Billy-Ray Belcourt

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Billy-Ray Belcourt
Born (1994-10-21) October 21, 1994
EducationUniversity of Alberta (PhD)
Oxford University (MSt)
University of Alberta (BA)
OccupationsAuthor, poet, scholar
Notable workThis Wound is a World
A History of My Brief Body
AwardsRhodes Scholarship (2016) Griffin Poetry Prize (2018)
Websitebilly-raybelcourt.com

Billy-Ray Belcourt (born October 21, 1994) is a poet, scholar, and author from the Driftpile Cree Nation.[1]

Belcourt's works cover a variety of topics and themes, including decolonial love, grief, intimacy, queer sexuality, and the role of Indigenous women in social resistance movements.[2][3][4][5] Belcourt is the author of the poetry collection This Wound Is a World, which was chosen as one of CBC's best poetry books of 2017[6] and won the 2018 Griffin Poetry Prize.[7] Belcourt was the 2016 recipient of the Rhodes Scholarship[8] and is an associate professor in the School of Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia.[9]

Life

Belcourt grew up in the community of Driftpile, Alberta. He was raised by his grandparents and began writing poetry around the age of 19.[10]

As an undergraduate student, Belcourt studied comparative literature at the University of Alberta where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 2016.[11] While at the University of Alberta, Belcourt was actively involved as "an advocate for LGBTQ and Indigenous communities", which included serving as the Aboriginal Student Council president.[12] He was also a Youth Facilitator with the Native Youth Sexual Health Network (NYSHN).[4][13]

In 2015, Belcourt was selected as a recipient of the Rhodes Scholarship to study at Wadham College, Oxford University, for the 2016–2017 school year.[14] In 2017, Belcourt graduated from Oxford University with a master's degree in women's studies. His master's thesis focused on "the role of Indigenous women in social resistance movements."[12]

While an active writer and poet throughout his university career, Belcourt published his first book, This Wound Is a World, in 2017.[15] This was followed by his second book in 2019: NDN Coping Mechanisms, Notes from the Field.[16] In 2020, he released his third book, A History of My Brief Body: A Memoir, accompanied by A History of My Brief Body: Essays.[17][18]

In 2020, Belcourt completed a PhD in the Department of English and Film Studies at the University of Alberta.[19][12][9] His research focused on what the "Indigenous paranormal" in art, poetry, and film produced by First Nations people.[12]

In January 2020, Belcourt joined the University of British Columbia's Creative Writing Program, where he is an associate professor in Indigenous Creative Writing.[20][9]

Belcourt released his first novel, A Minor Chorus, was published in 2022.[21] It was shortlisted for the 2023 Amazon Canada First Novel Award.[22] It was one of the shortlisted books for the 2026 edition of the Canada Reads competition, defended by Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers.[23]

Publications

Books

Essays and scholarship

Creative writing and poetry

Awards

Year Nominated work Award Category Result Ref.
2025 Coexistence Danuta Gleed Literary Award N/A Shortlisted [28]
Jim Deva Prize for Writing that Provokes [29]
2021 A History of My Brief Body [30]
2020 NDN Coping Mechanisms Alberta Literary Awards Stephan G. Stephansson Award for Poetry Won [31]
2019 N/A Indspire Awards Youth – First Nation [32]
2018 This Wound Is a World Robert Kroetsch City of Edmonton Book Prize N/A [33]
Indigenous Voices Awards Most Significant Work of Poetry in English by an Emerging Indigenous Writer [34]
Griffin Poetry Prize N/A [35]
Gerald Lampert Award Shortlisted [36]
Raymond Souster Award
2017 CBC Best Books of the Year Canadian Poetry Won [37]
"Love Is a Moontime Teaching" P. K. Page Founders' Award for Poetry N/A [38]
2016 N/A Rhodes Scholarship [8]

Reception

Belcourt was called "one of the smartest emerging Indigenous writers in Canada" by the CBC in 2017.[39] CBC featured This Wound Is a World in their top ten poetry collections from 2017, stating that the book is "perspicuous in style and exacting in its determination to upend genre and form."[40] Leanne Betasamosake Simpson named it as her favorite book of 2017, calling Belcourt "a sovereign genius" and the collection "a radical celebration of Indigenous life and our beautiful, intimate rebellion."[24] Lisa Tatonetti called it a "powerful meditation on the intersections of violence, love, and the body."[41]

NDN Coping Mechanisms was well-received, being included in Library Journal's Best Books 2019[42] and the Writers' Trust of CanadaBest Books of 2019.[43] It was named CBC Books' best Canadian poetry book of 2019.[44] It was a finalist for the 2020 ReLit Award for poetry.[45]

A History of My Brief Body was described by Kirkus Reviews as an "urgently needed, unyielding book of theoretical and intimate strength."[46] The book was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Memoir or Biography at the 33rd Lambda Literary Awards.[47]

