Authors David A. Robertson and katherena vermette read together at the HighWater Press office. (Photo courtesy HighWater Press/Portage & Main Press.)

Portage & Main imprint HighWater Press was born of necessity. 

Publisher Catherine Gerbasi, who took over the helm of the Winnipeg-based educational publisher with co-publisher Annalee Greenberg in 2007, says the idea for the imprint, which focuses on publishing stories from emerging and established Indigenous writers, came about around the same time as award-winning Winnipeg-based author David A. Robertson first came to the press with his idea for 7 Generations: A Plains Cree Saga, a four-volume graphic novel series illustrated by Scott Henderson that follows a young man’s quest to discover his family’s story.

Considered alongside some of Portage & Main’s existing backlist – including Beatrice Mosionier’s In Search of April Raintree and two children’s books by Bernelda Wheeler – Gerbasi said it was clear that these books were different enough from the rest of the educational publisher’s list that they needed their own imprint. 

“We didn’t have a specific vision at the time,” Gerbasi says. “But we knew that publishing the work of Indigenous writers and their authentic stories was crucial.”

Taking its name from the geographical circumstances of Winnipeg – the city is located at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers, a meeting place for Indigenous peoples for generations, and also a place where the high-water mark is much-discussed every spring – HighWater Press officially launched in 2009 with two new titles. Winnipeg Free Press columnist and author Niigaan Sinclair, who served as HighWater’s acquisitions editor in the imprint’s early days and edited the Debwe Series, was key in helping the imprint build its list, Gerbasi says. The publication schedule has grown to between eight and 10 titles a year, and the imprint has collaborated with such notable authors as Richard Van Camp, Chelsea Vowel, katherena vermette, and Sara Florence Davidson. Robertson has continued to publish graphic novels with HighWater, as well as 2016’s Governor General’s Literary Award–winning picture book When We Were Alone, illustrated by Julie Flett. 

Now marking its 15th year, HighWater Press’s list includes 107 titles. Though there are no explicit plans to celebrate, Gerbasi is happy to continue the imprint’s focus on its authors and creators.

“The focus for me is on celebrating HighWater Press writers and illustrators and the generations that came before them,” Gerbasi says. “Elders have protected their cultures despite unimaginable hardship for centuries and those efforts are seeded in contemporary stories. That strength runs through HighWater Press works and is a major cause for celebration.” 

Gerbasi recently spoke to Q&Q about HighWater Press’s first 15 years, and how she has seen the demand for works by Indigenous authors change since 2009. 

Can you tell me a little bit about how the idea for HighWater Press first came about? 

7 Generations received a very positive reception, especially by educators and librarians. It told us that others were hungry for these stories too, and that we needed to get them to readers. 

This new collection under development deserved a house in which to live and grow. As HighWater Press grew, so too did Indigenous activism in all spheres, and it really took hold after the publication of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s findings and calls to action. Indigenous literature was flourishing.

The growth of HighWater Press was very much author-driven: it was authors coming to us with ideas. It still is an author-driven press that has come to specialize in graphic novels, where the visual narrative adds as much, or more, of an impact as the text to the overall story. It seemed like the right genre through which to tell stories that have been around for millenia, but were being told by a new generation of storytellers to a growing audience.  

Can you tell me a little bit more about that initial response? How were the first HighWater Press books received? 

They were received really well, mostly by educators and librarians, who continue to support HighWater Press. We were mindful that there needed to be a connection to the education market, our primary audience, recognizing that educators and librarians are often advocates of cultural change and diversity.

How has that response changed over the last 15 years? 

Over time, and as our list grew, it simply exploded. The response broadened to include the general public, not just schools and libraries, and it spilled over into the U.S. 

Readers have become more nuanced and more purposeful, inquiring if we have books about their own nation in their own language.

What effect, if any, has HighWater Press had on Portage & Main?

The success of HighWater Press has influenced what we acquire for Portage & Main Press, which is now a focus on Indigenous knowledge and pedagogies. For example, one of our most successful titles in the last few years has been Wayi Wah! Indigenous Pedagogies: An Act for Reconciliation and Anti-Racist Education by B.C. educator Jo Chrona. In some ways, the boundaries between education and trade have really blended; they’re not as hard and fast as they used to be. 

What has been most surprising about running HighWater Press?

Unforeseen was how HighWater Press would change my life personally. What I’ve learned, and how I continue to learn, from Indigenous writers, educators, and Elders, I’m simply deeply grateful for. Further, the friendships I’ve developed with Portage & Main Press and HighWater Press writers have allowed for a deeper connection to Indigenous communities in Winnipeg, and through these ties I’ve been witness to inspiring leadership, a profound and energetic dedication to community, and extraordinary creativity and energy. I’m a better individual because of these connections. 

This interview has been edited and condensed.