#IndianLovePoems

Poetry

About the book

Winner of the Rasmussen, Rasmussen and Charowsky Indigenous Peoples' Writing Award
Winner of the O'Reilly Insurance and The Co-operators First Book Award
Shortlisted for the Indigenous Voices Award for Most Significant Work of Poetry in English by an Emerging Indigenous Writer.
Shortlisted for Mary Scorer Award for Best Book by a Manitoba Publisher
Finalist for the 2018 WILLA Literary Award for Poetry

Covering Indigenous adventures from Wahpole Island to Northern Saskatchewan to the West Coast, #IndianLovePoems is a poetry collection that humorously delves into the truths of love and lust within Indigenous communities. The poetic speaker, a First Nations Donna Giovanni, relates stories of her search for The One, or even better, that One-Night-Stand, in heated lines that fearlessly shed light on the intimacy and honesty that may arise even from the most fleeting encounter, leading to reflection on the complexities of sex, race, culture, and intention within relationships. From discovering your own John Smith to sharing sushi in bed, #IndianLovePoems will bring a smile to your lips as you are reminded of your own stories about that special someone.

About the author

Tenille Campbell is a Dene/Metis author and photographer from English River First Nation in Northern Saskatchewan. She completed her MFA in Creative Writing at UBC and is currently starting her fourth year of PhD studies at the University of Saskatchewan, focusing on Indigenous Literature.

She is the owner and artist behind sweetmoon photography, a successful photography business that specializes in photographing Indigenous people. She has published poetry in Sing: Poetry from the Indigenous Americas, and photography in Urban Tribes: Native Americans in the City and Dreaming in Indian. Current creative projects include #KissingIndigenous, a photography series focusing on the act of intimacy within Indigenous couples. She is also the creator of tea&bannock, an online collective blog featuring the photographs and stories of Indigenous women photographers throughout Canada. Storytelling – be it with ink, voice or photographers – is the life for her.

Excerpt

from Love Poem #47

he was my first
discovery
my
blond-haired
blue-eyed
lover

I felt like Christopher Columbus
blazing new trails down his body
discovering his peaks and valleys
with my lips and tongue and taste
claiming it as mine
mine mine

signing treating with
a hickey seared onto skin
that would fade over time
but my interpretation
of his consent
would be forever
remembered as
willing

Reviews

“When car trouble put Saskatchewan poet Tenille Campbell behind on her tuition fees, she thought of a unique way come up with the money.
"I wanted to fundraise but I wanted to be able to give back in a good way…” >>

— CBC News Saskatchewan

“She Is Indigenous campaign highlights women's accomplishments, challenges negative stereotypes
'One of the main narratives about us is our struggle ... but there's also joy, strength, intelligence'
Filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin. Author Cherie Dimaline. Olympian Waneek Horn-Miller. Lawyer Pam…” >>

— Jessica Deer CBC News

“I'm a sex writer who's not having sex
Abstinence has been an experiment of what boundaries I want to keep and what I define as sex.
I slowly count the days until my birthday. I'm turning 36 but…” >>

— CBC News Saskatoon

“This year, due to the vicissitudes of which box was opened when, I began with four first books from Signature Editions, a press I hadn’t perused a lot. They were all good though quite different. It is nice when a…” >>

— Andrew Dubois University of Toronto Quarterly

Audio

Sunday, July 23

Winnipeg

UMFM 105.1

Tenille talks with UMFM's Jesse A. Thistle for At The Edge Of Canada: Indigenous Research. Click the link to listen to the podcast! http://archive.umfm.com/podcast_downloads/20170717-341.mp3
(MP3 file, 29 minutes)