References

  1. Gallagher, Margaret (2025-09-21). "Celebrated writer, UBC professor Billy-Ray Belcourt releases new poetry collection". CBC.
  2. Mecija, Casey (2017-12-18). "'Heartbreak is sonic': How Billy-Ray Belcourt's poetry encouraged decolonial love in 2017". CBC.
  3. Belcourt, Billy-Ray (2021-06-21). "Grief After Grief After Grief After Grief". Griffin Poetry Prize. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  4. Wereley, Stephanie (2024-03-21). "In conversation with Billy-Ray Belcourt, McGill's 2024 Mellon ISCEI Writer in Residence". McGill Reporter. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  5. McMaster, Geoff (2020-11-17). "PhD caps off stellar academic and literary success for Billy-Ray Belcourt". University of Alberta. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  6. Brunet, Jonah (2018-06-05). "Billy-Ray Belcourt's Radical Poetry". The Walrus. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  7. Mcmaster, Geoff (2018-06-08). "Star Indigenous student wins Canada's biggest poetry prize". University of Alberta. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  8. Chiose, Simona (2015-11-23). "Canadian Rhodes winners announced as scholarship debated". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  9. "Billy-Ray Belcourt". The University of British Columbia School of Creative Writing. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  10. "1st-ever First Nations student among 3 Rhodes scholars named at U of A". CBC News. 2015-11-24. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  11. "Congratulations Graduates" (PDF). University of Alberta. 2016-06-15.
  12. Mcmaster, Geoff (February 22, 2018). "Rhodes Scholarship just the beginning for rising Indigenous star". Folio. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  13. Louter, Lysanne (2014-10-02). "Creating Medicines for the Love of Our People: Conversation with the Native Youth Sexual Health Network". Amnesty International Canada. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  14. Roebuck, Cynthia (2015-11-27). "First Nation student named Rhodes scholar". CTVNews. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  15. Van Koeverden, Jane (Nov 14, 2017). "Billy-Ray Belcourt on writing an 'instruction manual for a queer Indigenous future'". CBC Books. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  16. "NDN Coping Mechanisms". CBC Books. 2019-07-26. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  17. Young, Kristen Millares (2020-07-16). "Review | In 'A History of My Brief Body,' Billy-Ray Belcourt triumphs over oppression through lyric essays". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  18. "A History of My Brief Body". CBC Books. 2020-02-18. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  19. McMaster, Geoff (November 17, 2020). "PhD caps off stellar academic and literary success for Billy-Ray Belcourt". University of Alberta Folio. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  20. "Award-winning poet Billy-Ray Belcourt to join UBC's creative writing program". The University of British Columbia School of Creative Writing. April 11, 2019. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  21. "A Minor Chorus by Billy-Ray Belcourt". Penguin Random House Canada. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  22. Drudi, Cassandra (May 4, 2023). "Billy-Ray Belcourt, Jessica Johns among 2023 Amazon Canada First Novel finalists". Quill & Quire. Archived from the original on May 20, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  23. Lyle, Elena Hudgins (2026-03-26). "In A Minor Chorus, Billy-Ray Belcourt portrays ordinary northern Albertans living 'historical lives'". CBC.
  24. "Why Leanne Betasamosake Simpson loved Billy-Ray Belcourt's This Wound is a World". CBC Books. 2017-06-19. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  25. Wong, Jackie (2024-03-21). "Why Everyone Should Read Billy-Ray Belcourt". The Tyee. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  26. Grubisic, Brett Josef (2025-09-08). "Brooke Lee reviews The Idea of an Entire Life: Poems, by Billy-Ray Belcourt". The British Columbia Review. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  27. Ironcloud, Petala (2025-12-15). "The Opposite of the World". Los Angeles Review of Books. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  28. Drudi, Cassandra (2025-04-30). "Billy-Ray Belcourt, Canisia Lubrin among authors shortlisted for 2024 Danuta Gleed award". Quill and Quire. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  29. Drudi, Cassandra (2025-04-10). "Finalists announced for 2025 B.C. and Yukon Book Prizes". Quill and Quire. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  30. "Michelle Good, Billy-Ray Belcourt among 2021 BC and Yukon Book Prize finalists". CBC. 2021-04-08.
  31. Faulder, Liane (2020-06-11). "Billy-Ray Belcourt adds Alberta Literary Award to his collection of accolades with NDN Coping Mechanisms". Edmonton Journal. Archived from the original on 2024-05-07. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  32. "Billy-Ray Belcourt". Indspire. Retrieved 2019-03-19.
  33. Kartz, Ellen. "2018 Robert Kroetsch City of Edmonton Book Prize Winner Announced!". Writers' Guild of Alberta. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  34. "2018 IVAs". Indigenous Voices Awards. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  35. Bresge, Adina (2018-06-07). "Billy-Ray Belcourt wins $65,000 Griffin Poetry Prize". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
  36. "2018 Book Awards Shortlists". League of Canadian Poets. 2018-04-07. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  37. "The best books of 2017". CBC. 2017-12-23. Retrieved 2018-04-30.
  38. "P.K. Page Founders' Award for Poetry 2017 Winner: Billy-Ray Belcourt". The Malahat Review. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  39. Benaway, Gwen (2017-07-04). "Decolonial love: These Indigenous artists are taking back the self-love that colonialism stole". CBC Arts. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  40. "The best Canadian poetry of 2017". CBC Books. 2017-12-22. Archived from the original on 2017-12-26.
  41. Tatonetti, Lisa (2018). "Weaving the Present, Writing the Future: Benaway, Belcourt, and Whitehead's Queer Indigenous Imaginaries". Transmotion. 4 (2): 153–159. doi:10.22024/UniKent/03/tm.637.
  42. Pešek, Annalisa; Muratori, Fred; Hoffert, Barbara (2019-11-18). "Best Poetry 2019". Library Journal. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  43. "2019 Best Books of the Year". Writers' Trust of Canada. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  44. "The best books of 2019". CBC Books. 2019-12-23. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  45. "38 books shortlisted for 2020 ReLit Awards". CBC Books. 2021-04-27. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021.
  46. "A History of my Brief Body". Kirkus Reviews. 2020-04-11.
  47. "Francesca Ekwuyasi & Billy-Ray Belcourt among Canadian finalists for 2021 Lambda Literary Awards". CBC Books. March 16, 2021. Archived from the original on March 16, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2023.