Matthew James Weigel facts for kids

Matthew James Weigel is a talented writer and artist from Canada. He is known for his poetry, which often explores the history and experiences of Indigenous peoples. His first collection of poems, called Whitemud Walking, was very popular and won several awards.

He grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, a city in Canada. Matthew Weigel is also a student at the University of Alberta. He is a member of the Denesuline and Métis communities, which are Indigenous groups in Canada.

Matthew Weigel's Poetry Collections

Whitemud Walking: A Journey in Verse

Matthew Weigel's first major poetry book, Whitemud Walking, was published in 2022. This collection of poems talks about the important relationship between Indigenous peoples and the wider Canadian society. The poems are inspired by the historical and geographical meaning of Whitemud Creek in Edmonton. This creek holds many stories and memories for the local communities.

It Was Treaty / It Was Me: Early Works

Before Whitemud Walking, Matthew Weigel wrote a shorter collection of poems called It Was Treaty / It Was Me. This book, sometimes called a chapbook, won the Vallum Chapbook Award in 2020. It showed his early talent for writing powerful poetry.

Awards and Recognition

Matthew Weigel's work has been recognized with many important awards. In 2022, his book Whitemud Walking was a finalist for the Dayne Ogilvie Prize, which celebrates new Canadian writers.

In 2023, Whitemud Walking won the prestigious Gerald Lampert Award. This award is given to the best first book of poetry published by a Canadian writer. The same year, his book was also shortlisted for the Raymond Souster Award, another important poetry prize from the League of Canadian Poets.

Matthew Weigel's Art and Design Work

Besides writing poetry, Matthew Weigel is also a skilled designer. He works for a poetry publishing company called Moon Jelly House. He helps design the look of their books.

He has also created public artworks that people can see in different places. For example, he designed "Spirit of Treaty" at the entrance of Edmonton's Spirit of Hope United Church. Another one of his artworks is "The Magpie and the Buffalo Treaty," which can be found in Gold Bar Park in Edmonton. These artworks often share important messages about history and community.

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