Métis

This evocative new poetry collection speaks with a fierce tenderness of many aspects of the poet’s life: a childhood spent on the banks of the Churchill River, the death of a beloved one, the struggle to try to find forgiveness for wrongs done and the weariness of trying to redress those wrongs. And, most poignantly, a beautiful rebellion reaches one hand back to Louis Riel and one hand forward to future Métis generations.

The poems navigate losses that we all suffer when the world of our childhoods has altered irrevocably; they reveal the pain caused by residential schools and share despair at the lack of progress in social justice and self-determination. Rita Bouvier’s work is intimate and insightful, written in inviting, open-hearted language that includes many Cree and Michif phrases and their translation.

There is a quiet power--riverine, deep, unstoppable--that flows through these words.

Additional Information
72 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | Paperback

In this debut poetry collection, Samantha Nock redefines where and what “home” is.

A Family of Dreamers delves into the complexities of growing up in rural northeast British Columbia and the love and grief that blooms there. In this debut collection, Samantha Nock weaves together threads of fat liberation, desirability politics, and heartbreak while working through her existence as a young Indigenous woman coming of age in the city. The result is a love song to northern cuzzins, dive bars, and growing up.

Additional Information
101 pages | 5.98" x 9.01" | Paperback

Aided by Grandmother Spider, Star Woman discovers the Hole-in-the-Sky, opening a pathway for the Star People to experience the wonder of life on earth. But the world falls into the hands of the Paper People, jeopardizing the sacred harmony between nature and the cosmos. And so Little Spirit, a young boy, must search for meaning and find redemption in the care of Grandmother Moon.

An epic narrative, The Star Poems explores the black hole of colonial history—Residential Schools, the loss of the father, youth suicide—and the vital role of women in reclaiming our traditional knowledge, the teachings that stitch together the fabric of the universe.

The Star Poems creatively engages Cree oral tradition in a new way, connecting Indigenous spirituality and quantum physics to honour and adapt some of our most ancient stories about the origins of life and our place in the universe. Presented in both English and Cree, The Star Poems is a timely contribution to the revitalization of the Cree language—and the fascinating world of star stories.

Educator Information
Recommended for ages 15+

Additional Information
132 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | Paperback

From the author of Bears comes two dark comedies that expose the effects of disturbing the natural order and what we’re capable of when pushed to our breaking point.

Set in the aftermath of the disaster that nearly destroyed Fort McMurray in 2016, After the Fire centres around two couples whose lives have been deeply affected by the ruin. Sisters Laura and Carmell have been channelling their devastation after the disaster into their daughters’ hockey team . . . maybe a little too much. Their Indigenous oil-worker husbands Barry and Ty are fighting their own demons as they try to sort out how to move on, while digging a very big hole.

In The Particulars, a week’s worth of daily routines for an insomniac is disrupted by a mysterious home invasion. Gordon battles his invaders on two main fronts—in his home, where he believes he is dealing with vermin, and in his yard, where insects have taken over his garden. By day, Gordon forges ahead, in control of every aspect of his life. But by night, the scratching he has begun to hear in his walls is unravelling him, driving him to the edge of cosmic desperation.

The sharp commentary in these two plays will shock and satisfy the temptation of taking matters into your own hands.

Reviews
“After the Fire may have one of the greatest surprise endings ever in a Canadian play—and certainly has one of the most Canadian surprise endings ever to a play . . . It is also good writing that alters your perception of all of the characters, the state of their relationships—and maybe Fort McMurray as well.”— J. Kelly Nestruck, The Globe and Mail

“The Particulars entices you with its details, but it’s the exploration of life’s biggest mysteries that will break your heart.”— Carly Maga, Toronto Star

"Moving and funny, audaciously strange . . . Suffice it to say that it’s as if Martin McDonagh took up writing the kind of Canadian family plays where revealing dark secrets of the past usually tends to be the way forward. Basically, [After the Fire] blows that Canuck m.o. into smithereens, while slyly seducing us into feeling its embrace."— Liz Nicholls, 12thnight.ca

