Lisa Bird-Wilson – Wikipedia

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American author and poet

Lisa Bird-Wilson is a Métis and nêhiyaw writer from Saskatchewan.

Biography[edit]

A survivor of the Sixties Scoop, as a child Bird-Wilson was adopted, disconnecting her from her Cree and Métis heritage.[1] This experience informs much of her writing.[1]

Bird-Wilson’s debut collection of short stories, Just Pretending (2013), was chosen as the Saskatchewan Library Association’s 2019 One Book One Province.[1] The book won four Saskatchewan Book Awards (including 2014 book of the year), and was a finalist for the 2014 Danuta Gleed Literary Award.[2][3] Reviewing the stories for The /tƐmz/ Review, Amy Mitchell says “the stories and characters are so alive, and the writing is so beautiful in its stripped-down simplicity.”[4]

She has also published poetry and non-fiction books.

As of 2020, Bird-Wilson is a director at the Gabriel Dumont Institute, the education arm of the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan.[5][6] She is also a founding board member and chair of the Ânskohk Aboriginal Writers’ Circle and founding president of the Saskatchewan Aboriginal Literacy Network.[7]

  • An Institute of Our Own: A History of the Gabriel Dumont Institute, non-fiction (Gabriel Dumont Press, 2011)
  • Just Pretending, short stories (Coteau Books, 2013)
  • The Red Files, poetry (Nightwood Editions, 2016)
  • Probably Ruby, novel (Doubleday Canada, 2021)[8]
2014
  • Shortlisted for the Danuta Gleed Literary Award for Just Pretending[3]
  • University of Regina Book of the Year for Just Pretending[9]
  • SaskPower Fiction Award for Just Pretending[9]
  • Rasmussen, Rasmussen & Charowsky Aboriginal Peoples’ Writing Award for Just Pretending[9]
  • First Nations University of Canada Aboriginal Peoples’ Publishing Award for Just Pretending[9]
  • YWCA Women of Distinction Award for Arts, Culture or Heritage[10]
2017
  • John Hodgin’s Founder Award for short story “Counselling”[11]
2018
  • Saskatchewan Arts Board, RBC Emerging Artist Award[7]
2019
2022

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Martin, Ashley (1 March 2019). “A One Book One Province pick, Lisa Bird-Wilson’s short story collection is about a search for identity”. Regina Leader-Post. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  2. ^ Martin, Ashley (26 October 2018). “Saskatchewan Arts Board honours 2018 awards recipients”. Regina Leader-Post. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  3. ^ a b “Danuta Gleed Literary Award finalists announced”. Quill & Quire. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  4. ^ Mitchell, Amy. “Lisa Bird-Wilson’s Just Pretending“. The /tƐmz/ Review. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  5. ^ Vescera, Zak (16 September 2019). “Ministry will not meet ‘aggressive’ Indigenous graduation goal: educators”. Saskatoon Star Phoenix. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  6. ^ “Curriculum advisory committee created”. Yorkton This Week. 13 January 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  7. ^ a b Oloo, James (21 December 2018). “Lisa Wilson Receives 2018 Saskatchewan Arts Award”. Gabriel Dumont Institute of Native Studies and Applied Research. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  8. ^ “Probably Ruby“. CBC Books. CBC. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  9. ^ a b c d Narine, Shari (27 February 2014). “Strong Aboriginal representation in Saskatchewan Book Awards”. Saskatchewan Sage. Vol. 31, no. 12. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  10. ^ “YWCA Women of Distinction Awards Nominees” (PDF). YMCA Saskatchewan. p. 41. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  11. ^ “Jack Hodgins Founders’ Award for Fiction: 2017”. The Malahat Review. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  12. ^ “Announcing the Winners of the 42nd Annual National Magazine Awards”. National Magazine Awards. 1 June 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  13. ^ “Retired bricklayer among six debut novelists vying for $60,000 prize”. The Globe and Mail, May 10, 2022.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]