A local indigenous writer will be releasing his newest book to the public soon.
John Brady McDonald is a Nehiyawak-Metis writer, artist, historian, musician, playwright, actor and activist born and raised in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He is from the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation and the Mistawasis Nehiyawak.
His newest book titled, “Carrying it Forward” will consist of essays he has written about on Facebook. “It’s my first non-fiction work, it is a collection of essays that I’ve written over the past little bit that started out as things I’d write on Facebook, more expanded Facebook posts and rants and what have you,” McDonald said. “The essays are my look at life, my look at some of the issues that we as Indigenous Peoples face, a little bit about my history, my reconnection with Indigenous culture, my coming to terms with a lot of the issues I’ve gone through in my life, being a residential school survivor, growing up in the city of Prince Albert as an urban Indigenous youth, touching base on many aspects and views of the way I see the world.”
McDonald explained how writing, “Carrying it Forward” pushed him as a writer and took him out of his comfort zone. “It was a chance for me to be able to take myself out of my comfort zone as it were, I’m a poet and my books are published poetry and a lot of the opportunities I’ve had in the past to have my work published has been through poetry and this has been my first chance to take me out of my comfort zone and express myself in a different way other than a poetic form,” said McDonald. “I think the message I would like to portray is a glimpse of the way I see the world, and to share those teachings that I’ve been given and the knowledge I’ve been given, the experiences, I’ve been very fortunate and blessed in my life to have so many amazing experiences and taught lessons from those experiences and through this book I want to share those stories and have them carried forward.”
“Carrying it Forward” is expected to be released November 8.