Tag Archives: Winnipeg

Don’t Even (2024): A Journey Back to High School Days

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Are you still able to remember your high school life? Maybe you enjoyed spending time there with friends, or perhaps it wasn’t a happy time for you for various reasons. As for me, I’d love to go back to high school because my final year was during COVID. I wish I could have spent more time with the people I knew. Anyway, without talking more about myself, let’s take a look at why Don’t Even is different from other high school TV series.

For the main character Violet, it’s a rough start after a humiliating valedictorian speech. Determined to make up for it, she and her best friend Harley set out to have an unforgettable summer before adulthood takes over. Their journey is full of awkward, funny, and heartfelt moments as they try to make their last teenage days count.

That’s the heart of Don’t Even, a new Indigenous coming-of-age comedy streaming on Crave. Set in Winnipeg during the late ’90s, the show is created by Anishininew comedian Amber-Sekowan Daniels and directed by Heiltsuk and Mohawk filmmaker Zoe Leigh Hopkins. It invites us into the lives of Violet and Harley, played by Leenah Robinson and Victoria Gwendoline, as they figure out life, friendship, and growing up.

The ’90s setting adds a nostalgic touch, reminding us of a time before smartphones when life felt a little more adventurous. “The ’90s have this cool vibe,” Daniels explains. “Winnipeg hasn’t changed much, so it was easy to bring that era back to life.” Watching the show feels like stepping into an old memory, with dreamy scenes of downtown Winnipeg and its surroundings.

What really stands out is the humor. Daniels’ sharp and honest writing makes us laugh at the awkwardness of growing up, while still letting us feel the emotional depth. “I wanted to show young Indigenous women as real, layered people—funny, complex, and imperfect,” she says. Hopkins agrees, saying the show balances heartfelt moments and laugh-out-loud comedy, sometimes all in one scene.

The visuals feel like an indie film, with Hopkins using a natural, flowing style that lets us see the world through Violet and Harley’s eyes. For Hopkins, who was a teenager in the ’90s, the story felt personal. “I saw pieces of my own life in this,” she says.

At its core, Don’t Even is about the messy, magical parts of growing up. It shows us how imperfect people can find their way, stumble through mistakes, and still create something meaningful. “That’s what growing up is,” Daniels says, and the show makes us believe it.

Two Authors from Winnipeg have won Governor General’s Literary Awards.

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Niigaan Sinclair is an Anishinaabe writer and editor from Winnipeg, wanted to share his perspective of Canada through an Indigenous lens. When he pitched his book, Winnipeg: Visions of Canada from an Indigenous Centre, to a publisher in Toronto, he was told it would probably be seen as a “regional book,” mainly appealing to people in Manitoba, northwestern Ontario, and Saskatchewan. Sinclair wasn’t expecting much attention from other parts of Canada and was not surprised when most of the sales came from these areas. But to his surprise, his book reached a much wider audience, and it was recently awarded the Governor General’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction. Sinclair shared in a video call from Winnipeg that, even though the book had little fanfare outside of Manitoba at first, it had clearly resonated with people across the country.

The award recognizes the growing presence of Indigenous voices in Canadian literature. Jordan Abel is a Nisga’a writer from Edmonton, he also won the fiction award for his novel Empty Spaces. Abel’s book is unconventional, with no characters or dialogue, and focuses on Indigenous relationships with land, displacement, and diaspora. Abel was worried that his unusual approach would turn readers off, but winning the award reassured him that his book had sparked meaningful conversations. Abel’s work responds to The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper, arguing that Cooper’s novel helped shape U.S. nationalism by ignoring the guilt surrounding the treatment of Indigenous people. Abel believes the themes of his book are especially relevant today, given the current political climate.

Chimwemwe Undi from Winnipeg also won the poetry award for Scientific Marvel, adding to the celebration of Indigenous writers. The Canada Council for the Arts awarded prizes in several categories, with each winner receiving $25,000. These awards show the growing recognition of Indigenous literature, which has gained more attention in recent years thanks to writers like Sinclair, Abel, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, and Sinclair’s late father, Murray Sinclair, who chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Sinclair, who teaches at the University of Manitoba, is passionate about raising awareness of the challenges Indigenous communities face in Winnipeg. He sees the city as the “front line” of Canada’s ongoing struggles with colonialism and injustice. While Sinclair has noticed a rise in interest for Indigenous writing, he also points out that there are still vocal groups denying the history of residential schools. He believes that even as Indigenous voices grow stronger, there will always be resistance. However, he remains hopeful that Canada is ready for the conversation, and he’s proud that his book is helping to drive it.

Big Coagulations to their achievements!