Wanda John-Kehewin Explained
Wanda John-Kehewin is a Cree-Métis (Kehewin Cree Nation) author and poet.
Early life and education
John-Kehewin grew up on the Kehewin reserve in Alberta, but did not grow up speaking the Cree language.[1] She lived with her mother, a Métis woman who struggled with alcoholism, for parts of her childhood.[2] [3] She became aware of the lack of literature centering First Nations voices at a young age, after seeing the lack of representation in the books in her reserve's library. At 19, John-Kehewin became pregnant. She left her reserve and traveled to Vancouver.
She attended Douglas College, where she studied criminology, and she also studied Sociology and Aboriginal Studies at Langara College.[4] She earned her Master of Fine Arts at University of British Columbia. In 2011 she completed The Writer's Studio, a creative writing program at Simon Fraser University.[5]
Career
John-Kehewin has worked for the Canadian Ministry of Children and Families.
John-Kehewin released her first graphic novel, Visions of the Crow, in 2023, with illustrations by Nicole Marie Burton. The story features a Cree-Métis teenager who tries to figure out his relationship to a crow and a new girl at his school, while also dealing with his mother's alcoholism and life away from his Alberta reserve. It is the first in a planned trilogy.
Her first young adult novel, Hopeless in Hope, is scheduled to release in September 2023.[6]
Personal life
John-Kehewin currently lives in Vancouver.
Books
Poetry
- In the Dog House (2013), Talonbooks[7]
- Seven Sacred Truths (2018), Talonbooks[8]
- Spells, Wishes, and the Talking Dead ᒪᒪᐦᑖᐃᐧᓯᐃᐧᐣ ᐸᑯᓭᔨᒧᐤ ᓂᑭᐦᒋ ᐋᓂᐢᑯᑖᐹᐣ mamahtâwisiwin, pakosêyimow, nikihci-âniskotâpân (2023)[9]
Graphic novels
- Visions of the Crow: Volume 1 Dreams (2023)[10]
Novels
Awards
- World Poetry Empowered Poet Award 2018, for In the Dog House
- Finalist for the Indigenous Voices Awards 2019, Published Poetry in English, for Seven Sacred Truths[11]
Notes
- Web site: Taylor . Rob . 2023-04-26 . Learning a Second Language When It Should Be My First: An Interview with Wanda John-Kehewin . 2023-06-05 . Read Local BC . en-CA.
- Web site: Narine . Shari . March 22, 2023 . Graphic novel tells story of the spiritual journey of Cree-Métis teen . 2023-06-05 . Windspeaker.com . en.
- Web site: Derdeyn . Stuart . March 23, 2023 . Visions of the Crow is Coquitlam author's graphic novel aimed at Indigenous teens connecting with cultural roots . 2023-06-05 . Vancouver Sun . en-CA.
- Web site: February 2019 - Onjana Yawnghwe and Wanda John-Kehewin . 2023-06-05 . www.sfu.ca.
- Web site: Townsend . Natasha . Wanda John-Kehewin - Continuing Studies . 2023-06-05 . www.sfu.ca . en.
- Book: Hopeless in Hope.
- Web site: 2019-07-30 . Seeking Peace: An Omnibus Review of Poetry by Wanda John-Kehewin, Arielle Twist and Kim Trainor . 2023-06-05 . PRISM international . en-US.
- Web site: August 1, 2018 . Seven Sacred Truths . 4 June 2023 . CBC.
- Web site: February 27, 2023 . Spells, Wishes and the Talking Dead by Wanda John-Kehewin . 4 June 2023 . CBC.
- Book: VISIONS OF THE CROW Kirkus Reviews . en.
- Web site: 2019 IVAs . 2023-06-05 . Indigenous Voices Awards . en-US.
References
- Web site: Taylor . Rob . 2023-04-26 . Learning a Second Language When It Should Be My First: An Interview with Wanda John-Kehewin . 2023-06-05 . Read Local BC . en-CA.
- Web site: Narine . Shari . March 22, 2023 . Graphic novel tells story of the spiritual journey of Cree-Métis teen . 2023-06-05 . Windspeaker.com . en.
- Web site: Derdeyn . Stuart . March 23, 2023 . Visions of the Crow is Coquitlam author's graphic novel aimed at Indigenous teens connecting with cultural roots . 2023-06-05 . Vancouver Sun . en-CA.
- Web site: February 2019 - Onjana Yawnghwe and Wanda John-Kehewin . 2023-06-05 . www.sfu.ca.
- Web site: Townsend . Natasha . Wanda John-Kehewin - Continuing Studies . 2023-06-05 . www.sfu.ca . en.
- Book: Hopeless in Hope.
- Web site: 2019-07-30 . Seeking Peace: An Omnibus Review of Poetry by Wanda John-Kehewin, Arielle Twist and Kim Trainor . 2023-06-05 . PRISM international . en-US.
- Web site: August 1, 2018 . Seven Sacred Truths . 4 June 2023 . CBC.
- Web site: February 27, 2023 . Spells, Wishes and the Talking Dead by Wanda John-Kehewin . 4 June 2023 . CBC.
- Book: VISIONS OF THE CROW Kirkus Reviews . en.
- Web site: 2019 IVAs . 2023-06-05 . Indigenous Voices Awards . en-US.