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fallingletters's review
5.0
Annotation originally published 18 March 2018 at Falling Letters.
Speaking Our Truth is a comprehensive text primarily directed to a non-Indigenous audience that describes Canada’s residential school history and the ongoing process of reconciliation. The book addresses the questions of where we have come from, where we stand today, and where we go from here. This is not an impersonal textbook – Smith has both settler and Indigenous heritage; her voice is present throughout the book, as are the voices of many Indigenous and settler children and adults. The book’s design has been well considered, as it uses a consistent vivid colour palette throughout with sidebars of quotes, definitions, reflections, and photographs to support the main text. The final part of the book offers practical steps that children can take to engage in reconciliation, making this text a great choice for youth who should not only learn about their country’s history but also about what needs to be done going forward. Age 9+.
Speaking Our Truth is a comprehensive text primarily directed to a non-Indigenous audience that describes Canada’s residential school history and the ongoing process of reconciliation. The book addresses the questions of where we have come from, where we stand today, and where we go from here. This is not an impersonal textbook – Smith has both settler and Indigenous heritage; her voice is present throughout the book, as are the voices of many Indigenous and settler children and adults. The book’s design has been well considered, as it uses a consistent vivid colour palette throughout with sidebars of quotes, definitions, reflections, and photographs to support the main text. The final part of the book offers practical steps that children can take to engage in reconciliation, making this text a great choice for youth who should not only learn about their country’s history but also about what needs to be done going forward. Age 9+.
ljrinaldi's review
4.0
The horror that was the residential schools is explored in this book that talks about what happened and what can be done to reconcile all that has gone before, for previous generations, and existing generations, by talking to survivors of the residential school system, as well as with youths of today who are only now learning about this horrid history.
For thos who don't know, the residential schools are schools where the Canadian government took children of First Nations' people, by force, and put them in to schools where they had their hair cut, had their clothes taken away, as well as their language, which they were punished if the spoke. They were not allowed home, except the summer, and sometimes not even then. this went on for generations. This distoryed families, for many generations, as well as obliterated the structure of the First Nations peoples.
Good book for those who want a thorough overview of what can be done, and what has been done, and what needs to be done.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
For thos who don't know, the residential schools are schools where the Canadian government took children of First Nations' people, by force, and put them in to schools where they had their hair cut, had their clothes taken away, as well as their language, which they were punished if the spoke. They were not allowed home, except the summer, and sometimes not even then. this went on for generations. This distoryed families, for many generations, as well as obliterated the structure of the First Nations peoples.
Good book for those who want a thorough overview of what can be done, and what has been done, and what needs to be done.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
elizabethlk's review
5.0
Speaking Our Truth is a tender introduction to the history of Residential Schools and the journey of reconciliation. It covers a surprising amount of content in a relatively short length of time, and while it is painful it is also filled with hope. While I've read a few books on the subject, along with many articles and a handful of videos, I was surprised to find that this introductory work included things I hadn't heard about. This is an essential resource that ought not to be missed.
sawyerbell's review
5.0
An excellent overview of the history of residential schools, their terrible impact and what all Canadians can do to begin to repair the harm through acts of Reconciliation. While written for middle-school aged readers, it's also appropriate for adult readers. I especially liked the reflection questions the author asks, the additional resources she suggests and the calls to action she provides.
jasmineehare's review
4.0
This is an excellent book for intermediate and middle grade students to learn more about residential schools and reconciliation. It's presented in a highly readable fashion, and has a lot of personal stories and reflections from children and adults. Even for adults, if you don't know a lot about the state of Indigenous affairs in Canada, this is a great primer.
dianacarmel's review
4.0
I didn’t realize that this is a book meant for children/youth when I selected it. It covers important topics and I highly recommend it for that age group, but it wasn’t in depth enough for what I’m looking for.
cweichel's review
5.0
I was fortunate to be able to read a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. (I had to find a hard copy to read as the ebook just doesn't work with all the text features.)
Monique Gray Smith explores Reconciliation in four main sections. In the first she looks at why a reconciliation journey is necessary. In the second, she analyzes Canadian history with respect to Indigenous peoples. In the third section she examines where we are at now. The fourth component queries just what reconciliation might mean and what it entails.
I appreciate the layout of this book. it's full of different nonfiction text features. There are plenty of captioned photographs. Different coloured sidebars are filled with different kinds of information. Indigo inserts provide additional information. Green inserts explain vocabulary. A map shows the location of all the residential schools in Canada. Reflection pieces, composed of text within orange circles, asks readers to contemplate what they have just read. Each section is highlighted with titles and subtitles. Words in bold print can be found in the glossary at the end of the book. The back matter also includes acknowledgements, online resources, a reading list, a list of residential schools, an index and information about the author.
