The issue of false claims to Indigenous identity has gotten headlines across the country in recent years, with famous writers, academics, and artists uncovered as “pretendians.”

Bestselling author katherena vermette’s new novel, real ones, tells the story of sisters who must face their past trauma when their mother is called out for false claims to Indigenous identity. It’s a novel that explores the impact that pretendianism has on Indigenous peoples, and pays homage to the long-fought, hard-won battles of Michif (Métis) people to regain ownership of their identity.

For the second event of this lineup, join katherena vermette in conversation with award-winning writer Michelle Cyca.

katherena vermette (she/her) is a Michif (Red River Métis) writer from Treaty 1 territory, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Her first book, North End Love Songs, won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry. Her novels The Break, The Strangers and The Circle were all national bestsellers and won multiple literary awards. Her work for children and young adults includes the picture book The Girl and the Wolf and the graphic novel series A Girl Called Echo. She holds a Master of Fine Arts from the University of British Columbia, and an honourary Doctor of Letters from the University of Manitoba.

Michelle Cyca (she/her) is a journalist, essayist and literary critic. She is a senior editor with The Narwhal and a contributing writer to The Walrus. Previously, she was the editor-in-chief and co-publisher of SAD Mag. She lives on the unceded homelands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations in what is recently called Vancouver, and is a member of the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation in Treaty 6, Saskatchewan.

The bookseller for this event is Iron Dog Books, and you can order a copy of real ones here.

BC Libraries Present is a virtual author series that brings exciting conversations to library users in every corner of British Columbia.

This series is a project of BC’s public library federations, coordinated by Public Library InterLink, with the generous financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Municipal Affairs.

katherena vermette: real ones