Avenue of Champions - Conor Kerr
Daniel is a young Metis man searching for a way to exist in a world of lateral violence, intergenerational trauma and systemic racism. Facing obstacles of his own at every turn, he observes and learns from the lived realities of his family members, friends, teachers and lovers. He finds hope in the inherent connection of Indigenous Peoples to the land, and the permanence of culture, language and ceremony in the face of displacement.
Set in Edmonton, this story considers Indigenous youth in relation to the urban constructs and colonial spaces in which they survive-from violence, whitewashing, trauma and racism to language revitalization, relationships with Elders, retaking land claims and ultimately, triumph. Based on Papaschase and Metis oral histories and lived experience, Conor Kerr's debut novel will not soon be forgotten.
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Conor Kerr is a national award winning (and losing) Metis/Ukrainian writer and bird hunter living in amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton). Born in Saskatoon, raised in Buffalo Pound Lake and Drayton Valley. He is a member of the Metis Nation of Alberta. His Ukrainian family are Settlers on Treaty 4 Territory.