Jennie Williams

Jennie Williams (born 1981) is a Canadian Inuk photographer, filmmaker and throat singer from Newfoundland and Labrador. She is most noted for her short documentary film Nalujuk Night, which won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Short Documentary at the 10th Canadian Screen Awards in 2022.

Early life and education Originally from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Williams moved to St. John's in early adulthood, and later to Nain. After moving to St. John's at the age of 21, she joined what was then called St. John's Native Friendship Centre, now called First Light, an Indigenous community hub. Williams says that First Light played a major role in her desire to connect with her Inuit identity, and to learn more about different Indigenous communities.

In 2022, she was the recipient of the annual Indigenous Advocate Award from First Voice, a cultural organization for indigenous people in Newfoundland and Labrador. Jennie Williams' photography projects of the landscape and people in Nain featuring Indigenous women from each province of Atlantic Canada. Each episode follows a different Indigenous woman, sharing the ways they each connect to the land and their histories. Jennie Williams features in an episode about Newfoundland and Labrador, and describes how her visual art and drum teaching maintain ties to her Inuit heritage.

Evan’s Drum - short documentary (2021) Jennie Williams features in Evan’s Drum, which follows a seven year old Inuk boy - Evan, and his mother as they bring the tradition of the Inuit drum back to their community in Happy Valley Goose Bay, Newfoundland. Jennie Williams plays Evan’s drum teacher, which she also does in real life in her community.

Photography

"A Way Of Life" photo series (2016) Williams depicts the connections of her northern coastal Labrador community by photographing everyday reality and traditional events, as well as creating a forum for storytelling and traditional knowledge sharing.