NWT Indigenous authors Catherine Lafferty and Lisa Boivin have been nominated for Indigenous Voices Awards (IVA).
Established in 2017, the IVAs seek to nurture established and emerging (or unpublished) Indigenous authors across Canada writing in English, French and Indigenous languages.
‘A new sort of traditional story’
Lafferty, a law student and member of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, was nominated for her novel Land-Water-Sky in the category of published fiction prose in English. The book was released in October 2020 by Fernwood Publishing.
Her novel comprises six storylines that interconnect throughout the book and take place in the NWT in different time periods, from the distant past to about 2030.
One of the characters in the book is Deeyah, a former foster child who was taken away from her family when she was young and who returns to the North as an archaeology student to learn about her history.
“She meets up with a ranger who is part-human and part sky-spirit. They work together to track down the Nahga,” Lafferty said.
Lafferty describes the Nahga as a “shape-shifting bush man” and an abusive womanizer who seeks to control the land and its people.
“There is one sky spirit who can face up to the Nahga. It’s land, water and sky coming together to stop his terrible reign,” she said.
Commenting on the shortlisting of the novel, the IVA jury noted Lafferty’s work resembles a “new sort of traditional story, one that brings the old to life and makes it come completely alive,” said IVA board member Sophie McCall.
Lafferty offered her congratulations to all finalists who were nominated.
“It’s important these awards exist because it’s helping bring Indigenous voices to the mainsteam and highlights the excellence of all our Indigenous authors across Canada.”
Land-Water-Sky follows Lafferty’s 2018 memoir Northern Wildflower.
‘A labour of love to honour my brother’s passing’
Lisa Boivin, a bioethicist and a member of the Deninu Kue First Nation who was raised in Edmonton, was nominated in the graphic novels and illustrated books category for I Will See You Again, published in February 2020 by HighWater Press.
“(The book) is a labour of love to honour my brother’s passing and to help my mother heal,” said Boivin, who travelled abroad to recover her brother’s remains.
“It is a story of death, grieving and healing told in simple language for young people to understand. I had to call on my inner strength to complete the difficult task. I wrote and illustrated my journey to bring (my brother) home to my mother.”
Boivin said she’s grateful be shortlisted for the IVAs and proud to be in the company of other talented authors and illustrators.
Her nomination comes shortly after her second book – We Dream Medicine Dreams – was published in April by HighWater Press.
Lafferty and Boivin join three Inuit writers who are among the five Northern authors shortlisted for this year’s IVAs.
There are 27 finalists in total for the awards across nine categories. Most of the shortlisted works are in English, some in French and one – the Shaman’s Apprentice by Zacharias Kunuk – was written in Inuktitut.
IVA winners will be announced on National Indigenous Peoples Day, June 21. in a virtual gala.