M’CHIGEENG—The future of the art and craft of writing and storytelling is looking bright given the hands that are holding future. Lakeview School student, 12-year-old Michael Taukei, was recently named as one of the recipients of the James Bartleman Indigenous Youth Creative Writing Award.
The Expositor caught up with Michael (he admits answering to either Mike or Michael) at school to discover how he feels about his win.
“I learned about it in the middle of August,” he said. “My parents called me into the living room and said ‘you won.’”
His reaction? “Oh my goodness,” he laughs.
Michael was encouraged to write his submission to the James Bartleman Indigenous Youth Creative Writing Award by one of his teachers last year.
“My Ojibwe teacher, Lisa McGregor, told me I should enter,” he recalled. He set about doing just that. The story flowed “off the top of my head,” Michael said.
The story is a cautionary tale about greed. “It is about a warrior and a turtle,” he said. “The turtle lost his shell and the warrior took it, even though he really didn’t need it.”
In true 21st Century literary style, the story does not necessarily have a happy ending. “Not really,” said Michael.
No stranger to writing, Michael has written several stories that have been placed in the school library for his colleagues to read.
What was a bonus was the reaction of his Ojibwe teacher, even though she isn’t his teacher this year. “She was so very happy that I won,” he said.
The award commemorates the legacy of Ontario’s 27th Lieutenant Governor for whom it is named, by recognizing up to six Indigenous students for their creative writing talent. Each recipient receives a $2,500 award.
There are three geographic categories: fly-in community; on reserve; and off-reserve (ie. do not live in a fly-in community or on a reserve). A junior student (12 years old and younger) and a senior student (13 to 18 years old) is chosen from each geographic category.
To be eligible, an applicant must be 18 years of age or under and have the consent of their parent/legal guardian (if you’re under 18); self-identify as an Indigenous person; be a student enrolled in a school in Ontario; and be a resident of Ontario.
The entry may be a short story, poem, essay, play, song, comic strip or other form of creative writing that has not in any part been copied from another source. In addition to the story and contact information (school, address etc.) the applicant must also include a brief description about their creative writing piece which may include what inspired the writer and what the writing means to them.
As to the future, Michael said that he might continue writing in the future, should the mood strike him. But his message to those considering writing says a lot, “for all those out there don’t give up, you will be where I am one day.” Truly, the legacy of James Bartleman lives on through Michael and his fellow recipients. Also receiving awards were: Loveena Nothing, Jersey Kakekayash, Amethyst Richard, Noah Faucher and Tatum Naveau.