"The writing [in The Particulars] stands on its own—I like how our narrator speaks of himself in third person—and MacKenzie effectively brings the cyclical smallness of a life to life."— Elizabeth Withey, Edmonton Journal

Additional Information
120 pages | 5.37" x 8.38" | Paperback

An Anthology of Monsters by Cherie Dimaline, award-winning Métis author of The Marrow Thieves, is the tale of an intricate dance with life-long anxiety. It is about how the stories we tell ourselves—both the excellent and the horrible—can help reshape the ways in which we think, cope, and ultimately survive. Using examples from her published and forthcoming books, from her mère, and from her own late-night worry sessions, Dimaline choreographs a deeply personal narrative about all the ways in which we cower and crush through stories. Witches emerge as figures of misfortune but also empowerment, and the fearsome Rougarou inspires obedience, but also belonging and responsibility. Dimaline reveals how to collect and curate these stories, how they elicit difficult and beautiful conversations, and how family and community is a place of refuge and strength.

Educator Information
Keywords / Subjects: Stories; Anxiety; Panic; Rougarou; Family; Community; Métis; Witches; Insomnia; Coping; Worries; Grandparents; Empower; Belonging; Responsibility; Mental Health; Biography; Essays; Canadian Literature

Additional Information
64 pages | 5.25" x 9.00" | Paperback

A chilling horror novel about a young Indigenous woman haunted by the oppressive legacies of colonization.

Dawn hasn't spoken to her brother, Cody, since he was sent to prison for a violent crime seven years ago. Now living in a shiny new Toronto condo, Dawn is haunted by uncanny occurrences, including cryptic messages from her dead mother, that have followed her most of her life. When the life Dawn thought she wanted implodes, she is forced to return to her childhood home and the prairie city that hold so much pain for her and her fractured family.

Cody is unexpectedly released from prison with a mysterious new friend by his side, who seems to be the charismatic leader of a dangerous supernatural network. Trying to uncover their plans, Dawn follows increasingly sinister leads until the lines between this world and the next, now and then, and right and wrong begin to blur and dissolve.

What unfolds is an eerie, incisive, and at times darkly funny horror novel about a young Indigenous woman reckoning with trauma and violence, loss and reclamation in an unsettling world where spirit realms entwine with the living-and where it is humans who carry out the truly monstrous acts.

Reviews
"Well written, creepy, frustrating, and puzzling. There may be violence in this novel, but there's nothing ordinary about it." — Drew Hayden Taylor, author of Take Us to Your Chief

"What a book! It's utterly enthralling and unsettling to your bones. A wonderful haunt that creeps into your psyche in the best possible way. I feel like I know Dawn, which only makes the story creepier. A tremendous debut, and I can't wait to read more."— Jesse Wente, author of Unreconciled: Family, Truth, and Indigenous Resistance

"An Ordinary Violence by Adriana Chartrand is a compelling read that rockets off the page. From the first chapter, I was hooked and gleefully followed Dawn as she moved around the spaces she used to call home to figure out her new reality. The writing is poetic, truthful, and you can tell that Adriana has written a story from her heart. This book will be sure to surprise its readers!" — Francine Cunningham, author of God Isn't Here Today

"An Ordinary Violence is surely a gripping and haunting novel, one that will hold you from the first word to the last, but what makes it so potent and memorable is the way Adriana Chartrand tells this story with such grace and humility. There is horror, and then there is horror-An Ordinary Violence has both. This is an unforgettable novel." — Morgan Talty, author of Night of the Living Rez

"Adriana Chartrand's An Ordinary Violence is a hallucinatory slow-burn chiller, sharply observed and heartfelt in its depiction of family ties that bind like strips of wet rawhide. Dawn returns to her hometown to find it is in the grip of something uncanny and malevolent. As she visits old friends and familiar places, she grapples with ghosts from the past and demons on the rise to save her struggling father, her wayward brother, and herself. With this fresh and fearsome look at the contemporary Indigenous experience, Chartrand emerges at the forefront of our newest literary voices." — David Demchuk, author of The Bone Mother and RED X

