Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm

Who is Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm?

Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm is an Anishinaabe writer of mixed ancestry from the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation. She lives and works at Neyaashiinigmiing, Cape Croker Reserve on the Saugeen Peninsula in southwestern Ontario, and in Ottawa.

A cultural worker with an activist bent, Kateri has initiated many important projects on behalf of Indigenous writers of Turtle Island and active collaborations with artists and publishers in Aotearoa/New Zealand and Australia. A spoken word artist and literary performer as well as poet, writer, editor, and communications consultant, Ms. Akiwenzie-Damm works both behind the scenes and before live audiences.

In 1993, she established Kegedonce Press, one of very few literary publishing houses devoted to indigenous writers. It continues to produce anthologies and single author books of distinction. Acclaimed Canadian authors Basil H. Johnston, Marilyn Dumont and Gregory Scofield are among those who have published books through Kegedonce Press. She is both founder and managing editor of the press.

Akiwenzie-Damm has edited two anthologies: skins: Contemporary indigenous writing, and Without Reservation: Indigenous Erotica. These offer works drawn from a variety of Indigenous cultures and artistic traditions from Canada, the United States, Hawaii, Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand. Each anthology is co-published with another Indigenous press from the southern hemisphere. She also came up with the concept, initiated, and advocated internationally for support for Honouring Words: International Indigenous Authors Celebration Tour. This was an international event involving indigenous authors from Canada, US, Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand. The first, and most successful, of the three international tours was also organized by Akiwenzie-Damm.