2018 INDIGENOUS VOICES AWARDS

The Indigenous Voices Awards (IVAs) is thrilled to announce the finalists in this year’s competition celebrating the very best in literary art by emerging Indigenous writers. A jury of renowned Indigenous writers and prominent figures from the Canadian literary world has identified finalists in categories for published and unpublished writing, including work in English, French, and Indigenous languages. Prizes totalling over $25,000 will be awarded at the IVAs Gala Event in Regina, Saskatchewan on May 29th, 2018.

The IVAs Gala Event will take place on Tuesday May 29th between 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at O’Hanlon’s Restaurant, 1947 Scarth Street, Regina, SK, S4P 2H1. This public event will be hosted by Hip Hop artist Brad Bellegarde (aka InfoRed), and it will feature readings by emerging Indigenous writers as well as appearances by jurors Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm, Gregory Scofield, Jean Sioui, and Richard Van Camp. The IVAs were established in 2017 to nurture and support Indigenous literary art in its diversity and complexity. Begun as a crowd-funded campaign seeking to raise a few thousand dollars to support emerging Indigenous writers, the IVAs have raised over $125,000 to date from over 1,500 different donors.

Read about all of the 2018 finalists and other details in the 2018 IVAs pamphlet that was circulated the night of the event.

FINALISTS

(award recipients in bold)

Most Significant Work of Prose in English by an Emerging Indigenous Writer

• Carleigh Baker, Bad Endings (published by Anvil Press http://www.anvilpress.com )

• Dawn Dumont, Glass Beads (published by Thistledown Press https://www.thistledownpress.com )

• Aviaq Johnston, Those Who Run in the Sky (published by Inhabit Media http://inhabitmedia.com )

• Joanne Robertson, The Water Walker (published by Second Story Press https://secondstorypress.ca )

Most Significant Work of Prose in French by an Emerging Indigenous Writer

• Naomi Fontaine, Manikanetish (published by Memoire d’Encrier http://memoiredencrier.com )

• J. D. Kurtness, De Vengeance (published by L’Instant Meme http://www.instantmeme.com/ebi-addins/im/Actualite.aspx )

Best Unpublished Poetic Piece in French

• Marie-Andrée Gill, "Uashteu"

Most Significant Work in an Alternative Format by an Emerging Indigenous Writer

• Keith Barker, This is How We Got Here (published by Playwrights Canada Press https://www.playwrightscanada.com )

• Cliff Cardinal, Huff & Stitch (published by Playwrights Canada Press https://www.playwrightscanada.com )

• Kìzis, Musical Selections

• Mika Lafond, Nipê Wânîn (published by Thistledown Press https://www.thistledownpress.com )

Most Significant Work of Poetry in English by an Emerging Indigenous Writer

• Billy-Ray Belcourt, This Wound is a World (published by Frontenac House https://www.frontenachouse.com )

• Tenille K. Campbell, #IndianLovePoems (published by Signature Editions http://www.signature-editions.com )

• Joshua Whitehead, Full-Metal Indigiqueer (published by Talon Books http://talonbooks.com )

Unpublished Poetic Piece(s) by an Emerging Indigenous Writer

• David Agecoutay “Poetic Selections” o Brandi Bird “Two Poems” o Francine Merasty “Poetry of a Northern Rez Girl”

• Brandi Bird “Two Poems”

• Francine Merasty “Poetry of a Northern Rez Girl”

• Smokii Sumac “#haikuaday and other poems”

Unpublished Prose Piece by an Emerging Indigenous Writer

• Treena Chambers “Hair Raizing”

• Elaine McArthur “Queen Bee”

• Nazbah Tom “The Hand Trembler”

• Amanda Peters “Pejipug (Winter Arrives)”

JURORS

Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm is a poet, essayist, editor, publisher, activist and spoken word artist from the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation. She is the founder and managing editor of Kegedonce Press, which publishes works by Indigenous artists. Her publications include a book of short stories entitled The Stone Collection, a collection of poetry entitled My Heart is a Stray Bullet, and the groundbreaking edited collections, Without Reservation: Indigenous Erotica and Skins: Contemporary Indigenous Writing. She has also produced two collaborative spoken-word CDs: Standing Ground and A Constellation of Bones.