"An Ordinary Violence is a gripping debut novel that bewilders in the best way possible. Adriana Chartrand sparks a fire on the first page that steadily burns into a tremendous literary spectacle that transcends genre. I was riveted by the story and thoroughly impressed by the writing. This novel will stay with me for a long time." — Waubgeshig Rice, author of Moon of the Turning Leaves

"An unsettling, lyrical, slow-burn of a novel that combines the best elements of atmosphere and horror. Weaving together a history of violence with spirituality and the supernatural, Chartrand has achieved something special here, a cacophony of style and genre that displays the immeasurable potential of Indigenous storytelling." — David A. Robertson, author of The Theory of Crows

Additional Information
256 pages | 5.25" x 8.00"| Paperback

Motherhood, trauma, and familial history are woven together into a powerful collection from the award-winning author of What Became My Grieving Ceremony. Beginning with a revelation of familial sexual abuse, Building a Nest from the Bones of My People charts the impact of this revelation on the speaker. From the pain of estrangement to navigating first-time motherhood in the midst of a family crisis, Morgan explores the complexities of generational and secondary abuse, intertwined as they are with the impacts of colonization.

Reviews
"Cara-Lyn Morgan offers not only loss, grief, and anger in this powerful collection, but also resolve, resistance, and reckoning—with the past, with what we bequeath our children, and the intentionality of those decisions. A brilliant and resonant meditation on becoming a mother and what it takes to build a new nest from the salvage of what’s been given to us. 'Burn the sage. / we’re done.'"—Lisa Bird-Wilson, author of Probably Ruby

"With her new collection, Cara-Lyn Morgan, demonstrates the lyrical alchemy of transforming ancestral pain into poetic gold through the unflinching art of truth-telling. These poems are raw as nerve endings, encapsulating wisdom enduring as teeth and bones. They are tender, well-crafted, and fearless—reminding us how speaking out into stifling silence can create muscle strong enough to move a woman from fearful mourning to courageous motherhood. Through Building a Nest from the Bones of My People, the pain of the past is excavated like an aching, crooked bone—rebroken to set the future on firm footing. Smoldering embers of generational trauma are doused, ghosts are set to rest and the seeds of hope begin to blossom. We can all heal. With this hauntingly beautiful collection, Morgan shows us how."—Andrea Thompson, author of A Selected History of Soul Speak

Additional Information
80 pages | 5.13" x 8.03" | Paperback

To celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Indigenous Voices Awards, an anthology consisting of selected works by finalists over the past five years, edited by Jordan Abel, Carleigh Baker, and Madeleine Reddon.

For five years, the Indigenous Voices Awards have nurtured the work of Indigenous writers in lands claimed by Canada. Established in 2017 initially through a crowd-funded campaign by lawyer Robin Parker and author Silvia Moreno-Garcia that set an initial fundraising goal of $10,000, the initiative raised over $116,000 in just four months.

Through generous support from organizations such as Penguin Random House Canada, CELA, and others, the award has grown and have helped usher in a new and dynamic generation of Indigenous writers. Past IVA recipients include Billy-Ray Belcourt, Tanya Tagaq, and Jesse Thistle. The IVAs also help promote the works of unpublished writers, helping launch the careers of Smokii Sumac, Cody Caetano, and Samantha Martin-Bird.

For the first time, a selection of standout works over the past five years of the Indigenous Voices Award will be collected in an anthology that will highlight some of the most groundbreaking Indigenous writing across poetry, prose, and theatre in English, French, and in an Indigenous language. Curated by award-winning and critically acclaimed writers Carleigh Baker, Jordan Abel, and Indigenous scholar Madeleine Reddon, this anthology will be a true celebration of Indigenous storytelling that will both introduce readers to emerging luminaries as well as return them to treasured favourites.

Educator Information
Carving Space: The Indigenous Voices Awards Anthology: A collection of prose and poetry from emerging Indigenous writers in lands claimed by Canada includes a selection of standout work from the first five years of the Indigenous Voices Awards.

