NorthWords provides forum to discuss identity in writing
Lawrence Hill discusses how who he is shapes his writing in festival that sees attendance soar in eleventh year
Joseph Tunney
Northern News Services
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Author Lawrence Hill has a succinct answer for anybody who goes prying into his ethnic background.
Lawrence Hill, author of The Book of Negroes, addresses a crowd of more than 60 people in his talk entitled How Race and Identity Shaped My Writing. - Joseph Tunney/NNSL photo |
"I tell them I'm Canadian, which is code for, 'Screw off,'" he said to a crowd of approximately 60 people who had gathered on Sunday afternoon at the Explorer Hotel to listen to him give a talk titled How Race and Identity Shaped my Writing.
Hill, headliner of this year's NorthWords Festival and author of The Book of Negroes, is the son of a black father and white mother.
"People feel entitled to just go poking around in areas if they don't feel you fit in with what they think you should," Hill said when asked if people ever ask about his ethnic background. "I like to challenge that sense of entitlement."
His talk was one of many at this year's festival, which focused on themes of breaking the mold and identities in writing.
For Tracey Bryant, executive director of NorthWords, said focusing on Hill's national name-recognition misses the point of the festival.
"It's a Northern festival and it's about recognizing and appreciating our Northern talent," she said.
"As well as featuring our guest authors."
NorthWords brings in a wide variety authors, including graphic novelists, a coffee-table novelist and CBC's Shelagh Rogers, who recently wrote a memoir.
"We're not just talking about fiction writers," Bryant said, adding they all touch on the festival's theme of identity in writing.
NorthWords ran from Thursday to Sunday, with different talks, panels and events each day.
Bryant said over a 1,000 people attended the festival, with more this year than ever before.
