The Authors Behind the Stories

The second annual Canadian Aboriginal Writing Challenge was another great year of creative short stories from Aboriginal youth across the country. With the introduction of a new age category for youth ages 19 to 29, the Dominion Institute and the projects partners are pleased to congratulate the twenty top ten authors of the 2006 contest.

Special congratulations go out to the students of Alberni District Secondary School in Port Alberni, BC, and Ratihen: Te High School in Kanesahtake, QC. By participating in the Writing Challenge as a classroom activity, these students were able to win a digital camcorder for their schools.

Please click on one of the links below to find out more about these writers and read their winning submissions, or click here to read the 2005 submissions.

• Read the 2009 Submissions
• Read the 2008 Submissions
• Read the 2007 Submissions
• Read the 2005 Submissions

Age Category 14-18

(First Place) Alicia Eliott
Age 18
Ohsweken, Ontario
Across the Barricade

Caitlyn Therrien (Wz-Ws-kAs)
Age 17, Gr. 12
Pinetree Sr. Secondary, Coquitlam, BC
"My Lesson"

Katherine Severight
Age 17
North Surrey Learning Centre, Surrey, B.C.
The Legend of Indian Summer

(Third Place) Kyle G. Wilson
Age 16, Gitxsan
Hazelton Secondary, New Hazelton, BC
The Power of One and All

Megan Young
Age 13, Grade 7
Toronto, Ontario
Lily

(Second Place) Nicole Munro
Age 17, Siksika First Nation
Bassano School, Bassano, AB
These Walls

Sterling Simon
Age 16, Mohawks of Kanesahtake
Ratihen : Te High School, Kanesahtake, Quebec
Survival

Tehonerahtathe Nelson
Age 16, Mohawks of Kanehsatake
Ratihen : Te High School, Kanesahtake, Quebec
The League

Theresa Robinson
Age 14, Grade 9, Tseshaht and Ahousaht
Alberni District Secondary, Port Alberni, BC
Amitola - "Rainbow"

Zach Toohey
Age 15, Mohawks of Kanehsatake
Ratihen:te High School, Kanehsatake, QC
Residential School Nightmares

Age Category 19-29

Amanda-Lynn Downing
Age 21, Nooatich Indian Band
UBC Kelowna, Kelowna, BC
Unknown Gifts

Ann Marie Brake
Age 25
Corner Brook, Newfoundland
First Contact

Charla Huber
Age 24
Western Academy of Photography, Victoria, BC
Shysie, Silent Little One

Denise Marie Williams
Age 24, Cowichan Tribes
Port Coquitlam, BC
Land Warmed By The Sun

Jessica Yarrow
Age 19
Belleville, Ontario
The Enchanted Owl

Joe Restoule General
Age 29, Dokis First Nation
Ohsweken, ON
Occupied

(Second Place) Kerissa M. Dickie
Age 26, Fort Nelson First Nation
University of Victoria, Victoria, BC
STEH-WAH

Réal Carrière
Age 22, Cumberland House, SK
The Unknown
 

(First Place) Sable Sweetgrass
Age 29, Kainai Nation
University of Calgary, Calgary, AB
Maternal Ties

(Third Place) Sara General
Age 25, Six Nations of the Grand River
McMaster University, Ohsweken, ON
Going the Distance