Norma Dunning facts for kids

Norma Dunning (born in 1959) is a talented Inuk Canadian writer. She is also an assistant lecturer at the University of Alberta. Norma Dunning has won many important awards for her books.

She is known for her amazing short stories and poetry. Her writing often shares stories and ideas from her Inuit heritage.

Early Life and Education

Norma Dunning was born in Quebec in 1959. Her mother was of Inuit descent. Because her father was in the Canadian military, Norma grew up in many different towns.

She later settled in Edmonton, Alberta. In June 2019, she earned her doctoral degree from the University of Alberta. This degree focused on Indigenous Peoples Education.

Her Books and Awards

Norma Dunning has written several award-winning books. Her first collection of short stories was called Annie Muktuk and Other Stories. In 2018, this book won the Danuta Gleed Literary Award. This is a big award for short story writers in Canada.

Also in 2018, one of her short stories, "Elipsee," won the Howard O'Hagan Award from the Writers' Guild of Alberta. She was also a finalist for the City of Edmonton Book Award that year.

In 2020, she published a book of poems and stories titled Eskimo Pie: A Poetics of Inuit Identity. This book explores what it means to be Inuit.

Her short story collection Tainna (pronounced Da-ee-nna) won the Governor General's Award for English-language fiction in 2021. This is one of Canada's most important literary awards. In 2022, Tainna was also a finalist for the ReLit Award for short fiction.

Her second poetry book, Akia: The Other Side, honors Inuit people from the past.

In 2023, her non-fiction book Kinauvit?: What’s Your Name? The Eskimo Disc System and a Daughter’s Search for Her Grandmother was a finalist for the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing. This book looks into an old system that affected Inuit people.

References