Additional Information
400 pages | 5.50" x 8.25" | Paperback

Upon learning his great-uncle Alfred has suffered a stroke, Richard sets out for Ste. Anne, in southeastern Manitoba, to find his father and tell him the news. Waylaid by memories of his stalled romance, tales of run-ins with local Mennonites, his job working a honey wagon, and struck by visions of Métis history and secrets of his family's past, Richard confronts his desires to leave town, even as he learns to embrace his heritage.

Evoking an oral storytelling epic that weaves together one family's complex history, Hold Your Tongue asks what it means to be Métis and francophone. Recalling the work of Katherena Vermette and Joshua Whitehead, Matthew Tétreault's debut novel shines with a poignant, but playful character-driven meditation on the struggles of holding onto "la langue," and marks the emergence of an important new voice.

Reviews
"Inspired by deep knowledge of his French-Métis homeland, Matthew Tétreault has given us a rich, beautifully written novel. In this story you'll meet unforgettable characters who "sprang from the soil." This intricate yarn is an evocative detective story, a search for the first betrayals and deviations, a glorious patchwork of vision and memory, buoyed by love as tough and vulnerable as the land that nurtured it. The past is palpable, vibrant in these pages, full of promise, like 'seedlings.'"--Margaret Sweatman, author of The Gunsmith's Daughter

"The wonderful thing about Hold Your Tongue is that it definitely does not hold its tongue. English, French, and Michif gallop across its pages, mingling and colliding like the fractious history of the Canadian West echoing into the present. What James Joyce did for the voices of the Irish Matthew Tétreault has done for those of his own people. This earthy, wise, big-hearted novel about a Métis community's tangled past and uncertain future shouts, gossips, mourns, jokes, confesses, and sings. Before you reach the end you'll be singing along with it."--Thomas Wharton, award-winning author of Icefields and The Book of Rain

"Witty, down-to-earth, and yet transformative, Matt Tétreault's Hold Your Tongue sets a new benchmark for literature in Canada, folding in francophone and Métis voice and culture and navigating the tensions of family, history, self, and place. Marked both by verisimilitude and contemplation, Hold Your Tongue is a journey through the geography of identity that emerges speaking with a fresh, assured voice."--Conrad Scott, author of Water Immersion

"With cutting language, Matthew Tétreault weaves a narrative that runs us through history and love of land while simultaneously questioning a modern prairie existence. His distinctive voice brings a reader along with the narrator as he navigates the passing of his great-uncle Alfred and, with that, the loss of generations worth of knowledge. At the same time, the narrator questions a future and what it really means to lose the land you love, the question of leaving, and what coming back home really looks like. From brawls with the neighbouring small towns to being buried in your favourite camo ball cap to figuring out a future that may never really exist, this is a read that will keep you sucked into the pages like a hose pumping out the honey bucket."--Conor Kerr, author of Avenue of Champions

Additional Information
272 pages | 5.50" x 8.50" | Paperback

Memories. Some memories are elusive, fleeting, like a butterfly that touches down and is free until it is caught. Others are haunting. You'd rather forget them, but they won't be forgotten. And some are always there. No matter where you are, they are there, too.

In this moving story of legacy and reclamation, two young sisters are taken from their home and family. Powerless in a broken system, April and Cheryl are separated and placed in different foster homes. Despite the distance, they remain close, even as their decisions threaten to divide them emotionally, culturally, and geographically. As one sister embraces her Métis identity, the other tries to leave it behind.

Will the sisters’ bond survive as they struggle to make their way in a society that is often indifferent, hostile, and violent?

Beloved for more than 40 years, In Search of April Raintree is a timeless story that lingers long after the final page. This anniversary edition features a foreword by Governor General’s Award–winning author Katherena Vermette, and an afterword by University of Regina professor, Dr. Raven Sinclair (Ôtiskewâpit), an expert on Indigenous child welfare.

Educator Information
This 40th anniversary edition features a foreword by Governor General’s Award–winning author Katherena Vermette, and an afterword by University of Regina professor, Dr. Raven Sinclair (Ôtiskewâpit), an expert on Indigenous child welfare.

