- This page was last modified on 30 July 2025, at 00:52. Suggest an edit.
shalan joudry facts for kids
|
shalan joudry
|
|
|---|---|
| Born | 1979 (age 45–46) L’sɨtkuk (Bear River First Nation) |
shalan joudry is a talented Mi'kmaw artist from Bear River First Nation. She is a writer, a storyteller, a director, and a musician who plays drums and sings. She also studies the environment as an ecologist.
Contents
Shalan Joudry's Creative Journey
Shalan Joudry has created many amazing works, from poetry to plays and films. She often shares stories from her Mi'kmaw culture and about nature.
Early Works and Poetry
Shalan Joudry's first book of poems, called Generations Re-merging, was published in 2014. Before that, her poems were featured in other collections.
Her second poetry book, Waking Ground, came out in 2020. This book was chosen for a special program to help share the voices of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) writers in Canada. Waking Ground was also nominated for several poetry awards in 2021.
Plays and Theatre
In 2018, Shalan's play Elapultiek (which means 'We Are Looking Towards') was first performed. It was shown at the Ross Creek Centre for the Arts in Kings County, Nova Scotia. Shalan also acted in the play. After its first run, the play toured to four Indigenous communities in Nova Scotia in 2018 and again in 2019.
Another important play by Shalan is KOQM. It premiered in 2021 at the King's Theatre in Annapolis Royal. In this play, Shalan played all six characters herself! KOQM tells the 400-year history of Nova Scotia through the lives of L'nu (Mi'kmaw) women. The play was later performed at other famous theatres, including Neptune Theatre in Halifax. In 2023, KOQM won the Best New Nova Scotian Play award at the Robert Merritt Awards. In the summer of 2024, Shalan toured an "off-grid" version of KOQM in Newfoundland.
Film and Other Projects
In 2023, Shalan Joudry became the artist-in-residence at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax. This means she worked on creative projects inspired by the museum.
Her short film, welima’q, was shown for the first time at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. This four-minute film was Shalan's first time directing and producing a movie.
Shalan Joudry's Works
Here are some of the creative works Shalan Joudry has shared with the world.
Poetry Collections
- Generations Re-merging (Gaspereau Press, 2014)
- Waking Ground (Gaspereau Press, 2020)
Plays Written
- Elapultiek (We Are Looking Towards) (Pottersfield Press, 2019)
- Mi'kmaq Stories: Past and Present (2020, co-created with Catherine Martin and Trevor Gould)
- Koqm (2021)
- Koqm - off grid (2024)
- Winter Moons - off grid (2023)
- Winter Moons musical theatre piece (2024)
Films and TV Projects
- Welima'q (TIFF 2024 and AIFF 2024)
- Women of this Land
- Mi'kma'ki
Awards and Recognition
Shalan Joudry's work has been recognized with several awards and nominations.
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Atlantic Book Awards | Maxine Tynes Poetry Award | Waking Ground | Nominated | |
| J.M. Abraham Poetry Award | Nominated | ||||
| Indigenous Voices Awards | Published Poetry in English | Nominated | |||
| League of Canadian Poets Awards | Pat Lowther Memorial Award | Nominated | |||
| 2023 | Robert Merrit Awards | Best New Nova Scotian Play | Koqm | Won |
About Shalan Joudry's Life
Shalan Joudry is from L’sɨtkuk (Bear River First Nation). She lives in Kespukwitk (southwest Nova Scotia) with her partner Frank Meuse and her two children. Shalan is also studying for her PhD at Dalhousie University.