Katherena Vermette facts for kids

katherena vermette (born January 29, 1977) is a talented Canadian writer, poet, and filmmaker. She is known for her powerful stories and poems that often explore themes of identity, family, and the experiences of Indigenous peoples in Canada. In 2013, she won the prestigious Governor General's Award for English-language poetry for her book North End Love Songs. Katherena is of Métis descent and grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She also studied creative writing at the University of British Columbia.

Besides writing, Katherena Vermette works to support the equality of Indigenous peoples in Canada. She often speaks about her concerns regarding how the Canadian government and media sometimes overlook or ignore Indigenous rights.

Growing Up in Winnipeg

Katherena Vermette was born to a Métis father and a Mennonite mother. She grew up in the North End of Winnipeg, Manitoba. This neighborhood has many Indigenous residents, mostly First Nations and Métis people.

Winnipeg is sometimes known for its crime rates. The North End especially gets negative attention because of this. However, Katherena describes her childhood differently. She says it wasn't "picturesque" in the usual way. Growing up in the North End meant things weren't always easy. From a young age, she saw unfairness and prejudice that most young people don't experience.

One example of this unfairness happened when Katherena was 14. Her older brother, Donovan, went missing at 18. He was found dead six months later. Katherena believes that because Donovan was young, had been at a bar, and was Cree, his disappearance didn't get enough media attention. This lack of concern from her community and the media made her realize the unfair treatment of Indigenous peoples by other Canadians. This experience inspired her to work for change.

Katherena Vermette's Writing Career

Katherena Vermette is mostly known for her poetry. However, she also writes prose, which includes novels and children's books.

North End Love Songs

Her first book of poetry, North End Love Songs, is a tribute to her childhood home, Winnipeg's North End. In this collection, she describes her neighborhood by showing its connection to nature. The poems tell the story of a "young girl or woman struggling with identity and place." This book helped her win the Governor General's Literary Award for poetry.

"Heart"

"Heart" is a poem Katherena wrote for CBC Aboriginal. It also describes the North End of Winnipeg from her point of view. She wants to change how people see the North End. She wants to show it as she knows it, not as a "lost cause." Katherena calls the North End the "heart of the Métis nation."

The Seven Teachings Stories

Katherena Vermette also writes children's picture books. Her series The Seven Teachings Stories was published in 2015. Irene Kuziw illustrated these books. The series helps young people learn about the Anishnaabe Teachings of the Seven Grandfathers in an easy-to-understand way. The stories show Indigenous children living in a city.

The series has seven books:

• The Just Right Gift
• Singing Sisters
• The First Day
• Kode's Quest(ion)
• Amik Loves School
• Misaabe's Stories
• What is Truth, Betsy?

The Break

Her first novel, The Break, came out in 2016. It was nominated for the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize and the Governor General's Award for English-language fiction. In 2017, it won the Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Literature.

Film and Digital Media

In 2015, Katherena Vermette and Erika MacPherson co-directed a 20-minute documentary film. It was called This River. The film, made with the National Film Board of Canada, is about Indigenous families in Canada who have searched for missing family members. Part of the film is based on Katherena's own experiences.

This River won an award in Montreal in 2016. It also premiered in Winnipeg at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. The film was named Best Short Documentary at the 5th Canadian Screen Awards. Katherena and producer Alicia Smith also created an Instagram project called What Brings Us Here. This project goes with This River and shows pictures of volunteers from Winnipeg search teams like the Bear Clan and Drag the Red.

Awards and Recognition

In 2013, Katherena Vermette won the Governor General's Literary Award for poetry for North End Love Songs. She thought about not accepting the award to protest how the Canadian government treated Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and its policies. However, she decided to accept it because her fellow writers had chosen her book. She felt it showed the support of the Canadian poetry community, not the government.

In 2017, Katherena won the Amazon.ca First Novel Award for The Break. Its French translation, Ligne brisée, also won a competition called Le Combat des livres in 2018.

Her novel The Strangers won the 2021 Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. Her book Real Ones was also nominated for the 2024 Giller Prize.

Working for Change

Katherena Vermette works with young people who might feel left out or "at risk." She has led workshops that teach young people how to use writing to deal with challenges. She encourages young people to find their artistic voices through poetry.

Katherena has said that her writing is driven by a desire to bring about change. She is especially passionate about issues affecting First Nations people.

Works

• North End Love Songs (2012, poetry)
• The Seven Teachings Stories (2015, children's books)
• The Break (2016, novel)
• Pemmican Wars (2017, graphic novel)
• river woman (2018, poetry)
• The Girl and the Wolf (2019, children's book)
• The Strangers (2021, novel)
• The Circle (2023, novel)
• Real Ones (2024, novel)