Canada Council for the Arts launches new program for emerging Aboriginal writers
Ottawa, April 19, 2005 – The Canada Council for the Arts has launched a new program to encourage the artistic development of emerging Aboriginal writers and storytellers.
The Aboriginal Emerging Writers Program is an initiative of the Canada Council, the Aboriginal Arts Program of the Banff Centre and the En’owkin Centre, in Penticton, B.C. Every year, six candidates will be selected by a jury. The successful applicants will participate in a two-week intensive writing program at the Banff Centre, in Alberta. Through this program, the Canada Council seeks to develop Aboriginal publishing and enhance literary creation in Aboriginal languages in Canada.
Under the leadership of Aboriginal writers from the En’owkin Centre, the six writers will participate in a program designed to refine their writing skills, while learning about writing techniques, methodologies, genres, cultural and storytelling protocols and traditions. They will also learn how to increase the relevance of their writing and develop innovative strategies for publishing their work.
The program incorporates workshops, studio writing time, guest speakers, Internet and archival research, and a cultural component. At the end of the residency, the participants will receive credits towards a Certificate in Foundations in Indigenous Fine Arts of the En’owkin Centre, a program of the Faculty of Fine Arts in cooperation with the University of Victoria Division of Continuing Studies.
“It is a wonderful opportunity for emerging writers to receive training from established mentors,” said Melanie Rutledge, Head of Writing and Publishing at the Canada Council. “The Council is pleased to be able to help provide Aboriginal writers with the tools necessary to perfect their art.”
The Aboriginal Emerging Writers Program offers a scholarship of $5,000 to be administered by the Banff Centre. The grant will cover costs of tuition, transportation, accommodation, food, and supplies for the two-week program. The deadline for applications is June 1st 2005.
For more information about this program, contact Paul Seesequasis, Program Officer, Writing and Publishing, at 1 800 263-5588, ext. 5482.
Aboriginal artist feels driven
 Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm
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JULIE CLINTON
Times & Transcript Staff
Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm has never been to Moncton, but the Ontario author is looking forward to the opportunity to reach new audiences during the Northrop Frye International Literary Festival, and perhaps change a few misconceptions in the process.
As one of 40 authors who will visit Moncton during the Northrop Frye International Literary Festival, April 19-24, Kateri will take part in Writers in the Schools, a roundtable discussion, Indigenous Women Writers and Artists, and Eros and Friends (An Erotica Reading).
These are all areas of great interest to Kateri, not only as a female aboriginal writer, but as a strong indigenous arts activist. Festival events such as Writers in the Schools represent new ways to reach people and perhaps counteracting the misinformation and misperceptions that are all too common in our society, she says.
"I really like talking to children and youth in the schools. I think it's a great opportunity to maybe change some perceptions and hopefully turn kids on to poetry and spoken word and literacy in general.
"I think people's perceptions about aboriginal people in this country are often a little skewed in part because of things like Hollywood movies and the media and those things are prevalent in our society."
She has striven for years to alter those misconceptions through her works of poetry, fiction, non-fiction and spoken word. Kateri is of mixed ancestry from the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation and has lived and worked at Neyaashiinigmiing, Cape Croker Reserve on the Saugeen Peninsula in southwestern Ontario since 1994.
This is also the home of Kegedonce Press, the small publishing company Kateri founded in 1993.
"Publishing really came out of this obsession I seem to have with giving back to the community," she says.
Twelve years ago, Kateri was struggling to publish her book of poetry in time for an indigenous arts conference. She received a grant to do so and immediately began planning for future works by other authors.
"To me it was like winning the lottery. I have this money to try, I'm going to try and publish somebody else's work."
She admits now her ideas about the process were a bit naive, but after more than 10 years of hard work, Kegedonce Press is now a viable publishing company, with eight aboriginal authors other than herself.
As a writer, Kateri's body of work includes Standing Ground, a CD of spoken word and music; My Heart is a Stray Bullet, her first collection of poetry; edited Without Reservation: Indigenous Erotica; and co-edited Skins: Contemporary Indigenous Writings. Her work has also appeared in anthologies, journals and magazines in Canada, the United States, New Zealand, Australia, France and Germany.
"I kind of see all the various things I do, from publishing, spoken word, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, all as a web that's actually about just trying to express who I am as an aboriginal woman and I guess, in a lot cases, confronting stereotypes and wrong perceptions people have about aboriginal people."
Currently, Kateri is working on a spoken word piece for the CBC poetry face-off March 1 in Ottawa. She's also finishing a collection of short stories and a collection of poetry, and is working on a collaborative effort to stage a multi-media performance piece incorporating dance, music, poetry, recorded sound and projected shapes and images.
The sixth annual Northrop Frye International Literary Festival will run from April 19-24. This year, festival passes will be available to attend the readings, workshops, book launchings, conferences and roundtable discussions presented by nearly 40 authors. They can be purchased at the Capitol Theatre Box Office, online at www.capitol.nb.ca. or by phone at 856-4379 or 1-800-567-1922. The cost is $35 for adults and $20 for seniors and students. Children 10 and under are admitted free to most events. For more information, visit www.northropfrye.com or call 859-4389 or 1-877-892-8400.
 Times & Transcript | Books
As published on page B7 on February 24, 2005
Submissions Sought!
An anthology of short stories for young people (teen audience), about grief
in all it's manifestations is in development. Deadline is past, and they
find themselves with a dozen strong stories, mostly by women, and entirely
about girls! High quality stories needed! A.S.A.P.! Male protagonists
needed! Indigenous authors very strongly encouraged to send excellent work:
-- the list of stories is pretty much finalized, so they're just looking for
one or a couple of stories, well polished & ready to go;
-- stories should be written in the young adult's voice;
-- payment is $100.
Send to Ron Hatch at ronsdale@shaw.ca
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