June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada, a time to recognize Canada’s colonial history, current issues and realities (like COVID-19 highlighting existing inequities amongst Indigenous communities), and celebrate the achievements of Indigenous peoples.
June 21, in addition to being the summer solstice and longest day of the year, is also a day in which many Indigenous groups have traditionally celebrated their culture and heritage. For that reason, June 21 was designated by the government of Canada and Indigenous peoples as National Indigenous Peoples Day, a national holiday to showcase and learn more about each First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples and their distinct heritage, language, cultural practices, and spiritual beliefs.
There are many articles, lists, and threads of books by Indigenous authors for readers of all ages in honour of National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day. They can be found by searching the following terms and hashtags in social media and search engines:
Reading for Reconciliation;
#ReadIndigenous; and
#IndigenousReads (the Government of Canada’s Indigenous Book Club Month hashtag).
If you’re a SalesData subscriber, you can also search for bestselling books with an Indigenous or Native American/Canadian primary BISAC code in 2020. Learn more in our blog post on bestselling Indigenous books in Canada.
For this post, we’ve decided to highlight Indigenous-specific awards, as well as select publishing houses whose focus is publishing works by Indigenous creators.
Awards
CODE Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Young Adult Literature
This is a “Canadian literary award and readership initiative that recognizes excellence in Indigenous-authored literature for young adults (…) given to literary works for youth created by First Nation, Inuit, and Métis writers, illustrators, and translators.” This is the first ever Canadian Indigenous-language Young Adult Literature award.
Visit their website and follow them on Twitter @CODEBurtAwards.
Indigenous Voices Awards (IVAs)
These awards were presented in 2018 after being established in 2017 to support and nurture the work of Indigenous writers in lands claimed by Canada. “The Indigenous Voices Awards aim to support Indigenous literary production in its diversity and complexity, understanding Indigenous literatures (…) The awards honour the sovereignty of Indigenous creative voices and reject cultural appropriation; to be eligible for the Indigenous Voices Awards, authors must be Indigenous and must make a declaration of Indigenous identity. The awards are intended to support Indigenous artistic communities and to resist the individualism of prize culture.” They are hosting a virtual gala of readings and stories from the 2020 IVAs finalists on June 21st, National Indigenous Day (RSVP on Eventbrite).
Visit the IVAs' website and follow them on Twitter @IndigenousVAs.
American Indian Youth Literature Awards
Launched in 2006 by the American Indian Library Association (AILA), these awards honour the best writing and illustrations by and about American Indians, Alaska Natives, Canadian First Nations, Native Hawaiians, and Indigenous peoples of North America. Books are nominated in odd-numbered years and awarded in even-numbered years in Picture Book, Middle School and Young Adult categories. 2020 Award Winners and Honor Books can be viewed on their website.
Follow AILA on Facebook.
First Nation Communities READ Awards (FNCR)
This award represents the very best in Indigenous literature from across Turtle Island of books authored and/or illustrated by a First Nation, Métis, or Inuit creator and containing First Nation, Métis, or Inuit content. Started 17 years ago in 2003, FNCR is an annual reading program launched by the First Nations public library community in Ontario through the Southern Ontario Library Service (SOLS). The FNCR program encourages family literacy and intergenerational storytelling/information sharing and aims to increase awareness of the relevance and importance of Indigenous writing, illustration, and publishing, while honouring First Nation, Métis, and Inuit voices and experiences. You can view the 2018/19 First Nation Communities READ Awards winner and shortlist on their website or on CataList. The longlist for the 2020/21 First Nation Communities READ Awards can be found here.
Read the SOLS blog and follow them on Twitter @solslib.
Publishers
First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada
The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada (The Caring Society) was developed at a national meeting of First Nations child and family service agencies at the Squamish First Nation in 1998.
