top of page
An image of many hands holding bitterroot with a graphic of a sound wave overlaid.

THE ʔASQANAKI PODCAST: ON TRYIN' TO BE A GOOD MAN WITH
RICHARD VAN CAMP

Photo of hands and bitterroot credit: Dr. Christopher Horsethief 

In the background is an image of many hands holding bitterroot with a graphic of a sound wave and mountains overlaid. The text reads “The ʔasqanaki Podcast with Smokii Sumac Special Guest: Richard Van Camp. smokiisumac.com/richard-van-camp”. In the foreground is a photo of Richard Van Camp a Tłı̨chǫ man who is smiling at the camera with his arms crossed over his chest. He is wearing glasses, a Dene beaded vest with a white button up shirt underneath.

The first episode starts off strong with Tłı̨chǫ “Uncle of Indigenous Literatures” Richard Van Camp. In this episode Richard shares the story “Show Me Yours” from his book The Moon of Letting Go and Smokii and Richard discuss Indigenous literatures, what it means to be a man and honouring ourselves and each other as babies we once were.

Listen on ACAST

Design: Krystal Strong
Photo credit: William Au
Photo of hands and bitterroot credit: Dr. Christopher Horsethief 

Content: adoption, grief, funerals, northern lights, masculinity, archival work, cultural connection, reconnection, photography, short stories, Indigenous literatures, ceremony, medicine, love stories, bad timing.

download the episode transcript

Episode Credits

Thank you to Richard Van Camp and to Riverdale Recorders.

Thank you to our team, Sound Designer, Audio Engineer and Editor Greyson Gritt of Minotan Music Inc. and Producer Krystal Strong of Osum Artist Management.

resources for episode

Guest Bio

In the background are spruce trees out of focus. In the foreground is a photo of Richard Van Camp a Tłı̨chǫ man who is smiling at the camera with his arms crossed over his chest. He is wearing glasses, a Dene beaded vest with a white button up shirt underneath.

Photo credit: William Au

He is a graduate of the En’owkin International School of Writing, the University of Victoria’s Creative Writing BFA Program, and the Master’s Degree in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia.


He is an internationally renowned storyteller and best-selling author. His novel, The Lesser Blessed, is now a movie with First Generation Films and premiered in September of 2012 at the Toronto International Film Festival. He is the author of five collections of short stories, six baby books, three children’s books, five comics and much more. 

Trying to be

A found poem from the transcripts of our episode on The ʔasqanaki Podcast

“Trying to be” a found poem from the transcripts of our episode on The ʔasqanaki Podcast (
The Canada Council for the Arts logo.

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.

bottom of page