events and things
Vancouver Writers Fest 2022
Across Cultures and Place: Poets in Conversation
Join us at the VWF for a rare opportunity to hear from three Indigenous poets from across the globe exploring decolonization and identity through poetry and verse.
Tawahum Bige considers the possibility of decolonization by reconnecting with his Łutselk’e Dene and Plains Cree cultures “like a gripping hand on jagged rock” in his debut collection, Cut to Fortress.
Tayi Tibble explores her identity as a 21st century Indigenous woman in Poūkahangatus (pronounced “Pocahontas”), described as “witty and wise” by The Guardian and “one of the most startling and original poets of her generation” by U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo. An exceptional artist and mentor in literature,
Jónína Kirton merges poetry and lyrical memoir in Standing in a River of Time, exposing the intergenerational effects of colonization on a Métis family.
Moderated by Carleigh Baker.
Event Details
TAWAHUM BIGE is a Łutselk’e Dene, Plains Cree poet living on unceded Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh territory. He’s presented his mixture of poetry & hip-hop across Canada. Beyond the page, Tawahum has focused on land protection. Cut to Fortress is their debut poetry collection. (BRITISH COLUMBIA)
JÓNÍNA KIRTON is a Red River Métis/Icelandic poet, a graduate and now instructor of the Simon Fraser University’s Writer’s Studio, and a board member of the Indigenous Editors Association. She joins the Festival with Standing in a River of Time, merging poetry and memoir. (BRITISH COLUMBIA)
TAYI TIBBLE (Te Whānau ā Apanui/Ngāti Porou) completed a master’s degree in creative writing in 2017 from the International Institute of Modern Letters, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Poūkahangatus is her debut volume of poetry. (NEW ZEALAND)
This review of Bad Endings by Nellie Janzen is the best thing I’ve ever seen.
I’m so grateful to Nellie for taking the time not only to make the video, but to deeply and playfully engage with the stories. Nellie is also quite a brilliant polyglot, check out her YouTube page and prepare to be amazed in multiple languages!