A critical edition of this work, which includes ten critical essays accompanying the text, is available here: In Search of April Raintree: Critical Edition 

A version written specifically for students in grades 9-12 that does not contain the graphic scene that is contained in this original version is available here: April Raintree

Find a teacher guide for In Search of April Raintree and April Raintree here: Teacher Guide for In Search of April Raintree and April Raintree: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Teaching Stories of Indigenous Survivance, Family Separation, and the Child Welfare System

Additional Information
343 pages | 5.50" x 8.50" | Paperback | Critical Edition

What would Indigenous resurgence look like if the parameters were not set with a focus on the state, settlers, or an achievement of reconciliation? Indigenous Resurgence in an Age of Reconciliation explores the central concerns and challenges facing Indigenous nations in their resurgence efforts, while also mapping the gaps and limitations of both reconciliation and resurgence frameworks.

The essays in this collection centre the work of Indigenous communities, knowledge, and strategies for resurgence and, where appropriate, reconciliation. The book challenges narrow interpretations of indigeneity and resurgence, asking readers to take up a critical analysis of how settler colonial and heteronormative framings have infiltrated our own ways of relating to our selves, one another, and to place. The authors seek to (re)claim Indigenous relationships to the political and offer critical self-reflection to ensure Indigenous resurgence efforts do not reproduce the very conditions and contexts from which liberation is sought.

Illuminating the interconnectivity between and across life in all its forms, this important collection calls on readers to think expansively and critically about Indigenous resurgence in an age of reconciliation.

Reviews
"This book is an undoubtedly critical, original, and powerful contribution to the field of Indigenous studies and beyond. With sound scholarship, the contributors show us how disentangling from reconciliation discourses is not only a tool of critique, but also a methodology for understanding how settler concepts of territoriality and authority have shaped Indigenous peoples’ understandings of themselves, their governments, and their relationships to land and to one another." — Shiri Pasternak, Assistant Professor of Criminology, Toronto Metropolitan University

"The relationship between reconciliation and resurgence is a complicated and, at times, deeply contested one. This volume does an excellent job of situating itself within the wider literature on resurgence and reconciliation and their conflicted and/or complimentary relationship. This is an important contribution to a fraught conversation, and it provides many different perspectives that help to, if not resolve, then guide the conversation beyond its current roadblocks towards something better." — Joshua Nichols, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Law, McGill University

Additional Information
280 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | Paperback

From acclaimed filmmaker, artist and activist Marjorie Beaucage comes a poetic memoir that reflects on seven decades of living and seeking justice as a Two Spirit Michif woman. Poems, poetic observations and thoughtful meanderings comprise this inspirational journal-memoir-poetry collection from a woman who has dedicated her life and her talent to creating social change. Unfolding the wisdom gained from experience, leave some for the birds: movements for justice offers guidance for younger activists following the author's trailblazing footsteps.

Reviews
"I have long admired Margie's tenacious ability to persevere in spite of the obstacles placed in front of her. She continues to challenge the status quo and hangs onto what is right and just. She awakens, supports and lifts the many voices who struggle to be heard. Her voice dives deep into the depth of unknown and bewildering waters. Yet, she bubbles to the surface, takes a breath and howls with a universal plea to pay attention to the injuries imposed on the land and its people. I am honored to walk with her."--Louise B. Halfe - Sky Dancer, author of The Crooked Good.

Additional Information
211 pages | 6.00" x 9.00" | 7 Illustrations | Paperback

A diverse group of seven writers comes together to create seven tender scenes about their hopes for the future.

The Many Mothers Collective came together during the pandemic, hoping to make sense of the world they found themselves in. What evolved was their need to not only focus on the present moment, but on the world they will leave behind for their children and grandchildren, and for seven generations to come. In seven scenes for the stage, the members of the collective explore the past, where they come from, and the future, where they are going, with a deep sense of hopefulness rooted in resistance.

Additional Information
70 pages | 5.00" x 8.00" | Paperback

Métis Ukrainian writer Conor Kerr’s sharp and incisive poems move restlessly across landscapes and time.

