Regina, May 30, 2018 – The Indigenous Voices Awards (IVAs) are thrilled to announce the winners in this year’s competition celebrating the very best in literary art by Indigenous writers. At a gala event in Regina, Saskatchewan (oskana kâ-asastêki, Treaty 4 Territory) on May 29th, the IVAs awarded $26,000 in prizes across multiple categories for published and unpublished writing in English, French, and Indigenous languages. The awards were adjudicated by a jury of renowned Indigenous writers and prominent figures from the Canadian literary world including Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm, Virginia Pésémapéo Bordeleau, Shelagh Rogers, Rodney Saint-Éloi, Gregory Scofield, Jean Sioui, and Richard Van Camp
Winners and Finalists
Most Significant Work of Prose in English by an Emerging Indigenous Writer
Aviaq Johnston, Those Who Run in the Sky (published by Inhabit Media http://inhabitmedia.com)
Finalists:
Carleigh Baker, Bad Endings (published by Anvil Press http://www.anvilpress.com)
Dawn Dumont, Glass Beads (published by Thistledown Press https://www.thistledownpress.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
J. D. Kurtness, De Vengeance (published by L’Instant Meme http://www.instantmeme.com/ebi-addins/im/Actualite.aspx)
Finalist:
Naomie Fontaine, Manikanetish (published by Memoire d’Encrier http://memoiredencrier.com)
Most Significant Work in an Alternative Format by an Emerging Indigenous Writer
Co-Winners: Mich Cota, Musical Selections, and Mika Lafond, Nipê Wânîn (published by Thistledown Press https://www.thistledownpress.com)
Finalists:
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)
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)
Finalists:
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Unpublished Poetic Piece(s) by an Emerging Indigenous Writer in English
Smokii Sumac “#haikuaday and other poems”
Finalists:
David Agecoutay “Poetic Selections”
Brandi Bird “Two Poems”
Francine Merasty “Poetry of a Northern Rez Girl”
Unpublished Poetic Piece(s) by an Emerging Indigenous Writer in French
Marie-Andrée Gill “Uashteu
Unpublished Prose Piece by an Emerging Indigenous Writer
Elaine McArthur “Queen Bee”
Finalist:
Treena Chambers “Hair Raizing”
Nazbah Tom “The Hand Trembler”
Amanda Peters “Pejipug (Winter Arrives)”
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.
The Indigenous Voices Awards Fund was established at the Ontario Arts Foundation to fund the awards. To make a donation, please visit the Ontario Arts Foundation website.
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ONTARIO ARTS FOUNDATION INQUIRIES
Alan Walker, Executive Director,
Ontario Arts Foundation
416-969-7413 | awalker@arts.on.ca
The Ontario Arts Foundation (OAF) is passionately committed to building long-term support for the arts in Ontario. In 2016-2017, the OAF paid over $3.2 million in endowment income and $375,000 in awards and scholarships.