Richard Van Camp
Richard Van Camp is a proud member of the Dogrib (Tlicho) Nation from Fort Smith, NWT.He is a graduate of the En'owkin International School of Writing, the University of Victoria's Creative Writing BFA Program, and the Master's Degree in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia. He is an internationally renowned storyteller and best-selling author. His novel, The Lesser Blessed, is now a movie with First Generation Films and premiered in September of 2012 at the Toronto International Film Festival. He is the author of four collections of short stories, Angel Wing Splash Pattern, The Moon of Letting Go, Godless but Loyal to Heaven and Night Moves, as well as two children's books with Cree artist, George Littlechild: A Man Called Raven and What's the Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses?His first baby book, Welcome Song for Baby: A Lullaby for Newborns, was the official selection of the Books for BC Babies program and was given to every newborn baby in British Columbia in 2008. Richard followed this up with another board book: Nighty-Night: A Bedtime Song for Babies. His third book for babies, Little You, is now out with Orca Book Publishers. The amazing Julie Flett is the artist. Little You is published in Bush Cree, Dene and South Slavey, courtesy of the South Slave Divisional Board of Education. His new book for babies with Julie Flett is called "We Sang You Home" and it is gorgeous!All of Richard Van Camp's children's books are available in Braille for free, anywhere in the world, courtesy of the Provincial Resource Centre for the Visually Impaired (PRCVI) and Accessible Resource Centre-British Columbia (ARC-BC)Richard has six graphic novels and comic books out: his first comic book on deterring youth away from gangs, Path of the Warrior, is published with Cree artist, Steve Sanderson, through the Healthy Aboriginal Network. His second comic book on sexual health is Kiss Me Deadly, with Haida artist Chris Auchter. His four graphic novels are Three Feathers (published in Bush Cree, Dene, South Slavey and English, illustrated by Krystal Mateus, on restorative justice; The Eisner Award Nominated A Blanket of Butterflies, on the theme of peace making, illustrated by Scott Henderson, The Blue Raven, illustrated by Steve Sanderson on mental health, and Spirit, a suicide prevention comic book illustrated by Emily Brown (which is also published in Bush Cree, Dene, and South Slavey and English).


Anetséleh



Sky BurialPain seared up Icabus' leg forcing him to stop and wince. He wheezed through one lung, and the mall blurred around him. Hecoughed and his chest sounded and felt as if it were stuffed with thebroken glass of grey light bulbs. This was it: he was dying. The Creemedicine had him.In his reflection, Icabus hated what he saw. I'm not that skinny,am I? He was bleeding inside and felt so weak. "I seen betterlookin' corpses." Something had blown behind his left eye earlier thatmorning, causing his ears to ring.The bird. It was dying in front of him. He didn't know what thebird was called but was awed at how bright and blue the feathers were.Parakeet? Parrot? No, he knew it wasn't the true name of thebird's tribe, and he wished he knew. He thought of all the shampoo bottleshis daughter Augustine had and chose the one that smelled the best."Papaya," he said. "That's your Dogrib name now: Papaya."The pet store, which showcased the bird, held it in a cage. Thebird measured three feet from black beak to bright blue tail, yet the cageonly offered four. A sign read: "Do Not Tap Cage." The bird was upsidedown, shitting on itself and biting at the chain that sliced into its leg.The bird, he thought, deserved something far better than this.Oh, how Icabus wished to be around fire. He was sure thebird was a woman. She panted; her black tongue licked at her swollenankle. She hung awkwardly, rested, shivered, tried to bite at the chain,fell back, shivered again. It looked as if she were drowning. Icabuswatched the bird and felt under his shirt where he was bleeding inside.It was as if he had been force-fed thousands of porcupine quills that37were growing with each breath. He pressed into his left rib cage as hestrained to open the cage."Macaw," a voice said suddenly behind him."Huh?""It's a Macaw."Icabus turned to look at the wielder of such a firm voice. Itwas a child. An Indian girl. Tall, slim. She was beautiful. Her eyes werelarge and round. She wore a T-shirt with a huge white owl with yelloweyes on it. A younger white boy with a runny nose came up and startedbanging on the cage. The girl left as fast as she had appeared. Icabuswanted to talk to her, but he was hit again with pain. He coughed andcoughed and coughed. He held himself up against the glass and lookeddown until the reddest blood dripped from his mouth. He had to hurry,but where was the sign?






