The Indigenous Voices Awards are a Canadian literary award program, created in 2017 to honour indigenous literatures in Canada.[1]
The awards grew out of a 2017 controversy, when a group of Canadian writers were criticized for campaigning on Twitter in favour of a prize supporting cultural appropriation.[2] In response, Toronto lawyer Robin Parker launched a crowdfunding campaign to create a new prize for First Nations, Métis and Inuit writers in Canada. The crowdfunding campaign was set with a goal of $10,000, but ultimately attracted over $140,000 in donations.[1]
The awards honour both published and unpublished work by indigenous writers. The first winners were announced in May 2018.[3]
Winners
2018
- English Prose: Aviaq Johnston, Those Who Run in the Sky
- English Poetry: Billy-Ray Belcourt, This Wound Is a World
- French Prose: J. D. Kurtness, De Vengeance
- Alternative Format: Mich Cota, Musical Selections and Mika Lafond, Nipê Wânîn
- Unpublished English Poetry: Smokii Sumac, #haikuaday and other poems
- Unpublished French Poetry: Marie-Andrée Gill, Uashteu
- Unpublished Prose: Elaine McArthur, Queen Bee
2019
- English Prose: Tanya Tagaq, Split Tooth[4]
- English Poetry: Smokii Sumac, You are Enough: Love Poems for the End of the World[4]
- French Prose: Joséphine Bacon, Uiesh, Quelque Part and Pierrot Ross-Tremblay, Nipimanitu – L’esprit de l’eau[4]
- Alternative Format: Tasha Spillett and Natasha Donovan, Surviving the City[4]
- Unpublished Poetry: Elaine McArthur, Brush of a Bustle[4]
- Unpublished Prose: Francine Cunningham, Teenage Asylums[4]
2020
- English Prose: Jesse Thistle, From the Ashes[5]
- English Poetry: Michelle Sylliboy, Kiskajeyi—I am Ready and Arielle Twist, Disintegrate / Dissociate[5]
- French Prose: Naomi Fontaine, Shuni — Ce que tu dois savoir, Julie[5]
- French Poetry: Maya Cousineau-Mollen, Bréviaire du matricule 082 and Marie-Andrée Gill, Chauffer le dehors[5]
- Indigenous Language: Rene Meshake, Injichaag: My Soul in Story and Cole Pauls, Dakwäkãda Warriors[5]
- Unpublished Prose in English: Cody Caetano, "Half-Bads in White Regalia"[5]
- Unpublished Poetry in English: Keely Shirt, "Two Little Foxes", "Buttertown Beach", "I Will Never Be Happier"[5]
- Alternative Format: Elaine McArthur, Elizabeth Dances Pow-wow[5]
2021
- English Fiction: Nathan Niigan Noodin Adler, Ghost Lake[6]
- English Non-fiction: Bevann Fox, Genocidal Love[6]
- English Poetry: jaye simpson, it was never going to be okay[6]
- Unpublished prose in English: Amanda Peters, Waiting for the Long Night Moon[6]
- Unpublished poetry in English: Samantha Martin-Bird, the indian (adultery) act & other poems[6]
- French Prose: Émilie Monnet, Okinum[6]
- French Poetry: Shayne Michael, Fif et sauvage[6]
- Published graphic novels, comics and illustrated books: Brianna Jonnie with Nahanni Shingoose illustrated by Neal Shannacappo, If I Go Missing[6]
- Published work in an Indigenous language: Zacharias Kunuk illustrated by Megan Kyak-Monteith, The Shaman's Apprentice: Inuktitut[6]
References
- ^ a b "New literary prize for Indigenous writers to offer $25K in awards". CBC News, October 19, 2017.
- ^ "Crowdfunded Indigenous Voices Awards formally launches, with focus on emerging talent". Quill & Quire, October 30, 2017.
- ^ "Billy-Ray Belcourt, Aviaq Johnston among winners of 2018 Indigenous Voices Awards". CBC Books, May 31, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f "Tanya Tagaq and seven other writers take home prizes at Indigenous Voices Awards". CityNews, June 5, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Winners Announced for 2020 Indigenous Voices Awards". Open Book, June 22, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Vicky Qiao, "Nathan Adler, Bevann Fox and jaye simpson among winners for 2021 Indigenous Voices Awards". CBC Books, June 22, 2021.
External links
- Official website