Lou-ann Neel

Writers reuben quinn and Melissa Powless Day have been named the recipients of the 2026 Indigenous Voices Awards for published work.

The prizes, now in their ninth year, honour the sovereignty of Indigenous creative voices and support the work of Indigenous writers. The recipients were announced on June 21, National Indigenous Peoples Day.

quinn (onôcihtôwipîsim, Saddle Lake) was named the recipient of the $5,000 prize for published prose for ᑭᐢᑭᓱᒥᑐᐠ kiskisomitok: ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐤ to remind each and one another, published by Talonbooks. Powless Day (Anishinaabe and Kanien’kehá:ka, Walpole Island First Nation), was named the recipient of the $5,000 award for published poetry for Bow Forged from Ash, published by Palimpsest Press.

The recipients were chosen from shortlists announced last month.

The finalists and recipients for this year’s English-language awards were selected by a jury comprised of Richard Van Camp, Kayla Lar-Son, Marilyn Dumont, Emily Riddle, Otoniya Juliane Okot Bitek, Tenille K. Campbell, Joanne Arnott, and Smokii Sumac.

In their citation, the jury wrote that kiskisomitok “is a cultural treasure that will leave a legacy for future generations. Kiskisomitok provides a vital contribution to nêhiyaw ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐤ research, literature, and language revitalization.”

“This book has a lot to teach readers through Anishinaabe worldview on being a global citizen, on urban life, and in relationships with people and non-human beings,” the jury wrote in their citation of Bow Forged from Ash. “This book is a joy to read, intentional, punchy, and incisive. Powless is courageous.”

The recipients of the IVAs French prizes were announced on June 14 during the Kwe! Festival. Jocelyn Sioui (Wendat) received the $5,000 published prose award for Poisson d’eau douce (Éditions Hannenorak), and Marie-Andrée Gill (Ilnue) received the $5,000 published poetry and drama award for Uashtenamu: Allumer quelque chose (La Peuplade).

Recipients of the $500 awards for unpublished poetry and prose in English were announced in May.