Matthew James Weigel Explained

Matthew James Weigel is writer and artist from Canada,^[1] whose debut poetry collection Whitemud Walking was a finalist for the 2022 Dayne Ogilvie Prize for first works by LGBTQ Canadian writers.^[2]

He was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, where he is a graduate student in English and film studies at the University of Alberta.^[3] Weigel self-identifies as a Denesuline and Métis.

Whitemud Walking is a collection of poetry about indigenous peoples' relationship with wider Canadian society, based around the historical and geographic significance of Edmonton's Whitemud Creek.^[4]

He previously won the Vallum Chapbook Award in 2020 for his chapbook It Was Treaty / It Was Me.^[1] In 2023, Whitemud Walking won the Gerald Lampert Award,^[5] and was shortlisted for the Raymond Souster Award,^[6] from the League of Canadian Poets.

In addition to his poetry, Weigel is a designer for the poetry publisher Moon Jelly House, and has created commissioned public artworks including Spirit of Treaty at the entrance to Edmonton's Spirit of Hope United Church, and The Magpie and the Buffalo Treaty in the city's Gold Bar Park.^[3]

Notes and References

https://www.cbc.ca/books/22-debut-canadian-poetry-collections-to-read-for-national-poetry-month-1.6410277 "22 debut Canadian poetry collections to read for National Poetry Month"
https://www.cbc.ca/books/bilal-baig-francesca-ekwuyasi-matthew-james-weigel-finalists-for-10k-prize-for-emerging-lgbtq-writers-1.6560654 "Bilal Baig, francesca ekwuyasi, Matthew James Weigel finalists for $10K prize for emerging LGBTQ writers"
https://windspeaker.com/news/windspeaker-news/treaty-brought-life-new-art-installation-edmonton-river-valley "Treaty brought to life in new art installation in Edmonton river valley"
Tyler Pennock, "Poetry collection weaves through and reframes history of lands and treaties". Prairie Books Now, Spring/Summer 2022.
https://quillandquire.com/omni/matthew-james-weigel-gillian-sze-adebe-derango-adem-win-league-of-canadian-poets-book-awards/ "Matthew James Weigel, Gillian Sze, Adebe DeRango-Adem win League of Canadian Poets book awards"
Cassandra Drudi, "League of Canadian Poets announces 2023 Book Awards shortlists". Quill & Quire, April 20, 2023.