Indigiqueerness A Conversation about Storytelling

Everything I’ve crafted and made has been a whirlwind of community and folks and friends and lovers and family. I kind of write as an animated avatar. A lot of my material comes from listening fiercely to those around me and witnessing that which is discarded or not seen.”

Joshua Whitehead

Evolving from a conversation between Joshua Whitehead and Angie Abdou, Indigiqueerness is part dialogue, part collage, and part memoir. Beginning with memories of his childhood poetry and prose and travelling through the library of his life, Whitehead contemplates the role of theory, Indigenous language, queerness, and fantastical worlds in all his artistic pursuits. This volume is imbued with Whitehead’s energy and celebrates Indigenous writers and creators who defy expectations and transcend genres.

About the Author

Joshua Whitehead is an Oji-Cree/nehiyaw, Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer member of Peguis First Nation (Treaty 1). He is the author of the bestselling novel Jonny Appleseed (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2018), longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award, and winner of Canada Reads; and the poetry collection full-metal indigiqueer (Talonbooks, 2017), which was the winner of the Governor General’s History Award for the Indigenous Arts and Stories Challenge in 2016. He is also the editor of Love after the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2020). His most recent book is a work of creative non-fiction entitled Making Love with the Land (Knopf, 2022) that details mental health, queerness, and Indigeneity.

Reviews

This is a short book (under 100 pages), and yet somehow, Whitehead packs in about 20 different genres. At times it feels like a mini-biography of his own books and publishing history. At other times, it’s more like an expansive lecture on creative writing. But, it’s also a book about Indigenous language, translation, and storytelling. Blending interview, memoir, photography, collage, and the words of other writers and thinkers, it’s a little book that will leave you with a lot to think about.

Laura Sackton, Bookriot

This book is for those who identify as Indigenous, queer, Cree, or those who identify as a writer of poetry, fiction, or nonfiction. This is for writers, teachers, and students, but mostly this book is for those who are human. Indigiqueerness is at its heart about Humanness. It is filled with insight and what it takes to remain true to our psyche and to our artistic and authentic selves.

Carrie Stanton, The Miramichi Reader

This slim volume packs a punch. Author, essayist, and poet Whitehead reflects on his work, life, identity, and queerness. Part memoir, part examination of his writing process, this is an intimate and meaningful look at inspiration and a celebration of storytelling and Indigenous art.

Jo Treggiari, Block Shop Books

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). It may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes, provided that the original author is credited.