Local Indigenous Artist recognized nationally for his book, The Bear’s Medicine

PRINCE GEORGE—A local Indigenous artist is being recognized on a national level with a literature award.

Clayton Gauthier, of Nak’azdli First Nation and Slave Lake, Alberta Cree descent, is being awarded one of this year’s Periodical Marketers of Canada Literature Award for his book, The Bear’s Medicine. In an over the phone interview with Gauthier, he told CKPG News that the book took him roughly a month to finish. “I’m a visual person, this book is a picture book for children,” said Gauthier.

“Our children need to…be exposed to the animals that surround us and lessons and teachings that they have to give us.”–Clayton Gauthier, Author of The Bear’s Medicine

Gauthier says that he is still learning from the animals in our region every day, gaining understanding about his relationship with the land, and even relationships with himself. Gauthier explained that when animals wake up after a night’s rest they immediately know what their purpose is that day, and posed the question “do we know what we are doing…do we know our job on Mother Earth?”