shalan joudry[note 1] is an award-winning Mi'kmaw writer, oral storyteller, podcast producer, theatre/film director, drummer/singer, and ecologist. Using her theatrical background, shalan brings Mi’kmaw stories to a new generation of listeners, as well as recounting personally crafted narratives.writer, storyteller, and ecologist.
shalan joudry | |
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Born | 1979 (age 44–45) L’sɨtkuk (Bear River First Nation) |
Website | |
www |
Career
editjoudry's first book, a collection of poems titled, Generations Re-merging, was published by Gaspereau Press in 2014.[2] Her poetry had previously appeared in "The Nashwaak Review" and "Mi'kmaq Anthology II".[3] In August 2018, joudry's play Elapultiek premiered with Two Planks and a Passion Theatre in Kings County, Nova Scotia at the Ross Creek Centre for the Arts. Joudry played Nat opposite Matthew Lumley's Bill. The production subsequently toured four Indigenous communities in Nova Scotia.[4] A second tour was carried out in the fall of 2019.[5]
joudry managed programs for species at risk and ecology for more than ten years.[6] joudry's artistic work often weaves in ecological and Indigenous teachings.
Her second published poetry collection, Waking Ground, was released in 2020 also by Gaspereau Press.[7] In 2021, it was selected by the Writers' Trust of Canada as one of 25 books for the WT Amplified Voices program, which aims to amplify BIPOC voices in Canadian writing and promote works of BIPOC writers created during the COVID-19 pandemic.[8]
In 2021, joudry's play KOQM, premiered at the King's Theatre in Annapolis Royal, starring joudry as all six characters.[9] KOQM tells the 400-year story of Nova Scotia through the lives of L'nu (Mi'kmaw) women. It was subsequently staged by Neptune Theatre in Halifax and Ship's Company Theatre in Parrsborro.[10][11] KOQM won Best New Nova Scotian Play at the 2023 Robert Merritt Awards.[12] joudry was named the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21's artist-in-residence for 2023.[13]
Works
editPoetry
edit- Generations Re-merging (Gaspereau Press, 2014)
- Waking Ground (Gaspereau Press, 2020)
Plays
edit- Elapultiek (We Are Looking Towards) (Pottersfield Press, 2019)
- Mi'kmaq Stories: Past and Present (2020, co-created with Catherine Martin and Trevor Gould)[14]
- Koqm (2021)
- Winter Moons - off grid (2023)
- Winter Moons musical theatre piece (2024)[15]
Film/TV
edit- Welima'q (TIFF 2024, AIFF 2024)
- Women of this Land
- Mi'kma'ki
Awards
editYear | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | Atlantic Book Awards | Maxine Tynes Poetry Award | Waking Ground | Nominated | [1] |
J.M. Abraham Poetry Award | Nominated | [7] | |||
Indigenous Voices Awards | Published Poetry in English | Nominated | [16] | ||
League of Canadian Poets Awards | Pat Lowther Memorial Award | Nominated | [17] | ||
2023 | Robert Merrit Awards | Best New Nova Scotian Play | Koqm | Won | [12] |
Personal life
editjoudry is from L’sɨtkuk (Bear River First Nation). She has two children - One daughter and one son. She lives in Kespukwitk (southwest Nova Scotia) with her partner Frank Meuse.[1]
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Reynolds, Ardelle (2021-05-12). "Mi'kma'ki storyteller hopes workshops encourage "beautiful increase" in Indigenous narrative artists". www.saltwire.com. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
- ^ Webb-Campbell, Shannon (2015-08-27). "Generations Re-merging". ROOM Magazine. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
- ^ "Mi'kmaq poet to read from new collection". Cape Breton Post. 2014-04-30. Retrieved 2021-12-26 – via PressReader.
- ^ Smith, Emma (2018-08-22). "How a play performed around a fire is inspiring reconciliation". CBC. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
- ^ "Elapultiek back on stage (And by fire)". 28 September 2019.
- ^ Smith, Emma (2017-08-01). "How one Mi'kmaq community is trying to save a threatened snake species". CBC. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
- ^ a b Lawlor, Allison (2021-06-07). "Resiliency of Mi'kmaw culture, power of nature". Halifax Chronicle Herald. p. C1.
- ^ van Koeverden, Jane (2021-12-13). "Writers' Trust of Canada launches program to support books by BIPOC writers launched during pandemic". CBC. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
- ^ Googoo, Maureen (2022-08-11). "Mi'kmaw play, KOQM, describes colonialism in Nova Scotia from a Mi'kmaw woman's perspective". Ku'ku'kwes News. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
- ^ Tattrie, Jon (2022-04-07). "Neptune play tells Nova Scotia's colonial history through Mi'kmaw eyes". CBC. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
- ^ Mullin, Morgan (2022-06-21). "All the summer's a stage: Your guide to seasonal, out-of-town theatre". The Coast Halifax. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
- ^ a b Mullin, Morgan (2023-03-28). "A surprise sweep at Theatre Nova Scotia's 2023 Robert Merritt Awards". The Coast Halifax. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
- ^ "shalan joudry named artist-in-residence at Canadian Museum of Immigration". CBC Radio. 2023. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
- ^ Mullin, Morgan (2020-07-09). "Over 50 events to fill your summer". The Coast. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
- ^ "World Premiere of Koqm at King's Theatre, Annapolis Royal – the Grapevine".
- ^ Drudi, Cassandra (2021-05-03). "Finalists announced for 2021 Indigenous Voices Awards". Quill and Quire. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
- ^ Porter, Ryan (2021-04-15). "League of Canadian Poets announces shortlists for 2021 Book Awards". Quill and Quire. Retrieved 2021-12-26.