Dechinta alumni publish Ndè Sı̀ı̀ Wet'aɂà, a collection of Indigenous views on land, life and art

A new collection of stories, poems and interviews called Ndè Sı̀ı̀ Wet'aɂà is putting the spotlight on emerging and established Northern Indigenous storytelling about land, life and art. 

The collection was first intended to expand on the course material for the Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning, but is now being published to a wider audience, said Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, a faculty member with the Dechinta and an author herself. 

"The pieces are written to be an invitation," said Simpson. "This love of land, love of culture, love of family comes through."

Simpson attributes some of that breadth of storytelling to workshops held by editor Thumlee Drybones Foliot, who encouraged those who hadn't considered publishing before to put pen to paper.

"Not everybody is a writer and there are a lot of storytellers that don't write," said Simpson. 

Simpson said they wanted to included visual artists as well, which is why many of the pieces come in an interview format. 

They also sought out submissions by established authors like Siku Allooloo, T'áncháy Redvers, Antoine Mountain, Glen Coulthard and Katlįà Lafferty.

"They're accessible, but some of them are talking about complex issues as well. It's this first person narrative in this dialogue format that has made the book really engaging and inviting for people."

In the book, Juniper Redvers writes about a solo winter journey back to their ancestral homeland. 

Kristen Tanche, from Łıı́d́lıı̨ ̨Kųę́ ́First Nation, speaks about the love and connection of tanning her first moosehide, and Leela Gilday writes about Dene music. 

In an interview published in the book, Randy Baillargeon speaks about becoming the lead singer for the Wıìlıìdeh Drummers.

Some passages even transport readers to overseas perspectives, like a piece on yoiking, a traditional form of song in Sámi culture.

Simpson sees the book as an intervention into Indigenous and Northern studies.

"Often those indigenous voices are not there," she said. "I really am proud of those authors trusting us with that writing."