Kiss by Kiss / Ocêtôwina
translated by Mary Cardinal Collins
read by Dolores Greyeyes Sand
edited by Cree Literacy Network

Kitapisîsisin



Little you
little wonder
Little wish
gentle thunder
You are mighty
you are small
You are ours
after all

Little you
little wonder
Little wish
gentle thunder
You are mighty
you are small
You are ours
after all


Little You / Kitapisîsin

Little You / kiya kâ-apisîsisiyan
illustrated by Julie Flett
translated by Mary Cardinal Collins
edited by Cree Literacy Network

Little You / kiya kâ-apisîsisiyan
illustrated by Julie Flett
translated by Mary Cardinal Collins
edited by Cree Literacy Network

Little You / kiya kâ-apisîsisiyan
illustrated by Julie Flett
translated by Mary Cardinal Collins; Cree Literacy Network
read by Christian Down & Dolores Greyeyes Sand



Love Beyond Body, Space and Time
edited by Hope Nicholson
cover design or artwork by Jeffrey Veregge


Nën Nechíle


Sonny Assu
foreword by Janet Rogers
by Candice Hopkins; Marianne Nicolson; Richard Van Camp & Ellyn Walker

Taaqtumi

Taaqtumi



This Place
illustrated by Kyle Charles; GMB Chomichuk; Tara Audibert; Natasha Donovan; Scott B. Henderson; Andrew Lodwick; Scott A. Ford; Donovan Yaciuk & Ryan Howe
foreword by Alicia Elliott
I have never liked the phrase, “History is written by the victors.” I understand the idea behind it – that those in power will tell and retell stories in whatever ways flatter them best, until those stories harden into something called “history.” But just because stories are unwritten for a time, doesn’t mean they’ll be unwritten forever. And just because stories don’t get written down, doesn’t mean they’re ever lost. We carry them in our minds, our hearts, our very bones. We honour them by passing them on, letting them live on in others, too.
That’s exactly what this anthology does. It takes stories our people have been forced to pass on quietly, to whisper behind hands like secrets, and retells them loudly and unapologetically for our people today. It finally puts our people front and centre on our own lands. Inside these pages are the incredible, hilarious heroics of Annie Bannatyne, who refused to let settlers disrespect Metis women in Red River. There’s the heartbreaking, necessary tale of Nimkii and Teddy, heroic youth in care who fight trauma and colonialism as hard as they possibly can in impossible circumstances. And there are many more—all important, all enlightening. All of these stories deserve to be retold, remembered and held close.
As I was reading, I thought a lot about the idea of apocalypse, or the end of the world as we know it. Indigenous writers have pointed out that, as Indigenous people, we all live in a post-apocalyptic world. The world as we knew it ended the moment colonialism started to creep across these lands. But we have continued to tell our stories, we have continued to adapt. Despite everything, we have survived.
Every Indigenous person’s story is, in a way, a tale of overcoming apocalypse. The Canadian laws and policies outlined at the beginning of each story have tried their hardest to beat us down, to force us to assimilate and give up our culture, yet here we are. We have survived the apocalypse. When you think about it that way, every Indigenous person is a hero simply for existing. The people named in these stories are all heroes, inspired by love of their people and culture to do amazing, brave things—but so are the unnamed people who raised them, who taught them, who supported them and stood with them. Our communities are full of heroes.
That’s why this anthology is so beautiful and so important. It tells tales of resistance, of leadership, of wonder and pain, of pasts we must remember and futures we must keep striving towards, planting each story like a seed deep inside of us. It’s our responsibility as readers to carry and nourish those seeds, letting them grow inside as we go on to create our own stories, live our own lives, and become our own heroes. As you read, consider: how are you a hero already? And what will your story be?
—Alicia Elliott

