Spirit of the White Bison

Born in St. Boniface, Manitoba, Beatrice Mosionier is a Métis writer best known for her novel In Search of April Raintree, first published in 1983. A school edition, April Raintree, followed in 1984. The youngest of four children, Beatrice was three years old when the Children’s Aid Society of Winnipeg took her from her family. Losing both of her sisters to suicide—Vivian in 1964 and Katherine in 1980—compelled Beatrice to use her experiences growing up in foster homes to write In Search of April Raintree. Since then, it has become a beloved classic, read by generations of Canadians. Most recently, she wrote the foreword for Overcome, Stories of Women Who Grew Up in the Child Welfare System, by Anne Mahon. She has written several other books, including a play and a short film, and she is the former publisher of Pemmican Publications. She now lives in Enderby, British Columbia.

David A. Robertson (he/him/his) is the 2021 recipient of the Writer’s Union of Canada’s Freedom to Read Award. He is the author of more than 25 books for young readers including When We Were Alone, which won a Governor General’s Literary Award and was a finalist for the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award. David’s most recent works include the graphic novel Breakdown (The Reckoner Rises, Vol. 1), middle grade novel The Barren Grounds, children’s book On the Trapline, and memoir Black Water: Family, Legacy, and Blood Memory. He is also the writer and host of the podcast Kíwew, which won the 2021 RTDNA Prairie Region Award for Best Podcast.A sought-after speaker and educator, David is a member of Norway House Cree Nation. He lives in Winnipeg.

Ojibwa artist Robert Kakaygeesick Jr. uses traditional symbols and stylized images in an attempt to bring the consciousness of the past into present-day conversation. His imagery is rooted in the values and spiritual beliefs of his Ojibwa heritage. Robert was born in Warroad, Minnesota, and is a member of the Buffalo Point First Nation in Manitoba where he lives with his wife Jackie.