I have been trying to gather in one place a list of magazines and journals who publish primarily Indigenous voices in North America. Since I am doing the work anyways I thought I would share. If you have any to add please let me know via email francinebarbaracunningham@gmail.com or Tweet me @francinebarbara and I'll add them. Thanks :)
Literary Magazines:
Four Winds Literary Magazine:"Four Winds Literary Magazine is a magazine of the arts dedicated to showcasing the Indigenous voices of Canada and North America, in all their forms. Because our artwork cannot be confined to the page, we will use film, photographs, voice clips, and other media to tell our story, along with traditional verse poetry, short stories, essays, and allegories."
Kimiwan'zine: "Kimiwan is a quarterly publication that showcases words + art from emerging + established Indigenous, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit writers + artists." (Currently on hiatus but if you have a chance pick up an old issue.)
Red Ink:An International Journal of Indigenous Literature, Arts and Humanities. "Red Ink is an expressive voice of Indigenous (Native) American identity, land, culture, and community. Formerly known as Red Ink Magazine, the Journal has re-opened calls for submission and will publish its inaugural issue in Fall 2015."
Voicings: The Literary Magazine for Aboriginal writing and art in Canada.
Elohi Gadugi: "The mission of Elohi Gadugi is: to provide venues for the work of struggling writers and artists who use language as a primary aspect of their art; to promote narratives of social and environmental responsibility, and intercultural understanding; and to support the works by or about Indigenous Americans, and other marginalized groups in the contemporary literary world."
Mud City Journal: "Mud City is an online literary journal promoting the ideals and vision of the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) Low Residency MFA Program. While Mud City is rooted in an Indigenous centered program, we look to publish writers from a diverse range of backgrounds, experiences, styles, and aesthetics. Mud City publishes fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and screenwriting."
As/Us: "As/Us is a space to showcase the creative literary expressions and scholarly work of both emerging and established women writers from around the world. We are interested in publishing works by underrepresented writers particularly Indigenous women and women of colour."
Yellow Medicine Review: "Yellow Medicine Review: A Journal of Indigenous Literature, Art, and Thought opens a new pathway for scholarly and creative expression. New paths lead to new places, into the territory where emerging voices and visions are beginning to take their places among already established indigenous writers, artists and scholars. At this time, we encourage submissions from indigenous perspectives in the area of fiction, poetry, scholarly essays, and art. We define indigenous universally as representative of all pre-colonial peoples."
Red Rising Magazine: "An indigenous magazine from Winnipeg that is unfiltered, uncensored, and is able to tell a story about what is happening now, and what is about to happen next."
Writing Contests:
Indigenous Voices Award: "The Indigenous Voices Awards aim to support Indigenous literary production in its diversity and complexity. The awards honour the sovereignty of Indigenous creative voices and reject cultural appropriation; to be eligible for the Indigenous Voices Awards, authors must be Indigenous and must make a declaration of Indigenous identity."There are multiple categories for submission both from emerging and established authors. Deadline Feb 15th of every year.
Annual Imagining Indigenous Futurisms contest:"Open to any emerging writer with an interest in exploring Indigenous issues through the medium of science fiction." Deadline Nov 1st of every year.
Our Story: Aboriginal Art & Stories: This contest is open to youth ages 11-30. There are both visual art and writing categories. The stories must have a historical component. Deadline March 31st of every year.
Thunderbird Stories: Indigenous Writing Contest: "Our stories & legends are an important part of our culture and ultimately this contest is to encourage more Indigenous people to start writing. The top five writers will have their stories featured in a book and the contest will be judged by 5 Indigenous people." There is also a top prize of $2000, second of $1000, and third of $500. A portion of the proceeds will go towards Families of Sisters in Spirit, a volunteer, non-profit organization led by families of missing & murdered Aboriginal women. Deadline February 29th 2015.
Second Story Press annual Indigenous Writing Contest: " Indigenous Writing Contest, Second Story Press is seeking out contemporary writing for young readers that reflects the modern experience of Indigenous peoples—First Nations, Métis, and Inuit—living in Canada." Deadline Mid May.
CODE Burt Award for First Nations. Metis, and Inuit youth adult literature: "The CODE Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Young Adult Literature is a Canadian literary award and readership initiative that recognizes excellence in Indigenous-authored literature for young adults (ages 12-18). With the generous support of the Consecon Foundation (formally the Literary Prizes Foundation) and generous CODE supporters, the CODE Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Young Adult Literature is given to literary works for youth created by First Nation, Inuit, and Métis writers, illustrators, and translators." Deadline August annually.
