Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm is an
Anishinaabe
The Anishinaabeg (adjectival: Anishinaabe) are a group of culturally related Indigenous peoples present in the Great Lakes region of Canada and the United States. They include the Ojibwe (including Saulteaux and Oji-Cree), Odawa, Potawato ...
writer of mixed ancestry from the
Chippewas of
Nawash First Nation
Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation ( oj, Neyaashiinigmiing Anishinaabek) is an Anishinaabek First Nation from the Bruce Peninsula region in Ontario, Canada. Along with the Saugeen First Nation, they form the Saugeen Ojibway Nation. The ...
in Canada. She lives and works at
Neyaashiinigmiing
Neyaashiinigmiing 27 is a Indian reserve, reserve within Bruce County, Ontario. It is one of the parcels of land administered by the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation. The name ''Neyaashiinigmiing'' in the Ojibwe language means "at/by the ...
, Cape Croker Reserve on the Saugeen Peninsula in southwestern
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...
, and in
Ottawa, Ontario.
Biography
A cultural worker with an activist bent, Kateri has initiated many important projects on behalf of
Indigenous writers of
Turtle Island (North America) and active collaborations with artists and publishers in
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...
and
Australia. A
spoken word artist
Spoken word refers to an oral poetic performance art that is based mainly on the poem as well as the performer's aesthetic qualities. It is a late 20th century continuation of an ancient oral artistic tradition that focuses on the aesthetics of ...
and literary performer as well as poet, writer, editor, and communications consultant, Ms. Akiwenzie-Damm works both behind the scenes and before live audiences.
In 1993, she established
Kegedonce Press, one of very few literary publishing houses devoted to indigenous writers. It continues to produce anthologies and single-author books of distinction. Acclaimed Canadian authors
Basil H. Johnston
Basil H. Johnston (13 July 1929 – 8 September 2015) was a Anishinaabe (Ojibwa) and Canadian writer, storyteller, language teacher and scholar.
Biography
Johnston was born July 13, 1929 on the Parry Island Indian Reserve to Rufus and Mary (n ...
(Ojibway),
Marilyn Dumont
Marilyn Dumont (born 1955) is a Canadian poet and educator of Cree/Métis descent.
Born in northeastern Alberta, she is a descendant of Gabriel Dumont. (Métis), and
(
Métis
The Métis ( ; Canadian ) are Indigenous peoples who inhabit Canada's three Prairie Provinces, as well as parts of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and the Northern United States. They have a shared history and culture which deri ...
) are among those who have published books through Kegedonce Press. She is both founder and managing editor of the press.
Akiwenzie-Damm has edited two anthologies: ''skins: Contemporary indigenous writing'' (2000, with Josie Douglas), and ''Without Reservation: Indigenous Erotica'' (2003). These offer works drawn from a variety of Indigenous cultures and artistic traditions from Canada, the United States, Hawaii, Australia, and New Zealand. Each anthology is co-published with another Indigenous press from the southern hemisphere. She also came up with the concept, initiated, and advocated internationally for support for ''Honouring Words: International Indigenous Authors Celebration Tour.'' This was an international event involving indigenous authors from Canada, US, Australia and New Zealand. The first, and most successful, of the three international tours was also organized by Akiwenzie-Damm.
Bibliography
* 1993 - 2003: ''My Heart is a Stray Bullet.'' Kegedonce Press, Cape Croker ON
* 2000: ''Skins: Contemporary Indigenous Writing''. (Editor) with Josie Douglas; Kegedonce Press, Cape Croker Reserve, ON. Co-published with Aboriginal Australian publisher, Jukurrpa Books
* 2003: ''Without Reservation: Indigenous Erotica''. Kegedonce Press, Cape Croker Reserve, ON. Co-published with Hula Publishers, Wellington, New Zealand
* 2006: with
Warren Cariou
Warren Cariou is a Canadian writer and associate professor of English at the University of Manitoba.
Biography
Cariou received a B.A. (Hons) from the University of Saskatchewan and an MA and PhD from the University of Toronto (1998). In 1999 ...
, W'Daub Awae,
Daniel Heath Justice, Lesley Belleau: ''Speaking True: A
Kegedonce Press Anthology.'' Kegedonce
* 2015: ''The Stone Collection'', HighWater Press, MB. .
* 2019: 'Nimkii' in "This Place: 150 Years Retold"
CDs
* 2003: ''Standing Ground'' with The Nishin Spoken Word Project, Nishin Productions, Cape Croker Reserve, ON. ''A Constellation of Bones'', in collaboration with various artists.
See also
*
List of writers from peoples indigenous to the Americas
This is a list of notable writers who are Indigenous peoples of the Americas.
This list includes authors who are Alaskan Native, American Indian, First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and Indigenous peoples of Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America ...
*
Native American Studies
References
External links
Official WebsiteAt the Internet Public Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Akiwenzie-Damm, Kateri
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
20th-century Canadian poets
Canadian storytellers
Women storytellers
Writers from Ontario
Canadian women poets
Ojibwe people
Communications consultants
Place of birth missing (living people)
Canadian spoken word poets
21st-century Canadian poets
20th-century Canadian women writers
21st-century Canadian women writers
First Nations poets
First Nations women writers
20th-century First Nations writers
21st-century First Nations writers
Canadian consultants
Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation
Poets Laureate of places in Canada