Sooke author Darrel J. McLeod is one of five Canadian writers shortlisted for the Hilary Weston Writer’s Trust Prize for Nonfiction 2021.
The $ 60,000 prize is awarded each year to the best Canadian non-fiction works. This is the biggest non-fiction award in Canada.
McLeod, a Governor General’s Literary Award-winning author, is nominated for Peyakow: Reclaiming Cree Dignity, a personal, autobiographical book on the intricacies of Indigenous identity.
Peyakow, published by Douglas & McIntyre, is the sequel to Mamaskatch’s memoir: A Cree Coming of Age.
It is an incredible honor… and to be in this incredible company… a big thank you to the jurors! kinanaskomitin for their phenomenal quote… open the link to my book to read it! https://t.co/YD0Vvwyxlm
– Darrel J. McLeod (@achakos) September 15, 2021
In Peyakow, cry for ‘he who walks alone’, a traumatic personal, family and cultural past is exacerbated by the complex and turbulent social and political landscape in which McLeod navigates as an adult.
McLeod is Nehiyaw (Cree) from Treaty Eight territory in northern Alberta. Prior to his retirement dedication to writing, McLeod served as chief land claims negotiator for the federal government and executive director of education and international affairs at the Assembly of First Nations.
The other finalists are Disorientation: Being Black in the World by Ian Williams, Permanent Astonishment: A Memoir by Tomson Highway, On Foot to Canterbury by Ken Haigh and Nishga by Jordan Abel.
This year’s five finalists were selected by the jury from 107 titles submitted by 64 publishers. The jury is made up of Canadian writers Kevin Chong, Terese Marie Mailhot and Adam Shoalts.
The winner will be announced on November 3. The remaining four finalists will each receive $ 5,000.
To learn more about the Hilary Weston Writer’s Trust Prize for Nonfiction, please visitwriterstrust.com/awards/hilary-weston-writers-trust-prize-for-nonfiction.
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