Elaine McArthur nominated at Indigenous Voices Awards

Frustrated with a steady stream of rejection letters, Elaine McArthur decided to go the self-publishing route for her latest literary venture.

The result was “Elizabeth Dances Pow-wow,” a 28-page children’s book that has been nominated for an Indigenous Voices Award.

“I’m just proud of the whole thing,” McArthur said. “The way it turned out and the feedback I’ve gotten from so many other Indigenous families and readers.”

Released last December, McArthur’s first published book tells the story of a young Indigenous girl who learns the story of why her people dance in the pow-wow style.

McArthur, nominated in the works in an alternative format category, is up against Phyllis Webstad’s “Phyllis’s Orange Shirt.” Seven other awards will be handed out in Sunday’s virtual gala presented by the Indigenous Literary Studies Association.

Helen Knott’s “In My Own Moccasins,” Kaitlyn Purcell’s “?bedayine,” and “From the Ashes” by Jesse Thistle are nominated in the published prose in English category. “Shuni” by Naomi Fontaine and “Aquariums” by J.D. Kurtness are up for the French honour.

Funds for the inaugural awards in 2018 were raised through crowd-funding campaigns in response to a controversy in literary and media circles over cultural appropriation. The IVAs have since blossomed into an annual event celebrating the work of Indigenous writers.

For published poetry in French, Maya CousineauMollen’s “Breviaire du matricule 082” is a finalist along with Marie-Andree Gill for “Chauffer le dehors.”

Nominees for the English honour include Brandi Bird for “I Am Still Too Much,”

Francine Cunningham for “On/Me,” Michelle Sylliboy for “Kiskajeyi-I am Ready,” and Arielle Twist for “Disintegrate/ Dissociate.”

Rene Meshake’s “Injichaag: My Soul in Story” is up for the works in an Indigenous language award along with Cole Pauls for “Dakwakada Warriors.”