What does Migration mean to you? NorthWord’s fourth issue offers some answersFor Miss Jeelani’s sixth grade class at the Fort McMurray Islamic School, Migration means following their parents to another country or city and eventually settling in Fort McMurray.
“People move from one place to another to find a better life,” writes Samir Hamdan, originally from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Six other such essays will tell you sweet stories of moving.
Local artist and poet, Louise van Alenburg, captures the essence of Migration in a poem, which begins with “It’s my eyes/that see your land.” She is also the cover artist for this issue.
Migration is a reality for most residents of Wood Buffalo and issue four of NorthWord, A Literary Journal of Canada’s North, captures these sentiments beautifully. The publication goes on sale today.
NorthWord is published by the Northern Canada Collective Society for Writers (NCCSW). The NCCSW is a local group, which has a purpose to publish and support the work of writers in northern Canada. Based in Fort McMurray, Alberta the NCCSW publishes NorthWord twice yearly, rotating editors and themes from issue to issue.
Jennifer Hemstock, President and founder, NCCSW edited this issue, which she says reflects the theme of Migration beautifully. In the stories and poetry and art, the artists tell us of loss and of hope. And they do so richly. There are moments of tenderness, moments of humour and moments of harsh reality. It was a great pleasure to edit this issue.
The launch event for this issue has been slated for Friday, March 18, 2011 at Frames and More on Centennial Drive. Stay tuned for more details.
The group is now accepting submission for issue number five, to be edited by Linda Black, Childhood Studies Instructor at Keyano College. The deadline for submissions is April 30, 2011.
Short stories or excerpts from current projects, fiction or non-fiction (3000 words maximum), verse of no more than 50 lines, along with anything surprising, original, evocative, or inventive can be submitted to the editors at northword@hushmail.com.
NorthWord is available for sale at the Keyano College Bookstore, Coles, Frames and More, Airport Gift Shop, Oil Sands Discovery Centre and Heritage Park.
For more information, please contact:
Kiran Malik-Khan
Media Director
Northern Canada Collective Society for Writers
780-791-8971
northerncanadacollective@gmail.com
I am SOOOOO looking forward to the insightful journey that Ms. Black will surely take us on when she exposes us to her editor magic, nay prophecy.
ReplyDeleteI have already began to drink one mai-tai per day in servant like preparation for this great event.
Can I humbly request that she breath in the direction of Waterways when she delivers the promise to the rest of us.
I am weak.