“The Caring Society works to ensure the safety and well-being of First Nations youth and their families through education initiatives, public policy campaigns and providing quality resources to support communities. Using a reconciliation framework that addresses contemporary hardships for Indigenous families in ways that uplift all Canadians, the Caring Society champions culturally based equity for First Nations children and their families so that they can grow up safely at home, be healthy, achieve their dreams, celebrate their languages and culture and be proud of who they are. “
Join their mailing list and follow them on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Gabriel Dumont Institute (GDI) Press
GDI Press, a new entity for book production, was created in 2015 by the Gabriel Dumont Institute of Native Studies and Applied Research (GDI), an institute based in Saskatchewan since 1980. GDI “is committed to the publication and development of Métis-specific cultural, literary, and educational resources for Métis children, youth, adults, and the non-Aboriginal community. Through this focus, the institute is also able to produce Michif-language resources for the K-12 system and the Métis community.
GDI Press is the only Canadian publisher that exclusively publishes Métis authors and illustrators and/or themes in a wide range of genres — illustrated children’s books, graphic novels, prose and poetry books, Juvenile and Adult Non-Fiction trade, and academic books. Our eclectic Métis-centered books promote literacy and Métis history and culture for young readers. They also ensure the intergenerational transmission of Métis history, culture, and worldview.”
Explore their library and virtual museum. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
Goodminds.com
“GoodMinds.com is a First Nations family owned business, located on the Six Nations of the Grand River. We are your leading source for purchasing vetted First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and Native American culturally appropriate and culturally authentic educational resources and products (…) By so doing, we strengthen those good minds who seek to learn and grow through reading, while also honouring those who invest their lives teaching and searching for superior resources with which to inspire their students.
GoodMinds.com also supports the success of Aboriginal writers and publishers by making their best and most recent materials known and available. Our stock includes materials about most Aboriginal Nations as well as general subject categories for every grade level. We also offer hardcover and paperback books, multimedia, DVDs, and educational kits.”
Sign up for their newsletter and follow them on Facebook.
Inhabit Media
“Inhabit Media Inc. is the first Inuit-owned, independent publishing company in the Canadian Arctic. We aim to promote and preserve the stories, knowledge, and talent of the Arctic, while also supporting research in Inuit mythology and the traditional Inuit knowledge of Nunavummiut (residents of Nunavut) (…) Incorporated in 2006, Inhabit Media was born out of a need for Nunavut kids to see their culture accurately represented in the books they read in schools. We have spent the last ten years working with elders and storytellers from across the Canadian Arctic to ensure that the region’s unique Inuit oral history is recorded and not lost to future generations.”
Inhabit Media publishes books in Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun, English, and French. They also offer free, downloadable educational resource packages for teachers and librarians. Follow them through their newsletter, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Kegedonce Press
“Since 1993, Kegedonce Press, a Native owned and operated publishing company, has been crafting beautiful books that involve Indigenous Peoples at all levels of production. Based at Neyaashiinigmiing, on the traditional territory of the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation.”
They “publish Literary fiction, which includes novels, poetry and anthologies; Non-fiction in social history and policy as it relates to Aboriginal issues; Aboriginal critical literary pieces; Non-fiction, creative and humour; and Children’s and young adult titles.” All books published are authored by those with Nation affiliations.
Their submission guidelines are here. Follow them on Facebook.
Ningwakwe Learning Press
“Ningwakwe Learning Press is an Aboriginal social enterprise. We create, publish, market and print Indigenous literacy and cultural learning resources for all peoples. We envision a future world where Indigenous communities and others celebrate and nurture holistic literacy, language and culture.”
Created in 1999, they “create learning materials and curriculum that meet the needs of adult learners in a holistic and culturally relevant way; participate, support and collaborate with various provincial and national literacy and education research initiatives; provide expert publishing and printing services to all businesses and organizations; [and] give back to First Nation communities”
Connect with them through their website.
Medicine Wheel
“Medicine Wheel empowers Indigenous Storytellers and Elders to publish authentic cultural stories designed for the classroom. The stories can be found in thousands of schools, bookstores and homes across turtle island. The books published all carry powerful, moral and cultural lessons easy for children to understand and learn from. By building a bridge between cultures through publishing we can achieve greater understanding and reconciliation.“
Follow them on their blog, Instagram, and Facebook.
