Dave Robertson and the Power or Narative Healing

Feature Profile Stories as Medicine Dave Robertson and the Power of Narrative Healing He was catching a flight when we spoke—somewhere between cities, somewhere between the dozens of schools, conferences, and corporate speaking engagements that keep Dave Robertson in near-constant motion. For a man who has spent two decades building one of the most important bodies of work in Canadian Indigenous literature, the pace feels fitting. The stories don't stop, and neither does he. Robertson was raised in Winnipeg by parents from Norway House Cree Nation in northern Manitoba. Today, he is one of Canada's most widely read authors—a Governor General's Award winner, an editorial director, a podcaster, and a tireless advocate for Indigenous storytelling. "I hope that it makes Indigenous kids feel empowered, seen and important. That they are valued, loved and that they feel closer to who they are, and feel proud of that. That's really at the heart of it for me." Through his podcast Kīwew and books such as Black Water and 52 Ways to Reconcile, Robertson moves fluidly between graphic novels, picture books, and prose, reaching readers from kindergarten classrooms to university lecture halls. In this conversation, he speaks about education, fatherhood, publishing, and why representation matters. Full interview inside. Read our conversation with Dave Robertson about writing with intention. Become a Member