This Place
illustrated by Kyle Charles; GMB Chomichuk; Tara Audibert; Natasha Donovan; Scott B. Henderson; Andrew Lodwick; Scott A. Ford; Donovan Yaciuk & Ryan Howe
foreword by Alicia Elliott
I have never liked the phrase, “History is written by the victors.” I understand the idea behind it – that those in power will tell and retell stories in whatever ways flatter them best, until those stories harden into something called “history.” But just because stories are unwritten for a time, doesn’t mean they’ll be unwritten forever. And just because stories don’t get written down, doesn’t mean they’re ever lost. We carry them in our minds, our hearts, our very bones. We honour them by passing them on, letting them live on in others, too.
That’s exactly what this anthology does. It takes stories our people have been forced to pass on quietly, to whisper behind hands like secrets, and retells them loudly and unapologetically for our people today. It finally puts our people front and centre on our own lands. Inside these pages are the incredible, hilarious heroics of Annie Bannatyne, who refused to let settlers disrespect Metis women in Red River. There’s the heartbreaking, necessary tale of Nimkii and Teddy, heroic youth in care who fight trauma and colonialism as hard as they possibly can in impossible circumstances. And there are many more—all important, all enlightening. All of these stories deserve to be retold, remembered and held close.
As I was reading, I thought a lot about the idea of apocalypse, or the end of the world as we know it. Indigenous writers have pointed out that, as Indigenous people, we all live in a post-apocalyptic world. The world as we knew it ended the moment colonialism started to creep across these lands. But we have continued to tell our stories, we have continued to adapt. Despite everything, we have survived.
Every Indigenous person’s story is, in a way, a tale of overcoming apocalypse. The Canadian laws and policies outlined at the beginning of each story have tried their hardest to beat us down, to force us to assimilate and give up our culture, yet here we are. We have survived the apocalypse. When you think about it that way, every Indigenous person is a hero simply for existing. The people named in these stories are all heroes, inspired by love of their people and culture to do amazing, brave things—but so are the unnamed people who raised them, who taught them, who supported them and stood with them. Our communities are full of heroes.
That’s why this anthology is so beautiful and so important. It tells tales of resistance, of leadership, of wonder and pain, of pasts we must remember and futures we must keep striving towards, planting each story like a seed deep inside of us. It’s our responsibility as readers to carry and nourish those seeds, letting them grow inside as we go on to create our own stories, live our own lives, and become our own heroes. As you read, consider: how are you a hero already? And what will your story be?
—Alicia Elliott



We Sang You Home / Kikî-Kîwê-Nikamôstamâtinân
illustrated by Julie Flett
translated by Mary Cardinal Collins
edited by Cree Literacy Network

We Sang You Home / Kikî-Kîwê-Nikamôstamâtinân
illustrated by Julie Flett
translated by Mary Cardinal Collins
edited by Cree Literacy Network

We Sang You Home / Kikî-Kîwê-Nikamôstamâtinân
illustrated by Julie Flett
translated by Mary Cardinal Collins
edited by Cree Literacy Network
read by Heather Gould & Dolores Greyeyes Sand

We Sang You Home Read-Along

Hey ya hey
Hey ya hey
Hey ya hey
Dear one
Cherished one
Loved one
You have made the world beautiful again.

Hey ya hey
Hey ya hey
Hey ya hey
Dear one
Cherished one
Loved one
You have made the world beautiful again.

Welcome Song for Baby / Ni Nikamon ‘Tawâw Nipepîmis’
translated by Mary Cardinal Collins
edited by Cree Literacy Network
read by Christian Down & Dolores Greyeyes Sand

Hey ya hey
Hey ya hey
Hey ya hey
Dear one
Cherished one
Loved one
You have made the world beautiful again.

Indigenous Men and Masculinities
contributions by Scott L. Morgensen; Brendan Hokowhitu; Sam McKegney; Lloyd L. Lee; Lisa Tatonetti; John Swift; Erin Sutherland; Leah Sneider; Sasha Sky; Allison Piché; Robert Henry; Richard Van Camp; Kimberly Minor; Phillip Borell; Bob Antone; Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair; Ty P. Kawika Tengan
interviewee Warren Cariou; Gregory Scofield; William Kahalepuna Richards Jr.; Daniel Heath Justice & Thomas Ka’auwai Kaulukukui Jr.

