Inuk author recognized with Governor General’s fiction prize
Edmonton writer says win affords her a new level of visibility
A mother of boys, Norma Dunning says she likes to think of her books as her “girls,” even using the pronouns “she” and “her” to refer to her works.
One of her girls, “Tainna: The Unseen Ones,” has given the Inuk writer a whole lot to be proud of as the 2021 winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award for fiction.
Dunning said she didn’t know the book of short stories had been submitted for the $25,000 prize until she opened her inbox last month to find out “Tainna” had been named as a finalist.
The Edmonton author, academic and grandmother said the win affords her a level of visibility that she’s often denied as an older Indigenous woman.
“For someone who’s been a lifelong writer, it’s a validation of the work that I put forward,” Dunning, 62, said by phone ahead of the awards announcement on Wednesday. “It’s just a beautiful reward at the end of it all.”
While she’s been writing since youth, Dunning said she hadn’t considered pursuing her passion at a professional level until her sons started having children of their own.
“Everything I’ve done has been late,” she said. “I started to think … I should have others reading this. It’s not just for me anymore.”
Dunning enrolled in university at age 50, focusing on native studies and education sciences while honing her craft in creative writing courses.
As she rose through the ranks of academia, eventually becoming an instructor at the University of Alberta, Dunning continued to balance research and fiction.
She wrote “Tainna” while working on her PhD dissertation in Victoria. The short-story collection, published by Douglas & McIntyre, centres on the experiences of modern-day Inuit living outside their home territories.
“I wrote a lot about the expectations of others when it comes to Inuit,” Dunning said, noting that the stories touch on issues such as racism and missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
Dunning said she hopes the Governor General’s prize introduces new readers to “Tainna.”
“I love her and so, therefore, I want everyone to read her,” she said. “It’s a group of stories that really make all of us think about our own perceptions of what Inuit people are or should be.”
The Governor General’s Literary Awards, which are administered by the Canada Council for the Arts, handed out honours across seven categories in both English and French.
Each winner receives $25,000, while the publisher of each winning book receives $3,000 to support promotional activities.
Finalists each receive $1,000.