Luigi Petrone and sister to the recognized and distinguished lawyer Alfred Petrone. She was born in Port Arthur, Ontario .She attended St...
includes Jeannette Armstrong amongst a young generation of university trained Aboriginal authors who contributed purposeful, exciting, and original creative works to Canadian literature
Canadian literature
Canadian literature is literature originating from Canada. Collectively it is often called CanLit. Some criticism of Canadian literature has focused on nationalistic and regional themes, although this is only a small portion of Canadian Literary criticism...
during the 1980s (138).
Despite Armstrong’s involvement in the 1980s upsurge of Aboriginal literary activity and her prolific work, in-depth scholarship on her writing principally examines her poetry and, more extensively, her first novel. Petrone, nevertheless, comments on Armstrong’s poetry, describing it as “direct, unequivocal, and assertive, even aggressive” (163).
The scholarship on Slash, however, is more abundant and varied. In a 1989 interview with Hartmut Lutz
Hartmut Lutz
Hartmut Lutz is professor of American and Canadian studies at the University of Greifswald, Germany, with a special interest in Native American and Native Canadian studies.-Life:Lutz was born in Rendsburg, Germany, and studied at the University of Kiel...
, Armstrong relates that some feminist scholars question her decision to select a male central character for her novel; however, Armstrong compellingly contends that female strength and male development are portrayed effectively through the perspective of Slash (18). In the same interview, Armstrong notes, “I’ve been criticized by non-Native critics in terms of character development” (qtd in Lutz 15-16). She explains that she could not isolate the character of Slash from his community in order depict his individual nature and still compose the story for her people (Lutz 16). Significantly, and consistent with the view she expresses in “Land Speaking,” Armstrong argues that Slash’s personal growth can be perceived through his relationships with his family and community (Lutz 16).
In her study of Slash, Manina Jones catalogues a number of critical responses to the work and states that many academic articles concerning it relate the difficulties that audiences experience in their attempts to address Armstrong’s novel. Jones also describes Slash as a work that refuses priority to speech or writing, insisting instead on a hybrid status (55). As Jones and the critics to whom she refers demonstrate, Slash is unique in its aesthetic practice and didactic purpose. In Slash, therefore, Armstrong compels audiences to read and consider her text in ways that may be unfamiliar to them. Ultimately, an innovative critical reading approach is essential for the appreciation of her work and to achieve the aims of the Okanagan Indian Curriculum Project.
Armstrong is dedicated to the advancement of literature and the arts among First Nations people and the realization and promotion of the distinct artistic forms of Aboriginal people in the international arts and literary community (Creative 126). Armstrong’s insights as an educator, creative force, and activist are respected by First Nations individuals and international audiences alike.
Awards and honours
- Mungo Martin Award (1974), available to people of First Nations ancestry as they enhance their education and skills in Native art.
- Helen Pitt Memorial Award (1978), which continues Pitt’s support of emerging artists.
- Honorary Doctorate in Letters, St. Thomas UniversitySt. Thomas University (New Brunswick)St. Thomas University is jointly a public and Roman Catholic liberal arts university located in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. It offers degrees exclusively at the undergraduate level for approximately 3,000 students in the liberal arts, humanities, journalism, education, and social work....
(2000). - Buffett Award for Aboriginal Leadership (2003), in recognition of her work as an educator, community leader and Indigenous rights activist.
Novels
- Slash. Rev. ed. Penticton, BC: Theytus, 1990.
- Whispering in Shadows. Penticton, BC: Theytus, 2000.
Short Stories
- "This is a Story" in All My Relations: An Anthology of Contemporary Canadian Native Fiction. Thomas King, ed. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1990. 129-135.
Poetry
- Breath Tracks. Stratford, ON: Williams-Wallace/Penticton, BC: Theytus, 1991.
- "Trickster Time" in Voices: Being Native in Canada. Linda Jaine and Drew Hayden Taylor, eds. Saskatoon: Extension Division, U of Saskatchewan, 1992. 1-5.
Anthologies edited
- Looking at the Words of Our People: First Nations Analysis of Literature. Penticton, BC: Theytus, 1993.
