Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Literature

Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Literature
Awarded for	Excellence in Canadian indigenous literature for youth[1]
Country	Canada
Presented by	Canadian Organization for Development through Education Canada Council
First awarded	2013
Website	www.codecan.org/burt-award-canada

The Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Literature is a Canadian literary award, presented annually to works judged to be the best works of young adult literature published by indigenous writers in Canada.^[2] The award is sponsored by the Canadian Organization for Development through Education (CODE), a Canadian charitable organization devoted to literacy and education, and philanthropist William Burt, and administered by the Canada Council.^[3] Several other organizations, including the Assembly of First Nations, the Métis National Council, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the National Association of Friendship Centres and the , are also involved in the award's administration.^[3]

Announced in 2012,^[3] the award was presented for the first time in 2013.^[4]

The award presents a first prize of $12,000, a second prize of $8,000 and a third prize of $5,000 annually.^[3] In addition to the prize money, CODE purchases 2,500 copies of each of the prize-winning titles, for free distribution to indigenous community libraries, schools and community centres across Canada as part of the foundation's literacy program.^[3]

In June 2019, CODE announced that in addition to the existing award for English language literature, it will be expanded to incorporate a second award for works published in indigenous languages.^[5]

Winners[]

2013[]

• Richard Wagamese, Indian Horse
• Tara Lee Morin, As I Remember It
• James Bartleman, As Long As the Rivers Flow

2014[]

• Monique Gray Smith, Tilly, a Story of Hope and Resilience
• Thomas King, The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America
• Bev Sellars, They Called Me Number One

2015[]

• Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley and Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley, Skraelings^[6]
• Frank Christopher Busch, Grey Eyes
• Aaron Paquette, Lightfinder

2016[]

• Patti LaBoucane-Benson and , The Outside Circle^[7]
• and David Carpenter, The Education of Augie Merasty

2017[]

• Katherena Vermette, The Break^[8]
• , The Mask That Sang
• Aviaq Johnston, Those Who Run in the Sky

2018[]

• Cherie Dimaline, The Marrow Thieves^[9]
• Adam Garnet Jones, Fire Song
• Richard Van Camp and Monique Gray Smith, The Journey Forward: Two Novellas on Reconciliation

2019[]

Indigenous Language[]

• Shane Koyczan, Inconvenient Skin (written in English and Cree with translation by Soloman Ratt)^[10]
• Aviaq Johnston, Those Who Run in the Sky (translated into Inuktitut by Blandina Tulugarjuk)
• Richard Van Camp, Tree Feathers (translated into South Slavey by Doris Camsel)

English Language[]

• Richard Van Camp, Moccasin Square Gardens^[10]
• Honourable mention: Michael Hutchinson, The Case of Windy Lake^[10]
• Aviaq Johnston, Those Who Dwell Below

References[]

External links[]

• Burt Award for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Literature