Billy-Ray Belcourt

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Billy-Ray Belcourt

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{{short description|Cree poet, scholar, and author}}
{{short description|Cree poet, scholar, and author}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Billy-Ray Belcourt
| name = Billy-Ray Belcourt
| image =
| image =
| education = * Ph.D. in English from the University of Alberta
| education = [[University of Alberta]] (PhD)
* M.St. in Women's Studies with Distinction from Oxford University
[[Oxford University]] (MSt)
* B.A. (Hons.) in Comparative Literature with First Class Honours from the University of Alberta
University of Alberta (BA)
| occupation = Author, Poet, Scholar
| occupation = Author, poet, scholar
| notable_works = This Wound is a World
| notable_works = ''This Wound is a World''
| awards = * Rhodes Scholarship, 2016
| awards = [[Rhodes Scholarship]] (2016)
* CBC's Top Ten Poetry Collection, 2017
[[Griffin Poetry Prize]] (2018)
⚫
| website = {{URL|billy-raybelcourt.com}}
* P.K. Page Founder's Award for Poetry, 2017
* Griffin Poetry Prize, 2018
* Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholar, 2018
⚫
| website = https://billy-raybelcourt.com
}}
}}
'''Billy-Ray Belcourt''' is a poet, scholar, and author from the [[Driftpile First Nation|Driftpile Cree Nation]].
'''Billy-Ray Belcourt''' is a poet, scholar, and author from the [[Driftpile First Nation|Driftpile Cree Nation]].{{Cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Margaret |date=2025-09-21 |title=Celebrated writer, UBC professor Billy-Ray Belcourt releases new poetry collection |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/billy-ray-belcourt-the-idea-of-an-entire-life-1.7639023 |website=CBC}}


Belcourt's works encompass a variety of topics and themes, including [[decolonial love]], grief, intimacy and [[Queer|queer sexuality]], and the role of Indigenous women in social resistance movements. Belcourt is also the author of the poetry collection ''This Wound Is a World'' which was chosen as one of CBC's top ten poetry collections of 2017 and won the 2018 Canadian [[Griffin Poetry Prize]]. Belcourt was the 2016 recipient of the prestigious [[Rhodes Scholarship]] and is currently an assistant professor in Indigenous Creative Writing at the [[University of British Columbia]].{{Cite web |title=Billy-Ray Belcourt |url=https://creativewriting.ubc.ca/profile/billy-ray-belcourt/ |access-date=2020-03-02 |website=The University of British Columbia School of Creative Writing |language=en-CA}}{{Cite web|title=Billy-Ray Belcourt|url=https://billy-raybelcourt.com/|access-date=2021-01-17|website=billy-raybelcourt.com|language=en-US}}
Belcourt's works cover a variety of topics and themes, including [[Decoloniality|decolonial love]], grief, intimacy, [[Queer|queer sexuality]], and the role of Indigenous women in social resistance movements.{{Cite web |last=Mecija |first=Casey |date=2017-12-18 |title='Heartbreak is sonic': How Billy-Ray Belcourt's poetry encouraged decolonial love in 2017 |url=https://www.cbc.ca/arts/heartbreak-is-sonic-how-billy-ray-belcourt-s-poetry-encouraged-decolonial-love-in-2017-1.4454172 |website=CBC}}{{Cite web |last=Belcourt |first=Billy-Ray |date=2021-06-21 |title=Grief After Grief After Grief After Grief |url=https://griffinpoetryprize.com/poem/grief-after-grief-after-grief-after-grief/ |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=Griffin Poetry Prize |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Wereley |first=Stephanie |date=2024-03-21 |title=In conversation with Billy-Ray Belcourt, McGill’s 2024 Mellon ISCEI Writer in Residence |url=https://reporter.mcgill.ca/billy-ray-belcourt-is-mcgills-2024-mellon-iscei-writer-in-residence/ |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=McGill Reporter |language=en-CA}}{{Cite web |last=McMaster |first=Geoff |date=2020-11-17 |title=PhD caps off stellar academic and literary success for Billy-Ray Belcourt |url=https://www.ualberta.ca/en/folio/2020/11/phd-caps-off-stellar-academic-and-literary-success-for-billy-ray-belcourt.html |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=University of Alberta |language=en}} Belcourt is the author of the poetry collection ''This Wound Is a World,'' which was chosen as one of [[CBC Arts|CBC]]'s best poetry books of 2017{{Cite web |last=Brunet |first=Jonah |date=2018-06-05 |title=Billy-Ray Belcourt’s Radical Poetry |url=https://thewalrus.ca/billy-ray-belcourts-radical-poetry/ |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=The Walrus |language=en-US}} and won the 2018 [[Griffin Poetry Prize]].{{Cite web |last=Mcmaster |first=Geoff |date=2018-06-08 |title=Star Indigenous student wins Canada's biggest poetry prize |url=https://www.ualberta.ca/en/folio/2018/06/star-indigenous-student-wins-canadas-biggest-poetry-prize.html |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=University of Alberta |language=en}} Belcourt was the 2016 recipient of the [[Rhodes Scholarship]]{{Cite news |last=Chiose |first=Simona |date=2015-11-23 |title=Canadian Rhodes winners announced as scholarship debated |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/rhodes-scholarship-facing-a-new-debate-over-its-past/article27435212/ |access-date=2026-04-20 |work=The Globe and Mail |language=en-CA}} and is an associate professor in the School of Creative Writing at the [[University of British Columbia]]. name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Billy-Ray Belcourt |url=https://creativewriting.ubc.ca/profile/billy-ray-belcourt/ |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=The University of British Columbia School of Creative Writing |language=en-CA}}


