Avis Blackbird has always been a creative soul. In her teenage years she embraced writing poetry as an outlet for her emotions. As she got older, and life got in the way, Blackbird didn’t engage in the same writing. When COVID-19 happened, she searched for a way to express herself and fell back in love with writing.

“It was around COVID or coming out of COVID, and I just had no way to express my emotions. I returned back to poetry and it was just amazing, the freedom I felt and finally being able to have a place to express my negative emotions,” shared Blackbird. 

Around this time, Blackbird’s extended family were pursuing obtaining their status and connecting with their Indigenous heritage. They were working with their band to find more traditions to engage in.

“We were reclaiming our Indigeneity. I had always identified as Indigenous and I had been really fortunate to be involved in a lot of Indigenous programming and had learned from a lot of people outside my family about my Indigeneity.”

Part of Blackbird’s Indigeneity was tied to the ways she expressed herself creatively. She did visual arts such as painting and drawing as well as her writing. 

“Reclaiming of my Indigenous identity or learning more about my Indigeneity led me to a place where I was able to be more creative and find that balance.”

Blackbird’s debut book of poetry, Lightning in Our Roots, is heavy on nature themes, taking the reader through four distinct chapters of different seasons. Her work is expressive and easily evokes imagery in her words. 

“The seasonal round stood out to me, because I’m also learning about those through my nation. It kind of falls perfectly in that line where you have your colder months, which are about reflection, and then you get all the way to summer, which is connection, being together and abundance.”

Finishing on a strong connection was important to Blackbird, wanting the reader to feel the seasons as they go through the poems.

“I just wanted to end on that vitality. The word resilience is used so often around Indigenous peoples and I love that. But there is another piece that I love, which is vitality.”

The need to escape to nature was strong during COVID-19, for many, but Blackbird used the time to reconnect with the outdoors with the aid of Knowledge Keepers, storytellers and performing traditional activities. 

“I had the privilege of harvesting cedar and really connecting and learning. That was a huge part of my life, that return to nature, because that was my sanity during COVID – going on walks and being outdoors.”

By powering through the bleakness of COVID-19 times, reconnecting to her writing and embracing nature, Blackbird felt peace and more sure of her Indigeneity. 

Blackbird found it important to connect with nature no matter where she was. She found this throughout the forests of British Columbia and even within the city.

“Everyday when I walk my dog, I see at least one bird and make some connections. I like the idea that no matter where we are, we could still connect with nature. It’s all around us.”

The collection took around two and a half years to solidify and make its way into a manuscript that Blackbird was proud of. She thanks her editors for their patience as she made revisions and thought of new things to add.

“It’s like, you’ve handed it in and then your brain just starts being like ‘oh my God! I thought of something so much better!’”

Blackbird wants to convey that everyone can write, have a creative outlet and express themselves. 

“I hope it’s encouraging to other people to just throw themselves out there and try it because it never hurts. The greatest thing about this was the journey that I was able to go on writing it – and the growth that I had.”

Overall, Blackbird hopes that the poetry connects with everyone – Indigenous or not. 

“My biggest hope is just that it is relatable. This book was medicine and I just hope that I’ve put it out there for other people as medicine to make some connections.”

Lightning in Our Roots is available everywhere.