‘Elements of Indigenous Style’ targets Canada’s largely white publishing industry

TORONTO Indigenous writers have long complained that their voices are stifled by a largely white publishing industry, but the author of an upcoming style guide hopes to change that.

Greg Younging says “Elements of Indigenous Style: A Guide for Writing by and About Indigenous Peoples” can help non-Indigenous editors and publishers better understand the storytelling methods of Indigenous writers, who reject European and CanLit conventions.

“It’s almost the norm that Indigenous authors don’t have good experiences getting published and edited,” Younging says from Kelowna, B.C., where he’s a professor at the University of British Columbia.

“Canadian publishers have been trying to do the best job they can but a lot of them know that they’re not doing the best job that they can (and) don’t know what they should do, how they should edit, how they should get permission, how to contact Indigenous communities.”

The 100-page guide stresses the need to consult with Indigenous people when any story involves their community. It includes a primer on why traditional stories are important, explores ways to obtain permission to transcribe and publish traditional stories, and outlines how some tales might be bound by restrictions some stories can only be told in certain seasons, by certain people or certain clans.