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
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While an active writer and poet throughout his university career, Belcourt published his first book, ''This Wound Is a World'' in 2017.{{Cite news |last=Jane |first=van Koeverden |date=Nov 14, 2017 |title=Billy-Ray Belcourt on writing an 'instruction manual for a queer Indigenous future' |language=en-US |work=CBC Books |url=http://www.cbc.ca/books/billy-ray-belcourt-on-writing-an-instruction-manual-for-a-queer-indigenous-future-1.4367820 |access-date=2018-03-12}} This was followed by his second book in 2019: ''NDN Coping Mechanisms, Notes from the Field.''{{Cite news |date=Jul 26, 2019 |title=NDN Coping Mechanisms |language=en-US |work=CBC Bookds |url=https://www.cbc.ca/books/ndn-coping-mechanisms-1.5226944 |access-date=2021-03-24}} In 2020, he released his third book, ''[[A History of My Brief Body|A History of My Brief Body: A Memoir]]'', accompanied by ''A History of My Brief Body: Essays.''{{Cite news|last=Young|first=Kristen Millares|title=Review {{!}} In 'A History of My Brief Body,' Billy-Ray Belcourt triumphs over oppression through lyric essays|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/in-a-history-of-my-brief-body-billy-ray-belcourt-triumphs-over-oppression-through-lyric-essays/2020/07/16/a5d92b7e-c5de-11ea-8ffe-372be8d82298_story.html|access-date=2021-03-24|issn=0190-8286}}{{Cite news |date=Feb 18, 2020 |title=A History of My Brief Body|language=en-US |work=CBC Books |url=https://www.cbc.ca/books/a-history-of-my-brief-body-1.5418765 |access-date=2021-03-24}}
While an active writer and poet throughout his university career, Belcourt published his first book, ''This Wound Is a World'' in 2017.{{Cite news |last=Jane |first=van Koeverden |date=Nov 14, 2017 |title=Billy-Ray Belcourt on writing an 'instruction manual for a queer Indigenous future' |language=en-US |work=CBC Books |url=http://www.cbc.ca/books/billy-ray-belcourt-on-writing-an-instruction-manual-for-a-queer-indigenous-future-1.4367820 |access-date=2018-03-12}} This was followed by his second book in 2019: ''NDN Coping Mechanisms, Notes from the Field.''{{Cite news |date=Jul 26, 2019 |title=NDN Coping Mechanisms |language=en-US |work=CBC Bookds |url=https://www.cbc.ca/books/ndn-coping-mechanisms-1.5226944 |access-date=2021-03-24}} In 2020, he released his third book, ''[[A History of My Brief Body|A History of My Brief Body: A Memoir]]'', accompanied by ''A History of My Brief Body: Essays.''{{Cite news|last=Young|first=Kristen Millares|title=Review {{!}} In 'A History of My Brief Body,' Billy-Ray Belcourt triumphs over oppression through lyric essays|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/in-a-history-of-my-brief-body-billy-ray-belcourt-triumphs-over-oppression-through-lyric-essays/2020/07/16/a5d92b7e-c5de-11ea-8ffe-372be8d82298_story.html|access-date=2021-03-24|issn=0190-8286}}{{Cite news |date=Feb 18, 2020 |title=A History of My Brief Body|language=en-US |work=CBC Books |url=https://www.cbc.ca/books/a-history-of-my-brief-body-1.5418765 |access-date=2021-03-24}}


