A recent guest to Ponoka’s Diamond Willow Middle School was named a recipient of a 2013 Indspire Award.
Métis author Jacqueline Guest was one of 14 Indigenous Canadians to receive the award Oct. 16. “It was a big deal. The House of Commons was a fascinating experience.”
Guest was able to meet Speaker Andrew Scheer, who impressed her as a young man holding such an esteemed position.
“It’s (the award) fabulous. It’s recognition about work that’s important to me, and that’s literacy.”
The Indspire Awards where formerly called the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards. Inspire Awards have been honouring contributions made by Indigenous people in Canada for 20 years.
Guest has been attending conferences and schools for several years, encouraging students to read and follow their dreams.
“The reason I spend so much time writing is simple, I want you guys to read,” Guest told Diamond Willow Middle School’s Grade 7 students.
Visiting schools and conferences resulted in Guest mentoring young authors. She felt that any child serious enough about their writing to approach an author should be supported after the conference ended.
Guest tells the authors to email their work to her, she’ll read it over and provide suggestions. “They can take the suggestions and run with them or they can totally ignore them,” said Guest. “It’s their work.”
“Sometimes that’s all it takes for young people, is for them to be validated.”
With her mentoring Guest is giving the authors a different, professional opinion. “They’re able to access the author. I’m not going to be around forever. We need new authors.”
Guest also holds extensive workshops on the history of Métis in Canada. “I start with how the Métis came to be.”
She follows history through the fur trade and concludes with modern Métis, however, Guest feels anybody, no matter what their ancestral history is Canadian first.
Growing up Guest was unaware of her heritage.
Her parents didn’t make a big deal out of the culture so neither did Guest.
But when she started researching the Métis history she felt she was looking into her own past.
Guest discovered an ancestor, Joseph Tourond, was a middleman in a voyager canoe. She also discovered a pay stub Tourond received from the Hudson Bay Company. “So we’re talking a true voyager.”
However, Guest doesn’t let her heritage define her work as an author or a literacy advocate. “I’m a writer for all children. I believe a good story crosses generations and I believe a good story crosses boundaries.”
Many of Guest’s fictional characters are Indigenous because she thought Canada had a lot of books where the main character had a Caucasian heritage but there weren’t’ many heroes for Indigenous children.
“It also helps to communicate culture to other nationalities,” said Guest.
Guest says writing about the Métis culture introduces children to a history they may not have known. “That goes for aboriginal kids too. They might not know their own history.”
“I want all Canadian kids to win.”
Alberta’s other award recipient is Lloyd (Sonny) Flett, for his work and dedication to protecting the environment while working with developing industries.