Pawaatamihk: A Journal of Métis Thinkers
Call for Submissions — Inaugural Edition

Deadline: April 30th, 2023

All submissions received after the deadline will be considered for the next issue. 

About the Journal

In November 2022 our Circle of Editors had the opportunity to visit with Elder Verna DeMontigny and talked about our vision for this journal. During the visit Verna graciously offered the name Pawaatamihk which in Michif and Cree roughly translates to “collective dreaming” or “a group of people dreaming.” 

In the same way that dreaming can offer us direction and futures to aspire to, so too will the knowledge that comes through this journal. Simultaneously it is an opportunity to connect to our shared pasts as Métis people, including honoring our ancestors and living relatives whose hard work and dreams have paved the way for our thinking today. We are inspired by the ways that Métis thinkers are building knowledge in many different spaces—within and outside of academia—and dream that this journal will become a nourishing home for Métis thought. Knowledge shared through scholarly papers, visual art, poetry, book reviews, and community stories will be included in each edition. Intentional care will be put toward making space for 2SLGBTQ+ and gender diverse thinkers, scholars at different career stages, and community members not affiliated with academic institutions.

Theme

The inaugural edition (Volume 1, Issues 1 & 2) of Pawaatamihk: A Journal of Métis Thinkers will celebrate the theme of dreaming. We are open to a wide range of interpretations of this theme. We welcome submissions from all professions and disciplines that in some way speak to the priorities, experiences, and dreams of Métis peoples.

Types of Submissions

Each edition will include scholarly papers, visual culture, poetry, book reviews, and community stories. We welcome you to submit within the category that best reflects your work. Only original works that have not been published and/or are not under review elsewhere will be accepted. All submissions will undergo a double peer review. 

• Scholarly papers. We welcome articles from any discipline to be submitted alongside a 100 word maximum abstract. Manuscripts should be formatted in the appropriate referencing style for your discipline (e.g. APA, MLA, Chicago) and be a maximum of 8,000 words. Full drafts are preferred but proposals will be considered. 

• Visual culture. We welcome submissions relating to visual culture. This can include critical reviews (visual art, performance, exhibition, film) to a maximum of 1500 words, art images, performance documentation or film stills, with an artist statement (maximum 150 words). Combined visual files should not exceed 4GB. Image files(up to 10 images may be submitted) should be in JPEG format, RGB colour mode, and be no larger than 1.5 MB. Please name your file: 01filename. For example: 01janedoe 

• Poetry. We invite established and emerging poets to submit, and ask that poems be completed upon submission. 

• Book reviews. We invite reviews of books on Métis-specific topics relevant to developments in Métis ways of knowing, being, and doing. The book review should be a maximum of 1500 words and include a summary of the book's information, a concise overview of themes, and critical analysis of the significance of the work. 

• Community stories. We invite stories that celebrate good work led by Métis people. Stories may take the form of news-like articles about a Métis community member and/or project, or short stories that centre Métis ways of knowing, being, and doing. Stories profiling the work of others should include the contact information of both the author and the individual or group being celebrated. Each story submission should be a maximum of 1500 words.

Submissions in all categories must contain a maximum 100-word biography of the author/creator, and a 200-word Métis community connection statement for reviewers to understand your kinship ties and responsibilities to the Métis Nation (which might include family lines, community relationships, connections to place, citizenship, etc.). Please also include a list of relevant keywords with your submission.

How to Submit

You need to register with the journal prior to submitting or, if already registered, can simply log in and begin the five-step process. From there, you can make a new submission or view your pending submissions.

Contact

For questions, guidance in the submission process, or clarifications, please contact the Circle of Editors at pawaatamihk@uwinnipeg.ca