The finalists for the seventh annual Indigenous Voices Awards have been announced, alongside the names of eight writers who are being honoured for their unpublished work. The awards honour the sovereignty of Indigenous creative voices and support the work of Indigenous writers.

The recipients of this year’s awards will be announced on June 21, National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Finalists have been named in two categories in both English and French. They are:

Prose in English

• There is Violence and There is Righteous Violence and There is Death or, The Born-Again Crow (Playwrights Canada Press) by Caleigh Crow (Métis)
• And Then She Fell (Doubleday Canada) by Alicia Elliott (Mohawk)
• Truth Telling (HarperCollins Canada) by Michelle Good (Red Pheasant Cree Nation)
• The Secret Pocket (Orca Book Publishers) by Peggy Janicki (Nak’azdli Whut’en First Nation) illustrated by Carrielynn Victor (Stó:lō)
• Green Fuse Burning (Stelliform Press) by Tiffany Morris (Eskasoni First Nation)
• Unbroken: My Fight for Survival, Hope, and Justice for Indigenous Women and Girls (Greystone Books) by Angela Sterritt (Gitxsan)

Poetry in English

• The Star Poems (Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing) by Jesse Rae Archibald-Barber (Cree-Métis)
• The All + Flesh (House of Anansi Press) by Brandi Bird (Peguis First Nation)
• Elements (Inhabit Media) by Jamesie Fournier (Inuit) translated by Jaypeetee Arnakak (Inuit)
• Building a Nest from the Bones of my People (Invisible Publishing) by Cara-Lyn Morgan (Métis)

Story and Fiction in French

• La vallée de l’étrange (L’instant même) by J. D. Kurtness (Pekuakamiulnu)
• Piisim Napeu (Éditions Hannenorak) by Georges Pisimopeo (Cree from Waswanipi)
• Envole-toi, Mikun (Éditions Hannenorak) by Moira-Uashteskun Bacon (Pekuakamiulnu)

Poetry and Drama in French

• Akuteu (Les éditions du remue ménage) by Soleil Launière (Pekuakamishkueu)
• Marguerite: le feu (Les herbes rouges) by Émilie Monnet (Anishinaabe and French)
• Nipinapunan (Éditions Hannenorak) by Alexis Vollant (Innu)

The awards for unpublished work have been reorganized this year to give honours to all respective finalists. Each writer will receive $500 as well as editorial support from and possible publication in Yarrow Magazine, a recently launched digital magazine founded by Jordan Abel, Conor Kerr, Jessica Johns, and Chelsea Novak.

The IVA recipients for unpublished poetry are:

• “Coming of Age” by Leah Baptiste (Deline First Nation)
• “Nanabush Trails and Four Others” by Hannah Big Canoe (Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation)
• “styrofoam love” by sakâw laboucan (Woodland Cree First Nation)
• “On the Threshold, I Taste Lightning” by Jordan Redekop-Jones (mixed Indigenous / Anglo-Indian)

The IVA recipients for unpublished prose are:

• “Kristopher with a K” by Dennis Allen (Inuvialuit)
• “Hungry” by Jenn Ashton (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh)
• “Our Rez Anomaly” by Henry Heavyshield (Kainai)
• “łuk’é náte” by Kaitlyn Purcell (Smith’s Landing First Nation)

This year marks the first that Billy-Ray Belcourt and Carleigh Baker have joined professors Deanna Reder and Sophie McColl as co-chairs of the English awards. Francophone settler scholars Marie-Eve Bradette and Sarah Henzi are the co-chairs for this year’s prizes in French.

This years jurors are Frances Koncan, Emily Riddle, Shelagh Rogers, Smokii Sumac, Jordan Abel, Francis Langevin, and Maya Cousineau Mollen.

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Update, May 13: This story has been updated to reflect Jesse Rae Archibald-Barber’s Cree-Métis affiliation, and the correct spelling of “Nanabush.”