Life is busy and full. There is so much I am grateful for. Last week I had a brief opportunity to see something awesome in my community. It was a sing organized by Grade 7 & 8's from the local schools and schools from other Haudenosaunee communities. The cooking and serving for the event was being done by a local adult immersion language program. I was only there for a few minutes but it was such a powerful reminder that there are many things happening in our community that are wonderful and that we don't always see because we are working on projects of our own and sometimes don't have the chance to connect.
Read moreMaintaining a Writing Routine After a Maternity Leave
So it happened. I returned to work last week after being on maternity leave for a year. My work is exciting to me in that it’s an area I’m quite passionate about—Indigenous education and Indigenous language revitalization. And while I’m excited, I’m also trying to figure out how all of the pieces fit together. How do I keep writing, making art and contributing to my community in the best way that I can? How do I continue to make progress with my language learning and honestly have time to send good energy back out into the world? This is really important to me. Especially because I think the world needs good energy right about now. Needs to be reminded that peace is important and that it is possible for us all to have enough. Anyways, here are some of the things that are working for me—bearing in mind that none of this is really advice, just me sharing how things are going :).
Read moreTools That Helped Me Write My Research Proposal
Last week was hectic. I finished writing a first draft of my research proposal and while there is still more to do (extra reading, revisions, line by line edits of my references), I’m happy with what I have. I’ve learned A LOT. Academic writing is a very different kind of writing than my creative writing. Even so, I can see some similarities in the creation and editing processes. They also both have unique structures that you need to follow to best convey the research story/creative story that you're telling.
Read moreWrite Your Story. Start Today - Part Two
Richard Wagamese has passed away. He was a wonderful and talented Indigenous writer whose books were the recipients of many awards. He was also one of those few authors whose books both my parents and I really liked. I remember reading A Quality of Light as a teenager and just being completely blown away. To this day, it is one of my favourite books. I never met Richard—I only knew him from Facebook and Twitter, but he was always kind in his posts, open about his struggles and his dedication to writing and to helping other writers. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
After a week where I did little else but read article after article for my dissertation, his passing reminded me of how wonderful art is and how important it is to take the time to make it. To hone your skills and share what you love and are passionate about with others.
Read moreLights in the Dark
Last week I had my first ever author visit to the wonderful Braemar House School, where my niece attends. I presented to the Junior and Intermediate classes (grades 5-8) on my experiences being a writer, a creator of books and an aspiring language learner. I also read aloud from one of my books. It was awesome to share about how writing has helped me connect with, learn and share about my culture and our history as Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island. It was also nice to realize that I'm really and truly living my dream of being a writer. To be able to look back and see that what I’m doing now—telling stories and starting to make comics—is something I’ve been working toward for thirty years. So yeah. It was an awesome experience and I’m grateful to have had it.
And of course, the students themselves were nothing short of amazing. I’m always so impressed with young people, the questions they ask and their incredible capacity for compassion, understanding and imagination.
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