Known first as a visual artist, Virginia Pésémapéo Bordeleau (Cree and Algonquin)  is also a published author. Ourse Bleue recounts the story of a canoe trip Virginia took along the rivers of northern Quebec in search of her ancestors, her roots. In the process she learns the story of her family, in all its joy and misery. With the help of the blue bear, after which the book is named, her soul finds peace, and that of her uncle, who disappeared in the forest twenty-five years earlier, is set free.

Shelagh Rogers has been named an Officer of the Order of Canada for promoting Canada’s rich culture, for her volunteer work in adult literacy, for fighting against the stigma of mental illness, and for pushing for reconciliation. She plans to devote herself to reconciliation for the rest of her life. Native Counseling Services of Alberta has given her their Achievement in the Aboriginal Community award. She is also proud to be chosen as an “Honourary Witness” to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. She is the host and a producer of the CBC Radio program The Next Chapter. (bio from The Next Chapter website)

Rodney Saint-Éloi: Poète, écrivain, essayiste, éditeur, né à Cavaillon (Haïti), il est l’auteur d’une quinzaine de livres de poésie, dont Je suis la fille du baobab brûlé (2015, finaliste au prix des Libraires, finaliste au Prix du Gouverneur général), Jacques Roche, je t’écris cette lettre (2013, finaliste au Prix du Gouverneur général). Il dirige plusieurs anthologies. Il a publié Haïti Kenbe la! en 2010 chez Michel Lafon (préface de Yasmina Khadra). Pour la scène, il a réalisé plusieurs spectacles dont Les Bruits du monde, les Cabarets Roumain, Senghor, Césaire, Frankétienne. Il est l’auteur de l’essai Passion Haïti (Septentrion, 2016). Lui a été décerné le prestigieux prix Charles-Biddle en 2012. Il a été reçu en 2015 à l’Académie des lettres du Québec. Il dirige la maison d’édition Mémoire d’encrier qu’il a fondée en 2003 à Montréal. 

Gregory Scofield is a Cree/Métis poet, teacher, social worker, and youth worker whose maternal ancestry can be traced back five generations to the Red River Settlement and to Kinesota, Manitoba. He has published an autobiography, Thunder Through My Veins: Memories of a Métis Childhood, and several books of poetry, including Native Canadiana: Songs from the Urban Rez, Love Medicine and One Song, Louis: The Heretic Poems, and Witness: I Am.

Jean Sioui (Wendat), né en 1948, est Wendat (Huron). Marié, il est père de trois enfants. Il a habité Wendake (Québec) pendant 32 ans avant de s’installer pour les 15 années suivantes, sur une ferme à Saint-Henri de Lévis.  Revenu à Wendake à l’âge de 50 ans, il a complété des certificats en études autochtones et en création littéraire à l’Université Laval. Il a publié son premier recueil Le Pas de l’Indien aux éditions Le Loup de Gouttière en 1997. Il est co-fondateur du Cercle d’écriture de Wendake, animateur d’ateliers de poésie au CDFM (Centre de développement de la formation et de la main-d’œuvre huron-wendat), formateur au Banff Center pour le Conseil des Arts du Canada dans le cadre du programme Écrivains autochtones en début de carrière, consultant et rédacteur du manuel de formation pour intervenants en milieu autochtone au Conseil de la santé et des services sociaux des Premières Nations du Québec et du Labrador.

Richard Van Camp was raised in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories and is the first published author from the Tlicho Dene. He has published 15 books, including the novel The Lesser Blessed which was made into a feature film with First Generation Films. He has published 2 comic books with artists Steven Sanderson and Chris Auchter as part of the Healthy Aboriginal Network. His novel “Whistle” was released in March 2015 and his acclaimed short story collections include Angel Wing Splash Pattern, Godless But Loyal to Heaven, The Moon of Letting Go, and Night Moves. Richard has also penned multiple stories for babies and for youth.