Pawaatamihk: Journal of Métis Thinkers is gearing up to release its first issue at The University of Winnipeg on Friday, September 29, 2023.
A collaboration between Métis scholars in Winnipeg and across the Prairies, Pawaatamihk is an open-access journal that showcases Métis thought inside the academy and in community, with sections dedicated to Community Stories, Poetry, and Visual Culture, as well as Book Reviews and Scholarly Papers.
This is the first nation-specific journal in Canada, made up of Métis authors, reviewers, editors, graphic designers, and copy editors.
The name Pawaatamihk was gifted by Métis Elder Verna DeMontigny and translates loosely from Michif and Ininimowin to "a group of people dreaming." Created out of the collective dreams of a Circle of Editors comprised entirely of Métis women, Pawaatamihk looks to carve out academic space dedicated to lifting up Métis voices, stories, and research.
The launch of Pawaatamihk coincides with the Métis Research Symposium, a sold-out conference hosted at UWinnipeg by Dr. Jennifer Adese (Canada Research Chair in Métis Women, Politics, and Identity at the University of Toronto Mississauga) and Dr. Laura Forsythe (Assistant Professor, UWinnipeg). This symposium, which took place September 28-29, will be the first of three Métis-centred research conferences, with the next two focusing on Methods and Ethics.
Featuring keynotes from established Métis scholars Dr. Brenda Macdougall, Dr. Emma Laroque, and Dr. Chantal Fiola, and panel presentations on literature, relational and ethical considerations in using digital storytelling, and Métis kitchen table methodologies, this one-and-a-half-day symposium will bring together 120 Métis researchers and academics to discuss best practices in Métis research and collaborate on innovative strategies for future research by and for Métis people.