In 2020, Belcourt completed a Ph.D. in the Department of English and Film Studies at the University of Alberta.{{Cite web |last=McMaster |first=Geoff |date=November 17, 2020 |title=PhD caps off stellar academic and literary success for Billy-Ray Belcourt |url=https://www.ualberta.ca/folio/2020/11/phd-caps-off-stellar-academic-and-literary-success-for-billy-ray-belcourt.html |access-date=2021-03-25 |website=University of Alberta Folio}} His research focuses on what he calls the 'Indigenous paranormal' in art, poetry and film that has been produced by Indigenous peoples in the region currently called Canada. In January 2020, Belcourt joined UBC's Creative Writing Program as Associate Professor in Indigenous Creative Writing.{{Citation|title=Undergraduate Creative Writing|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/9781137284464.0013|work=Teaching Creative Writing|year=2012|place=Basingstoke|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|doi=10.1057/9781137284464.0013|isbn=978-1-137-28446-4|access-date=2021-03-24|url-access=subscription}}{{Cite web |date=April 11, 2019 |title=Award-winning poet Billy-Ray Belcourt to join UBC's creative writing program |url=https://creativewriting.ubc.ca/news/award-winning-poet-billy-ray-belcourt-to-join-ubcs-creative-writing-program/ |access-date=2021-03-24 |website=The University of British Columbia School of Creative Writing |language=en-CA}}
In 2020, Belcourt completed a Ph.D. in the Department of English and Film Studies at the University of Alberta.{{Cite web |last=McMaster |first=Geoff |date=November 17, 2020 |title=PhD caps off stellar academic and literary success for Billy-Ray Belcourt |url=https://www.ualberta.ca/folio/2020/11/phd-caps-off-stellar-academic-and-literary-success-for-billy-ray-belcourt.html |access-date=2021-03-25 |website=University of Alberta Folio}} His research focuses on what he calls the 'Indigenous paranormal' in art, poetry and film that has been produced by Indigenous peoples in the region currently called Canada. In January 2020, Belcourt joined UBC's Creative Writing Program as Associate Professor in Indigenous Creative Writing.{{Citation|title=Undergraduate Creative Writing|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/9781137284464.0013|work=Teaching Creative Writing|year=2012|place=Basingstoke|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|doi=10.1057/9781137284464.0013|isbn=978-1-137-28446-4|access-date=2021-03-24|url-access=subscription}}{{Cite web |date=April 11, 2019 |title=Award-winning poet Billy-Ray Belcourt to join UBC's creative writing program |url=https://creativewriting.ubc.ca/news/award-winning-poet-billy-ray-belcourt-to-join-ubcs-creative-writing-program/ |access-date=2021-03-24 |website=The University of British Columbia School of Creative Writing |language=en-CA}}


''A Minor Chorus'' was shortlisted for the 2023 [[Amazon.ca First Novel Award]].{{cite web |url=https://quillandquire.com/omni/billy-ray-belcourt-jessica-johns-among-2023-amazon-canada-first-novel-finalists/ |title=Billy-Ray Belcourt, Jessica Johns among 2023 Amazon Canada First Novel finalists |last=Drudi |first=Cassandra |website=[[Quill & Quire]] |date=May 4, 2023 |access-date=May 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230520031855/https://quillandquire.com/omni/billy-ray-belcourt-jessica-johns-among-2023-amazon-canada-first-novel-finalists/ |archive-date=May 20, 2023}}
''A Minor Chorus'' was shortlisted for the 2023 [[Amazon.ca First Novel Award]].{{cite web |url=https://quillandquire.com/omni/billy-ray-belcourt-jessica-johns-among-2023-amazon-canada-first-novel-finalists/ |title=Billy-Ray Belcourt, Jessica Johns among 2023 Amazon Canada First Novel finalists |last=Drudi |first=Cassandra |website=[[Quill & Quire]] |date=May 4, 2023 |access-date=May 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230520031855/https://quillandquire.com/omni/billy-ray-belcourt-jessica-johns-among-2023-amazon-canada-first-novel-finalists/ |archive-date=May 20, 2023}}
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