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By Alison Abel
September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, a day to honour the survivors of Residential Schools and remember the children who never came home, as well as their families and communities.
An essential part of reconciliation is education and learning the stories of Indigenous Peoples. Magazines and other provincial publications aren’t just a way to share the news with readers; “It’s a chance to teach all Canadians by sharing our language, stories from the Elders, and the voices of our people,” said Windspeaker publisher Bert Crowfoot in a 2023 interview.
While Windspeaker, owned and operated by the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta, publishes important articles focused on Indigenous peoples and from an Indigenous perspective and worldview, numerous other magazines across a variety of interest areas are doing their part to advance reconciliation in our province and broaden readers’ awareness and understanding of Indigenous perspectives and worldviews.
Community Magazines
Your McMurray Magazine is a key source of information in the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo region. It is filled with news and information, and highlights the people who live, work, and play in the area. The publication features stories of community leaders, including Elders from the region, partnerships between school boards and the local Indigenous communities, and public art programs featuring Indigenous artists. The magazine’s publisher, Krista Balsom, says that they are striving “to do our part to reclaim culture and language through our media platforms and tell stories of truth, and path towards meaningful reconciliation.” It’s clear that Your McMurray Magazine is making great progress in achieving this goal for all its readers.
Post-Secondary Alumni Magazines
Post-secondary alumni magazines often feature stories on research of Indigenous People and culture, highlight Indigenous students, faculty, staff, or alumni, and showcase the connections between a school and Indigenous communities.
Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Wider Horizons magazine celebrates the successes and accomplishments of its community. Surrounded by important and historical Indigenous locations, such as Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump and Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park, the school plays a key role in sharing stories of and from the Indigenous community. (Note: Past issues of Wider Horizons reference Lethbridge College, which is now Lethbridge Polytechnic).
SAIT’s LINK magazine connects readers with current ideas in technology, trades, and business, told from the perspective of alumni. Recognizing the important role Indigenous people play in building our province, the magazine regularly features Indigenous alumni and news from campus. The magazine recently included a story about the renaming of the Indigenous student resource centre on campus – Natoysopoyiis – highlighting the important role post-secondary institutions play in responding to the 94 Calls to Action set out by the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
The University of Alberta’s New Trail magazine regularly includes articles highlighting land-based teaching and learning opportunities, decolonization, Indigenous alumni, and Indigenous community members.
Lifestyle and Literary Magazines
Trailblaz•her shares the stories, wisdom, and know-how of modern, rural women from across Canada. Each issue includes profiles of real rural women, recipes, practical and life skills, and business tips for women living in rural Canadian communities. While the magazine may appeal to a niche audience, the stories of successful Indigenous business owners can inspire anyone who reads them.
Recent profile pieces feature Nicole McLaren, an Indigenous entrepreneur, and Minnie Clark, a Tlingit woman from southern Yukon, who teaches traditional crafts and photography.
The Polyglot is dedicated to the promotion and celebration of Indigenous heritage and languages. Launched in 2016, the publication was billed as the first biannual online magazine devoted to publishing multilingual poetry and art in Canada, and has since expanded to include international contributors. Issue 6 nimitêyaniy and Issue 7: nitêh both focus on Indigenous languages. The Polyglot was nominated for Best New Magazine in 2021 at the Alberta Magazine Awards.
Plenty More Alberta Magazines to Explore
It would be impossible to highlight all the wonderful magazines that dedicate their words and pages to telling the stories of Canada’s Indigenous people, heritage, and culture. You’re encouraged to explore what Alberta magazines offer in promoting reconciliation and giving insight into the rich and expansive history, present, and future of Indigenous people in Canada, not just on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, but every day.