Pemmican Publications
Pemmican Publications launched in 1980 as a Métis publishing house and “not-for-profit company that operates as an arm’s-length affiliate of the Manitoba Métis Federation.”
“The purpose of the press is to provide opportunities for Métis and Aboriginal people to tell their own stories from their own perspectives. Pemmican also publishes books by non-Aboriginal writers whose works are related to Metis and Aboriginal issues (…) Pemmican is committed to publishing books which depict Metis and Aboriginal cultures and lifestyles in a positive and accurate manner, and which address Metis and Aboriginal historical, social and contemporary issues. Many of these materials combine modern teaching methods with traditional Aboriginal storytelling skills.”
Their submission guidelines are here.
Strong Nations
“Strong Nations is a book and gift store, an online retailer, and a publishing house located in Nanaimo, BC, specializing in Indigenous literature and art.”
“Strong Nations believes in collaborating with schools, colleges, universities, organizations, daycare facilities, businesses and communities to support and improve the learning experiences for all Indigenous peoples. Strong Nations provides an open service of information to support, and hopefully transform, the lives of Indigenous peoples by providing access to, and demonstrating the use of, Indigenous text in literacy acquisition. It is our hope that we can bring Indigenous content into the lives of all peoples in order to create pathways that support the building of strong nations together.”
Their submission guidelines are here. Follow them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Theytus Books
“Theytus Books is an Indigenous-owned and operated publisher and a leading North American publisher of Indigenous voices… As the oldest Indigenous publishing house in Canada, Theytus Books is recognized and respected internationally for its contributions to Aboriginal literature. Since its inception in 1980, Theytus Books has been a leading proponent for Indigenous authors, illustrators and artists. It ensures that their voice and vision are expressed with the highest level of cultural authenticity and integrity.”
Their submission guidelines for hard-copy manuscripts are here. Follow Theytus Books on Facebook and Twitter.
WaveMaker Press
“WaveMaker Press started in 2020 to share our love of books with others. We believe in the power books have to uphold values and recreate norms, not to mention teach literacy and entertain! Importantly, books also have a role in Indigenizing a traditionally very colonial industry. We are honoured by all our contributors, friends, supporters and families. Thank you for allowing us to do what we love. We are Algonquin owned and operated, currently located on the traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation, BC, Canada.”
Their submission guidelines are here. Follow them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Other publishers, distributors, and retailers
Find more in this First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Publishers and Distributors guide, created by Sara McDowell and maintained by Desmond Wong.
Find more in this Google map of Indigenous, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis booksellers and publishers on Turtle Island, maintained by Don Gorman.
On the unceded and traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples, Massy Books is “100% Indigenous owned and operated. They specialize in buying & selling books in all genres”. Check out their art gallery. Subscribe to their newsletter and follow them on Instagram and Facebook. In 2021, check out the Indigenous Brilliance Reading Series at Massy Books. Until then, follow the series on Instagram and Twitter.
If you’re in Tsleil-Waututh, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and Musqueam territories, you have the option of a bookshop on wheels: Iron Dog Books. Iron Dog Books is an Indigenous-owned bookshop and booktruck bringing low cost reading to Tsleil-Waututh, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and Musqueam territories. Follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
A curated collection of Indigenous literature and giftware, Raven Reads is a quarterly subscription box for adults and kids that launched in 2017. Buy past boxes, become an ambassador, follow them on their blog. They’re also on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
Additional resources
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada website
Native-land by Native Land Digital
Whose Land app (why acknowledge whose land you’re on) by BOLD Realities, TakingITGlobal, and Canadian Roots Exchange
The Canadian Encyclopedia, featuring educational worksheets and resources and The Residential Schools podcast series
You can also participate in online Indigenous programming and follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #IndigenousHistoryMonth, practice responsible allyship and support Indigenous businesses in Canada.
Happy Indigenous History Month and happy Indigenous Peoples Day, Canada!
You can easily request advance reading copies (ARCs) on CataList.