Six writers have been named recipients of the 2024 Indigenous Voices Awards for their published work in French and English.

The recipients were awarded a combined total of $20,000, and were selected from finalists announced last month. The IVAs honour the sovereignty of Indigenous creative voices and support the work of Indigenous writers. The announcement was made on June 21, National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Mohawk writer Alicia Elliott received the Prose in English award for her novel And Then She Fell (Doubleday Canada), which was also named the winner of the Amazon Canada First Novel Award.

Brandi Bird, from the Peguis First Nation, received the Poetry in English award for The All + Flesh (House of Anansi Press).

Georges Pisimopeo (Cree from Waswanipi) and J.D. Kurtness (Pekuakamiulnu) receive the Prose in French award for their books Piisim Napeu (Éditions Hannenorak) and La vallée de l’étrange (L’instant même), respectively.

Alexis Vollant (Innu) and Soleil Launière (Pekuakamishkueu) receive the Poetry and Drama in French award for their books Akuteu (Les éditions du remue ménage) and Nipinapunan (Éditions Hannenorak), respectively.

The jurors for this year’s awards were Frances Koncan, Emily Riddle, Shelagh Rogers, Smokii Sumac, Jordan Abel, Francis Langevin, and Maya Cousineau Mollen.

This year marks the seventh for the IVAs, and the first under the new leadership structure announced in December. Cree poet and professor Billy-Ray Belcourt and Métis author Carleigh Baker are co-chairs for this year’s published prose in English and published poetry in English awards, while Francophone scholars Marie-Eve Bradette and Sarah Henzi are co-chairs for this year’s published prose in French and published poetry in French awards.

In May, the IVAs also announced the recipients of the awards in the unpublished categories. Eight finalists – Leah Baptiste (Deline First Nation), Hannah Big Canoe (Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation), sakâw laboucan (Woodland Cree First Nation), Jordan Redekop-Jones (mixed Indigenous / Anglo-Indian), Dennis Allen (Inuvialuit), Jenn Ashton (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh), Henry Heavyshield (Kainai), and Kaitlyn Purcell (Smith’s Landing First Nation) – received $500 and editorial support from Yarrow Magazine.