Katherena Vermette

Governor General's Award–winning Métis poet and acclaimed novelist Katherena Vermette's second work of poetry, river woman, examines and celebrates love as postcolonial action. Here love is defined as a force of reclamation and repair in times of trauma, and trauma is understood to exist within all times. The poems are grounded in what feels like an eternal present, documenting moments of clarity that lift the speaker (and reader) out of our preconceptions...

Lorsque qu'une jeune Métisse est victime d'une violente agression, les contrecoups se font sentir dans toute la communauté du quartier North End de Winnipeg. Policiers chargés de l'enquête, famille, amis et connaissances voient leurs certitudes ébranlées à mesure que se précise le fil des évènements. Entre les femmes qui se relaient au chevet de l'adolescente et celles qui errent dans l'ombre, au dehors, des liens puissants se dessinent,...

Amik loves going to school, but when he shares this with his grandfather, he finds out Moshoom attended residential school. At Moshoom's school, students were forbidden from speaking their language. It sounds very different from Amik's school, so Amik has an idea… In this heartwarming story, an Anishinaabe child shows his grandfather how his school celebrates the culture that residential schools tried to erase. A pronunciation guide for the Anishnaabemowin...

Miskwaadesi is learning so much in school. She is learning about the world she lives in and what it means to be a part of it. However, when her class learns about the teaching Truth, Miskwaadesi doesn't understand. Her teacher Betsy asks Miskwaadesi to think about what is in her life and what she knows to be true. Miskwaadesi knows she is a girl and that she is Anishinaabekwens. Together, they explore what the teaching Truth is about. In this thoughtful...

Ma'iingan loves to sing and her family loves to hear her beautiful voice. Her little sister wants to sing just like Ma'iingan, but Ma'iingan doesn't want her to. As rivalry erupts between the siblings, can Ma'iingan find the humility to share her talent with her sister? In this relatable story, a young Anishinaabe girl learns to put aside her pride and sibling rivalry to share her love of singing with her sister. A pronunciation guide for the Anishnaabemowin...

Kode's class is learning about the Seven Teachings, but she's still confused about Respect. Kode asks the wisest people she knows for help-her parents, her older siblings, and her grandparents. As each person gives her a different answer, Kode learns about the many different ways we can show respect for other people, for the environment, and for ourselves. In this story for young readers, an Anishinaabe girl explores what respect means and how to...

In Road Allowance Era, Echo's story picks up again when she travels back in time to 1885. The government has not fulfilled its promise of land for the Métis, and many flee to the Northwest. As part of the fallout from the Northwest Resistance, their advocate and champion Louis Riel is executed. As new legislation corrodes Métis land rights, and unscrupulous land speculators and swindlers take advantage, many Métis settle on road allowances and...

Echo Desjardins just can't stop slipping back and forth in time. In Northwest Resistance, Echo travels to 1885, a period of turmoil. The bison are gone, settlers from the East are arriving daily, and the Métis and First Nations of the Northwest face hunger and uncertainty as their traditional way of life is threatened. The Canadian government has ignored their petitions, but hope rises when Louis Riel returns to help. However, battles between Canadian...