Tenille K. Campbell is a Dene and Métis poet, author and photographer from English River First Nation, Saskatchewan. She is a graduate of the University of British Columbia and has completed her Master’s in Fine Arts in Creative Writing. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in the Department of English at the University of Saskatchewan, focusing on Indigenous literature as the discipline for her research work.
In 2017, Tenille began working on her inaugural poetry book, #IndianLovePoems, published in the same year by Signature Editions. It became an award-winning collection of poetry that focuses on Indigenous erotica, reclaiming and exploring ideas of Indigenous sexuality through humour and storytelling, and covers Indigenous adventures from Walpole Island to Northern Saskatchewan to the coast of Vancouver. She was invited to talk about her collection on CBC’s New Fire by Lisa Charleyboy.
Her work, Select Writing, is a curated collection of essays, articles, and poetry.
Tenille is a self-taught photographer and the artist behind sweetmoon photography. She started sweetmoon in 2010 when she moved back to Northern Saskatchewan after graduation. Since then, sweetmoon has been working in Saskatchewan and throughout Canada as a photography brand that focuses on telling Indigenous stories through visual storytelling. She takes pride in sharing diverse images of her Indigenous communities. Since receiving immense support from her community, she has also delved into shooting weddings, grads, portraits, businesses, and community events.
She is also the co-creator of tea&bannock, a collaborative online collective of nine Indigenous women photographers who tell stories and share light. It was started in 2016 along with Joi T Arcand as a safe space for Indigenous women creatives to share their stories and images. They consider it a visual reclamation and a platform for an authentic community-building collective that invites discussion and celebrates joy.
Her work focuses on Indigenous peoples in Canada and has been featured on Radio Canada International, the University of Saskatchewan News, and Eagle Feather News. She also contributes to “Urban Tribe” and “Dreaming in Indian.”
Tenille K. Campbell was named as one of the Future 40 in Saskatchewan by CBC. She is currently working on two poems and her doctoral dissertation. In a life of stories and laughter, she dreams of a novel that she hasn’t started yet. She currently resides in Saskatoon.
Tenille K Campell is a symbol of Indigenous resilience, creating a safe and growing space for Indigenous communities. For more information about her works, visit her website at https://www.tenillecampbell.com/.
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