Schedule of Events
Wednesday, May 20th
Indigenous Creative Spaces and Treaty Partner Gatherings
Creative Nomad Studios (23 Mississaga St W, Orillia, ON L3V 3A5) / 1pm - 4pm
Arts and Cultural workers and stakeholders are invited to join Dr. Terri-Lynn Brennan, Christine Friday and ArtsBuild Ontario for a working session dedicated to the intersection of allyship, Indigenous creative spaces, and self-determination. The session welcomes all arts organizations to rethink their organizational structures toward building relationships as allies and creating safe and enabling spaces rooted in Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination.
Walking Through The Fire (Film and Music)
Creative Nomad Studios / 6:30pm
Tickets: $15 - cash at the door
Introduction by Elder Jeff Monague followed by opening remarks and post-film Q&A with filmmaker/Sultans of String producer Chris McKhool and Elder Shannon Thunderbird.
Thursday, May 21st
Elementary Education Day
Danielle Big Canoe Snake, Librarian for the Rama First Nation, and Kate Hilliard, Artistic Director for Arts Orillia, are thrilled to partner with elementary teachers from the Simcoe County District School Board for a day of cultural learning with students in grades 4 and 5.
Friday, May 22nd
High School Education Day
The festival team is delighted to host guest authors and artists at Seven Fires, Twin Lakes Secondary, and Orillia Secondary. Students will meet and listen to the personal stories of our these tremendous artists to hear how they became professional writers and musicians.
Saturday, May 23rd
Public Gathering
Rama Community Hall (5950 Rama Rd, Rama, ON L0K 1L0) / 9:30am - 4:30pm
9:30 - 10:30 am: Opening Prayer and Community Breakfast
10:30 am: Opening Chief and Council Welcome
10:45 am: Opening Words from Gathering Festival Team
10:55 am: Nancy Cooper
11:45 am: Tristan Douglas
• 5-minute pause •
12:05 pm: Angeline Boulley
1:10 pm: Lunch – Makers market + food trucks on site
• 5-minute pause •
2:00 pm: Language Revitalization: Jessica Shonias
3:00 pm: Monique Gray Smith
• 5-minute pause •
4:05 pm: Reading and closing remarks with Sherry Lawson
End – Miigwech
We're very proud to work with the amazing folks at Manticore Books.
All events are free of charge. Gathering is made possible through public funding, private donors, and sponsorships. Donations are welcome.
With Generous Support From
Festival Guests
Angeline Boulley
Angeline Boulley, an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, is a storyteller who writes about her Ojibwe community in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. She is a former Director of the Office of Indian Education at the U.S. Department of Education. Angeline lives in southwest Michigan, but her home will always be on Sugar Island. Angeline was born into story-telling people, and was was first introduced to the art through generational oral tradition. Yet during her childhood, Angeline struggled with her biracial Indigenous identity. In searching for representation through the stories in books she was reading, she realized that the examples she found lacked depth and true experience. It wasn’t until her mid-forties that she realized she could write her own experience into existence.
Firekeeper’s Daughter is her debut novel, and was an instant #1 NYT Bestseller. The book has been named the Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature, the Printz Award, the William C. Morris award for YA debut literature, and was an American Indian Youth Literature Award Honor Book. Called an “Indigenous Nancy Drew” the central character is Native teen who must root out the corruption in her community after witnessing a shocking murder.
Her second novel, Warrior Girl Unearthed, was published in 2023 and was an instant New York Times and Indies Bestseller. This novel takes us back to Sugar Island, and is a high stakes thriller about the power of discovering your stolen history.
Angeline’s newest novel, Sisters in the Wind (September 2025), is a daring new mystery about a foster teen claiming her heritage on her own terms.
Elder Jeff Monague
Jeff (Nikamowin) is a former Chief of the Beausoleil First Nation on Christian Island, former Director of Treaty Research with the Anishnabek (Union of Ontario Indians) and a Canadian Forces Veteran. Jeff Monague is an avid musician, singer and has taught Ojibwe language at the Simcoe County District School Board and Georgian College. He is an Elder and a knowledge keeper in his community.
Jessica Shonias
Jessica Shonias is a Nishnaabe language educator, speaker, and co-founder of Eshki-Nishnaabemjig, an adult immersion program focused on supporting learners to become conversationally proficient in their everyday lives.
As a second-language learner who has reached conversational proficiency, Jessica brings a practical and relatable approach to language learning. Her work focuses on helping adult learners move beyond beginner stages through meaningful use, clear progression, and supportive learning environments. She is Caribou Clan and a member and resident of Chippewas of Rama First Nation.
Monique Gray Smith
Monique Gray Smith is an award-winning, bestselling author. Her books cover a broad spectrum of ages, topics and emotions. Woven into all of Monique’s writing, speaking engagements and online courses is the teaching that Love is Medicine. Monique’s book Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults, received the Sigurd F. Olson Nature Writing Award for 2022. Originally written by Robin Wall Kimmerer and the adaptation includes illustrations by Nicole Neidhardt. Monique’s novel, Tilly and the Crazy Eights was longlisted for Canada Reads 2021. Her children’s book, Dreaming Alongside (April 2025), gives readers permission to daydream and think of what magic their lives have the potential to hold. Sharing the Light: Stories and Reflections (January 2026), was an instant national bestseller. Monique’s newest book, Kookums First Drum will be released April 2026.
Monique is trained as a Psychiatric Nurse and has worked in various capacities in community and as a consultant since 1990. Her focus has been weaving history, resilience and trauma informed training for educators, social workers, librarians and early childhood teams. Monique is Cree and Scottish and has been sober and involved in her healing journey for over 34 years. She is well known for her storytelling, spirit of generosity and focus on resilience.
Nancy Cooper
Nancy Cooper is a proud member of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation. Nancy is the author of three children's books. She lives in Toronto with her family. Nancy is lucky to be able to work with all of the First Nation Public Libraries in Ontario through her work at the Ontario Library Service. She also coordinates the First Nation Communities READ Indigenous Literature Award program. In her other work she is an acquiring editor at Annick Press, one of Canada's oldest Children's publishing companies. So if you have an idea for a kid's book, talk to her!
Sherry Lawson
Sherry Lawson grew up on Rama Reserve near Orillia, Ontario in the lean 50’s and 60’s. Her father and his mother were a wealth of knowledge on topics of Native People, history, language and culture, and she thrived under their tutelage. Sherry never meant to be an author but turning fifty convinced her to leave a record for her children and grand-children. Sherry’s stories take us through a chaotic childhood and instances as a young adult of outright racism. There are tears and laughter, just like in real life. Sherry’s professional life took her from the halls of justice to helping deliver a breakfast program in area schools, from improving library and literacy services to First Nations communities, to speaking to audiences large and small, about how things used to be B.C. (Before casino). She was fortunate to travel the world with her late husband Rob and has two accomplished, grown children. Sherry likes to describe herself this way: wife, mother, community member and Nookomis (Grandmother). She is at work on the fourth collection of her Stories From My Life series.