- We Get Our Living Like Milk from the Land. Researched and Compiled by the Okanagan Rights Committee and the Okanagan Indian Education Resource Society. Penticton: Theytus, 1993. (with Lee Maracle et al.)
- Native Poetry in Canada: A Contemporary Anthology. Peterborough, ON: Broadview, 2001. (with Lally Grauer)
Children's books
- Enwisteetkwa (Walk in Water). Penticton, BC: Okanagan Indian Curriculum Project/ Okanagan Tribal Council, 1982.
- Neekna and Chemai. Penticton, BC: Theytus, 1984. (illustrated by Kenneth Lee Edwards)
- Neekna and Chemai. 2nd ed.Penticton, BC: Theytus, 1991. (illustrated by Barbara Marchand)
Criticism
- "Traditional Indigenous Education: A Natural Process." in Tradition Change Survival: The Answers Are within Us. Vancouver: UBC First Nations House, 1988.
- "Bridging Cultures." Columbiana: Journal of the Intermountain Northwest 30 (1989): 28-30.
- "Cultural Robbery: Imperialism - Voices of Native Women." Trivia 14 (1989): 21-23.
- The Native Creative Process: A Collaborative Discourse. Penticton, BC: Theytus, 1991. (with Douglas Cardinal. Photographs by Greg Young-Ing)
- "Racism: Racial Exclusivity and Cultural Supremacy" in Give Back: First Nations Perspectives on Cultural Practice. Maria Campbell et al., eds. Vancouver: Gallerie, 1992. 74-82.
- “Land Speaking” in Speaking for the Generations: Native Writers on Writing. Simon J. Ortiz, ed.. Tucson: U of Arizona P, 1998. 174-194.
Recordings
- "Mary Old Owl" on Poetry is Not a Luxury: A Collection of Black and Native Poetry Set to Classical Guitar, Reggae, Dub, and African Drums. Maya: CAPAC, 1987. Produced by The Fire This Time.
- "world renewal song" on cassette "Theft Of Paradise" A collection of black and indigenous poets produced by The Fire This Time
- various tracks including"i am Indian woman""keepers words" on cd "till the bars break" black and indigenous dub poets, reggae and hip hop artists produced by The Fire This Time. nominated for a Juno award best world beat recording
- "Grandmothers." Word Up. Virgin/EMI Music Canada, 1995.
Interviews
- Interview with Hartmut Lutz. Contemporary Challenges: Conversations with Canadian Native Authors. Saskatoon: Fifth House, 1991. 13-32.
- Interview with Victoria Freeman. “The Body of Our People." The Power to Bend Spoons: Interviews with Canadian Novelists. Beverley Daurio, ed. Toronto: Mercury, 1998. 10-19.
- Armstrong, J. (Interviewee) & Hall, D. E. (Interviewer). (2007). Native Perspectives on Sustainability: Jeannette Armstrong (Syilx) [Interview transcript
].
Selected criticism of Armstrong’s literary work
- Beeler, Karin. "Image, Music, Text: An Interview with Jeannette Armstrong." Studies in Canadian Literature 21.2 (1996), 143-154.
- Green, Matthew. "A Hard Day's Knight: A Discursive Analysis of Jeannette Armstrong's Slash." Canadian Journal of Native Studies 19.1 (1999): 51-67.
- Fee, Margery. "Upsetting Fake Ideas: Jeannette Armstrong's Slash and Beatrice Culleton's April Raintree." Canadian Literature 124-5 (1990): 168-180.
- Hodne, Barbara and Helen Hoy. "Reading from the Inside Out: Jeannette Armstrong's Slash." World Literature Written in English 32.1 (Spring): 66-87.
- Jones, Manina. "Slash Marks the Spot: 'Critical Embarrassment' and Activist Aesthetics in Jeanette Armstrong's Slash." West Coast Line 33.3 (2000): 48-62.
- Williamson, Janice. "Jeannette Armstrong: 'What I Intended Was to Connect...and It's Happened." Tessera 12 (1992): 111-129.