Even though this is book for intermediate and teen age children, don't assume it's an easy read. While it doesn't reveal the graphic details of the abuse suffered by so many children, I was still forced to put the book down at times and take a break. Granted, I have listened to the first hand accounts of survivors and survivors of survivors. Perhaps it's this background knowledge that made reading it difficult, but I suspect that if you are human, you would be troubled. It's not a comfortable topic.
While I thought I knew a lot about residential schools, I was still suprised by information in this book. Given todays attitudes around accumulation as wealth, I found this sentence particularly profound, "Wealth was often determined by how much a person or family could give away and share with other families and community members." If only we determined wealth like this today. I knew that these schools had been around for a long time, but hadn't put put the 165 years into the context of seven generations of children being taken away from their parents. Sherman Alexie, in his book, You Don't Have to Say You Love Me, claims that if you wanted to create as dysfunctional a society as possible, you would take the children away from their families, subject them to all kinds of abuse, return them home again, and repeat for generation after generation. Monique Gray Smith shows us what this looks like in reality.
In the last section when the author speaks to what reconciliation means, I had a hard time. I agree that love and mutual respect have to be in the solution, but it seems simplified. I want direct action. I especially appreciated the words of Carey Newman, "When you read the definition of reconciliation, it is one of coming back, the reinstatement of the relationship. I have a problem with that because there wasn't really good relationships to begin with, so let's call it conciliation." As I think about reconciliation in the context of living in Canada today, I’m certain that doing nothing about lack of safe drinking water on reserves, underfunding indigenous education compared to that of other children, ignoring indigenous rights and land claims, (as with the Site C Dam and oil pipelines,) is not only NOT reconciliation, it’s a continuation of the system that brought it in. We have a long way to go before we really come to a place where the human rights of indigenous peoples in this country are respected. Until we get there, we aren't close to conciliation.
Monique Gray Smith explores Reconciliation in four main sections. In the first she looks at why a reconciliation journey is necessary. In the second, she analyzes Canadian history with respect to Indigenous peoples. In the third section she examines where we are at now. The fourth component queries just what reconciliation might mean and what it entails.
I appreciate the layout of this book. it's full of different nonfiction text features. There are plenty of captioned photographs. Different coloured sidebars are filled with different kinds of information. Indigo inserts provide additional information. Green inserts explain vocabulary. A map shows the location of all the residential schools in Canada. Reflection pieces, composed of text within orange circles, asks readers to contemplate what they have just read. Each section is highlighted with titles and subtitles. Words in bold print can be found in the glossary at the end of the book. The back matter also includes acknowledgements, online resources, a reading list, a list of residential schools, an index and information about the author.
Even though this is book for intermediate and teen age children, don't assume it's an easy read. While it doesn't reveal the graphic details of the abuse suffered by so many children, I was still forced to put the book down at times and take a break. Granted, I have listened to the first hand accounts of survivors and survivors of survivors. Perhaps it's this background knowledge that made reading it difficult, but I suspect that if you are human, you would be troubled. It's not a comfortable topic.
While I thought I knew a lot about residential schools, I was still suprised by information in this book. Given todays attitudes around accumulation as wealth, I found this sentence particularly profound, "Wealth was often determined by how much a person or family could give away and share with other families and community members." If only we determined wealth like this today. I knew that these schools had been around for a long time, but hadn't put put the 165 years into the context of seven generations of children being taken away from their parents. Sherman Alexie, in his book, You Don't Have to Say You Love Me, claims that if you wanted to create as dysfunctional a society as possible, you would take the children away from their families, subject them to all kinds of abuse, return them home again, and repeat for generation after generation. Monique Gray Smith shows us what this looks like in reality.
In the last section when the author speaks to what reconciliation means, I had a hard time. I agree that love and mutual respect have to be in the solution, but it seems simplified. I want direct action. I especially appreciated the words of Carey Newman, "When you read the definition of reconciliation, it is one of coming back, the reinstatement of the relationship. I have a problem with that because there wasn't really good relationships to begin with, so let's call it conciliation." As I think about reconciliation in the context of living in Canada today, I’m certain that doing nothing about lack of safe drinking water on reserves, underfunding indigenous education compared to that of other children, ignoring indigenous rights and land claims, (as with the Site C Dam and oil pipelines,) is not only NOT reconciliation, it’s a continuation of the system that brought it in. We have a long way to go before we really come to a place where the human rights of indigenous peoples in this country are respected. Until we get there, we aren't close to conciliation.
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