Indigenous Men and Masculinities
contributions by Scott L. Morgensen; Brendan Hokowhitu; Sam McKegney; Lloyd L. Lee; Lisa Tatonetti; John Swift; Erin Sutherland; Leah Sneider; Sasha Sky; Allison Piché; Robert Henry; Richard Van Camp; Kimberly Minor; Phillip Borell; Bob Antone; Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair; Ty P. Kawika Tengan
interviewee Warren Cariou; Gregory Scofield; William Kahalepuna Richards Jr.; Daniel Heath Justice & Thomas Ka’auwai Kaulukukui Jr.

Indigenous Men and Masculinities
contributions by Scott L. Morgensen; Brendan Hokowhitu; Sam McKegney; Lloyd L. Lee; Lisa Tatonetti; John Swift; Erin Sutherland; Leah Sneider; Sasha Sky; Allison Piché; Robert Henry; Richard Van Camp; Kimberly Minor; Phillip Borell; Bob Antone; Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair; Ty P. Kawika Tengan
interviewee Warren Cariou; Gregory Scofield; William Kahalepuna Richards Jr.; Daniel Heath Justice & Thomas Ka’auwai Kaulukukui Jr.

Luminous Ink
contributions by Nicole Brossard; Madeleine Thien; Lawrence Hill; Nino Ricci; Heather O'Neill; Eden Robinson; Rawi Hage; Lisa Moore; Rita Wong; Hiromi Goto; George Elliott Clarke; Judith Thompson; Michael Helm; David Chariandy; Richard Van Camp; Marie-Hélène Poitras; Stephen Henighan; Greg Hollingshead; Michael Ondaatje; Lee Maracle; Camilla Gibb; Fischman, Sheila; Pascale Quiviger; MG Vassanji; Margaret Atwood & Leanne Betasamosake Simpson

Luminous Ink
contributions by Nicole Brossard; Madeleine Thien; Lawrence Hill; Nino Ricci; Heather O'Neill; Eden Robinson; Rawi Hage; Lisa Moore; Rita Wong; Hiromi Goto; George Elliott Clarke; Judith Thompson; Michael Helm; David Chariandy; Richard Van Camp; Marie-Hélène Poitras; Stephen Henighan; Greg Hollingshead; Michael Ondaatje; Lee Maracle; Camilla Gibb; Fischman, Sheila; Pascale Quiviger; MG Vassanji; Margaret Atwood & Leanne Betasamosake Simpson

Masculindians
interviewee Alison Calder; Tomson Highway; Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair; Louise Bernice Halfe; Janice C. Hill; Kim Anderson; Joseph Boyden; Thomas Kimeksun Thrasher; Ty P. Kawika Tengan; Warren Cariou; Daniel Heath Justice; Brendan Hokowhitu; Adrian Stimson; Terrance Houle; Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm; Richard Van Camp; Joanne Arnott; Neal McLeod; Taiaiake Alfred; Daniel David Moses; Basil H. Johnston; Lee Maracle & Gregory Scofield
cover design or artwork by Dana Claxton

Masculindians
interviewee Alison Calder; Tomson Highway; Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair; Louise Bernice Halfe; Janice C. Hill; Kim Anderson; Joseph Boyden; Thomas Kimeksun Thrasher; Ty P. Kawika Tengan; Warren Cariou; Daniel Heath Justice; Brendan Hokowhitu; Adrian Stimson; Terrance Houle; Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm; Richard Van Camp; Joanne Arnott; Neal McLeod; Taiaiake Alfred; Daniel David Moses; Basil H. Johnston; Lee Maracle & Gregory Scofield
cover design or artwork by Dana Claxton

Masculindians
interviewee Alison Calder; Tomson Highway; Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair; Louise Bernice Halfe; Janice C. Hill; Kim Anderson; Joseph Boyden; Thomas Kimeksun Thrasher; Ty P. Kawika Tengan; Warren Cariou; Daniel Heath Justice; Brendan Hokowhitu; Adrian Stimson; Terrance Houle; Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm; Richard Van Camp; Joanne Arnott; Neal McLeod; Taiaiake Alfred; Daniel David Moses; Basil H. Johnston; Lee Maracle & Gregory Scofield
cover design or artwork by Dana Claxton