Conor Kerr’s poetry is in constant motion. 4Runners streak through the night, racing with coyotes and roving across the land. Buses travel from town to town, from one memory to another, from past to present. Friends and lovers search for each other on Instagram and find nothing. And always the natural world travels alongside: the watching magpies, woodpeckers and cedar waxwings, the coyotes and porcupines. Family is the crisp wings of mallard ducks flying at dawn, just as it is a game of crib, a Mario Kart race, a dance party.

Old Gods defies colonialism on the Prairies. Kerr situates his reader in the Métis mindset: the old gods of the land are alive within the rivers, the birds, the hills and the prairies that surround us, and they’ll always be here.

Additional Information
96 pages | 5.50" x 8.00" | Paperback

Embrace Your Divine Feminine Energy

Create new rituals and self-care habits with this oracle deck. These sacred inspirational cards inspired by land-based practises of the Metis people serve as a daily mental healer.

Re-energize and connect to the Metis culture. These oracle cards are the perfect way to help you slow down and awaken to the energy around and inside you. Andrea Menard writes beautifully while invoking connections to the land and indigenous teachings; use these cards as friendly reminders to dive into your divine feminine energy. Andrea Menard is a Metis woman whose Michif ancestry originates from St. Laurent, Manitoba, Canada. She is deeply influenced by Sacred Elements and guided by the teachings of her ancestral Grandmothers.

Enjoy colorful and beautifully layered art. These unique images bring emotional healing and a deep awakening to divine feminine energy. Sacred women, men, and gender-fluid individuals will find wisdom on every card. Enjoy 52 cards with beautiful images of original artwork by Metis painter, Leah Marie Dorion. Leah is an interdisciplinary Metis artist raised in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, who views her Metis heritage as a unique bridge connecting all people to a greater knowledge.

Inside, you'll find:
• Ancient wisdom and teachings from Andrea Menard set to transform you
• Beautifully layered art from Leah Marie Dorion on a deck of cards set to awaken you
• A handbook guide set to spark your divine feminine energy

If you need a gift for the sacred woman in your life, you'll love Seeds of the Sacred Feminine.

Reviews
"What a feast! This collection of inspirational cards invoking the wisdom of the feminine is created entirely by Indigenous women, permeated by the fierce and tender heart of the Grandmothers. The artwork is glorious, the teachings are both luminous and grounded, the combination truly transformational. I will be gifting these cards, with the accompanying handbook, again and again."- Mirabai Starr, author of Wild Mercy and God of Love

"The Seeds from the Sacred Feminine is a delicate, gentle, and kind teaching that will help you get in touch with our sacred grandmothers, our guides for being in tune with nature and mother earth. Using this wisdom will draw you into the natural laws of Earth by helping you to return to emotional and mental harmony based on balancing yourself with the four sacred directions. The Messages are a special and comfortable way to be with the spirits and nature."- Barbara Hand Clow, author of Awakening the Planetary Mind and Alchemy of Nine Dimensions

"These are beautiful inspirational cards. They follow the medicine wheel paying attention to the land, water, wind and sun. May we all pay heed and allow our souls to rest upon any given day, to meditate on the thought and allow spirit to carry us to that place of wholeness." - Louise B. Halfe, author of The Crooked Good and Burning in This Midnight

"What a wonderfully refreshing idea. Truly inspired by the spirit of the female life-giver as it yields the tremendous opening of the passageway to life to be lived to its fullest potential. As has been prophesied the female energy is leading the way to renewal and prosperity as the Creator had intended." - Tom McCallum, Metis Elder, lodge keeper

"The Seeds From The Sacred Feminine wisdom deck is a powerful invitation to build a deeper relationship with all of creation. Each card carries beautiful medicine teachings that invoke a great understanding of all aspects of self. This deck carries a vibration of grace, love and truth. I highly recommend this gorgeous deck to all who wish to connect to Indigenous Earth and Spirit wisdom. It will enhance your divine gifts, remind you of your inherent knowing, and delight you with its beautiful artwork."- Asha Frost, Anishinaabekwe bestselling author of You are The Medicine

Additional Information
89 page handbook | 52 Cards | 4.00" x 6.00"