Impact: Colonialism in Canada

Gr 9 Up—Indigenous teens will find this collection of personal essays, short stories, and poems about the effects of colonialism on indigenous peoples in Canada engaging and inspiring, while nonindigenous readers may find a window into an unfamiliar experience. Though the volume is loosely structured, there are several themes that run through the different pieces. Sharron Proulx-Turner's "A House Shared by Bees" explores the struggle to rediscover and claim indigenous identity after a history of repression. The traumatic impact of the residential school system over generations is examined in "Wild Flowers," a short story by Kerissa Dickie. Waubgeshig Rice's "Undercover" is a personal essay on the author's experience moving from a reserve school to a city school, highlighting contemporary challenges in Canada's education system. Rosanna Deerchild delivers a powerful message in the poem "A Prayer for Sabe": "may you never be discovered/uncovered poked & prodded//trapped in a box labeled conquered." There is also an emphasis on reviving traditional stories and storytelling techniques: Jason Bone presents the traditional Anishinaabe tale of Baagak. Finally, Don Robertson's "Speaking in Tongues" is a must-read for any librarian or educator working with indigenous youth. Biographies are provided for the editors and the contributors.