Not literary magazines per say but doing cool magazine things:
Urban Native Magazine:"Urban Native Magazine is a Native lifestyle magazine that is dedicated to providing the best in Fashion, Arts & Culture, Entertainment, Lifestyle, and Business content from all across Turtle Island/North America."
Say Magazine:"SAY Magazine is the only lifestyle magazine in the world for Native people. More than just for youth – Native youth are the largest growing demographic in North America and SAY has grown over the years to include information for more than just our youth."
Musktrat Magazine: "MUSKRAT is an on-line Indigenous arts and culture magazine that honours the connection between humans and our traditional ecological knowledge by exhibiting original works and critical commentary. MUSKRAT embraces both rural and urban settings and uses media arts, the Internet, and wireless technology to investigate and disseminate traditional knowledges in ways that inspire their reclamation."
Windspeaker: "Windspeaker, Canada's National Indigenous source for news, issues and culture is a magazine owned and operated by the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society (AMMSA) which serves diverse readers throughout Canada."
Native Peoples Magazine: "Native Peoples magazine is the first and the largest, paid-circulation, consumer magazine devoted to the arts and cultures of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas."
Native Hoop Magazine:"Native Hoop Magazine is a monthly magazine that comes out on the 1st of every month. We work with up & coming musicians, models, businesses , and organizations through interviews and photo layout." Free digital downloads on their website.
Inuktitut Magazine: Giving Voice to the Inuit Experience.
Cultural Survival Magazine: "Cultural Survival envisions a future that respects and honors Indigenous Peoples' inherent rights and dynamic cultures, deeply and richly interwoven in lands, languages, spiritual traditions, and artistic expression, rooted in self-determination and self-governance."
First American Art: "First American Art Magazine, LLC (FAAM) promotes and contextualizes visual, media, literary, and performing arts of Indigenous Americas from a hemispheric Indigenous perspective. Our goal is to foster critical dialogue about Native art. We provide a forum to bridge the academy and the general public. FAAM examines current and historical issues through the lens of Native art."
Publishing houses:
Theytus Books: "Theytus Books is a leading North American publisher of Indigenous voices."
Kegedonce Press: "We strive to foster the creative cultural expression of Indigenous Peoples through the publication of beautifully crafted books which involve Indigenous Peoples in all levels of production and by supporting activities which promote Indigenous literary development and the development of Indigenous publishing."
Pemmican Publications:"Pemmican Publications is a book publisher with a mandate to promote Metis authors, illustrators and stories. It is a not-for-profit company that operates as an arm’s-length affiliate of the Manitoba Metis Federation. Pemmican publishes on average five to six new titles per year, with titles ranging from cultural studies and autobiographies to illustrated titles for children. In all, we have published close to 150 books."
Ningwakwe Learning Press:"Ningwakwe Learning Press is an Aboriginal social enterprise. We create, publish, market and print Indigenous literacy and cultural learning resources for all peoples. We envision a future world where Indigenous communities and others celebrate and nurture holistic literacy, language and culture."
Native Realities Press: "We wish to see fresh, engaging content that features Native or Indigenous people as main characters. as our primary goal is to produce and distribute work that is empowering for Native and Indigenous young people. We seek stories that are vibrant and do not conform to the same stereotypes of Native and Indigenous people as being historical objects. We would love to see modern stories of determination and achievement, while still understanding the role of culture, history, and community. " They publish a range of books from comics and graphic novels to novels, short fiction and children's picture books.
Native Voices Books: "7th Generation is dedicated to publishing quality fiction and nonfiction titles for children and young adults. American Indian authors provide cultural accuracy and exciting contemporary content showcasing the diversity of Native American Nations and Indigenous people in what is currently known as Canada.
Native Voices Books and 7th Generation are imprints of Book Publishing Company, a community-owned, independent press dedicated to publishing titles that promote a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. We are located on The Farm, an intentional community in Summertown, Tennessee, and have been in business since 1974."
Indigenous Podcasts that focus on literary/writing things:
Talks with a Fox: "Oki! Welcome to the fox den, I'm your host Andrea True Joy Fox, a Blackfoot woman, teacher, and artist. Join me on this colourful journey of learning where conversations with inspirational leaders share their gifts, teachings and stories with the world."
Literary Magazines that offer free submissions to Indigenous authors:
Prism International: "PRISM international offers free entries for self-identifying Black and Indigenous writers for all our contests. Indigenous writers are invited to submit by emailing promotions@prismmagazine.ca by the deadline. We ask that writers include: the title of their piece, the email associated with their free Submittable account (if they have or are able to create one), and their mailing address in the body of their email, with their submission (formatted according to our submission guidelines) as an attachment."
Other resources:
Check out Xwi7xwa Library guides for more information on newspapers, TV and radio.