Maya Cousineau Mollen

Originally from the Innu-Montagnais nation of Ekuanitshit (Mingan), Maya Cousineau Mollen was raised by a Quebec family chosen by her biological parents, who encouraged her never to lose touch with her roots. She began writing poetry at the age of 14. Her texts have appeared in anthologies and literary magazines, including the Amun collection edited by Michel Jean. In 2019, she published her first book, Bréviaire du Matricule 082, with Editions Hannenorak. Her second collection, Enfants du Lichen, published by the same imprint, won the Governor General’s Award in 2022.

Founder of the Native Student Association at Université Laval and co-founder of the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Youth Council, now called the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Youth Network, Maya Cousineau Mollen believes in the potential of youth, whose energy and determination deserve to be encouraged. Since 2017, she has been involved with Projets Autochtones du Québec, which aims to offer housing and social integration services adapted to First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultures. She has held the position of project manager for relations with First Peoples at Bibliothèque et Archives nationale du Québec since January 2023, and continues to give lectures in Quebec and Europe.

Uetshipanit innit Ekuanitshiu, Maya Cousineau Mollen kauapishiniti nitautshinakanipan, ka ishi-naushunaminiti tshitshue uikanisha, ka shutshiteieshkakut tshetshi eka nita unitat anite uetshipanit. Tshitshipanu e tutak ashineu-aimunissa kuetunnuepipuneshit ashu neu. Nenu eshi-mashinaitshet pimipanitakannu anite eiapishish ka ut mamushatshinakannit mak anite kamashinaitshenanut tipatshimu-mashinaikana, ume peiku Amun eshinikatet ue tekuaimatak Michel Jean. Pipun 2019, ushkat uenuipanitat mashinaikannu eshinikatenit Bréviaire du Matricule 082 anite Hannenorak ka ut unuipanitakaniti mashinaikana. Nishu uet takuannit umashinaikan, Enfants du Lichen iapit peikutau uet unuipanitakannit, katshitinamupan atamishkatsheunnu anite ut Gouverneur général du Canada pipunnu 2022.

Uin ka tshimatat mamuitunnu innu-katshishkutamuakanishiniti anite Kamishta-tshishkutamatunanut Laval mak ka uitshiaushit ka tshimatakannit Kaussei kaiuassiuniti Ushkat ute ka taniti Innua Uepishtikueiau-assit mak Akamississit, anutshish uet tapishiniht kaiuassiuht Ushkat ute ka taht Innuat Uepishtikueiau-assit mak Akamississit, Maya Cousineau Mollen, shutshenimeu kaiuassiuniti ishpish shutshenitakushiniti kie ishpish tapuetatishuniti eshinakuannit tshetshi shutshiteieshkuakanniti. Anite ut pipun 2017, pushipanu anite Innu-atusseuna Uepishtikueiau-assit eshinakuannit utatusseunnu tshetshi nipekuakanniti auennua mak tshetshi uitshiakanniti tshetshi taniti anite mamu katanannut e katshitaitshemakannit Ushkat ute ka taht Innuat utaitunnit, Aissimeuat mak Mashinnua. Uin tshitapatamu nenua atusseunnu tshetshi aimitunannut ashit nenua Ushkat ute ka taniti Innua anite Bibliothèque et Archives nationale du Québec anite ut pipunnu 2023 mak shaputuepanu e patshitinak aimunnu ute Uepishtikueiau-assit mak Akamitshikamit.