Lee Maracle (1950–2021) was a writer and activist from the Stó꞉lō Nation of the Fraser Valley. She grew up in North Vancouver and became involved in the Red Power movement in the 1970s, which fought for Indigenous rights. She later dictated an autobiography called Bobbi Lee Indian Rebel, where she shared her story as an Indigenous activist.
Maracle was inspired by the wave of issues in the 1970s that fuelled her to engage in transnational exchange and activism. During this time, she was part of the first all-Indigenous delegation to China, a trip which was hugely inspiring to her. Maracle also co-hosted North Vietnamese delegates who had come to Canada in the middle of the Vietnam War at the Indo-Chinese Women’s Conference.
Maracle went on to write novels, poetry, and non-fiction books. She became one of the most prolific and well-known Indigenous female writers of the 20th century. Her work talked about what it means to be an Indigenous woman, the importance of revitalising Indigenous cultures, and the damage done by colonialism and patriarchy.
Maracle’s work does not just show how Indigenous people have survived under colonialism— it also celebrates Indigenous creativity and the hope for a better future.