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nomada's review against another edition
4.0
The very first thing I would suggest doing before you read this moving short anthology of poetry, arts, and stories; is to search for the definition of Indigenous. To really understand the meaning of that word will help you build upon it as you hear the true emotions and stories from the woman who have gathered to speak in this book.
I'm not the biggest fan of poetry and yet I found this book incredibly moving. It did take me a little bit to get through it, but not because I found it hard to read - but because it kept inspiring me to look something up.
My two favorite poem/story are "The Things We Taught Our Daughters", and "Dear Past Self" (by Helen Knott (Dane Zara/Cree) & Isabella Fillspipe(Oglala Lakota) respectively). These tales where so moving. The title alone of the first one strikes you in the heart. What have we taught our daughters, I believe that whether you're indigenous, a minority, or just a woman - you can relate to these two poems because they speak to who we shape ourselves into becoming. And they make you ask yourself - is how I'm shaping myself right.
I recommend this book. I as a reader believe it's invaluable to get the perspective of other cultures and races, because when you do - you often find that at the core being human is ridiculously familiar. I personally now feel the need to go look at my own roots, which I have ignored for some time.
- "You need to support people in getting to a place where they can sit with discomfort honestly and learn from it." - Janet Smylie (Cree/Metis)
I'm not the biggest fan of poetry and yet I found this book incredibly moving. It did take me a little bit to get through it, but not because I found it hard to read - but because it kept inspiring me to look something up.
My two favorite poem/story are "The Things We Taught Our Daughters", and "Dear Past Self" (by Helen Knott (Dane Zara/Cree) & Isabella Fillspipe(Oglala Lakota) respectively). These tales where so moving. The title alone of the first one strikes you in the heart. What have we taught our daughters, I believe that whether you're indigenous, a minority, or just a woman - you can relate to these two poems because they speak to who we shape ourselves into becoming. And they make you ask yourself - is how I'm shaping myself right.
I recommend this book. I as a reader believe it's invaluable to get the perspective of other cultures and races, because when you do - you often find that at the core being human is ridiculously familiar. I personally now feel the need to go look at my own roots, which I have ignored for some time.
- "You need to support people in getting to a place where they can sit with discomfort honestly and learn from it." - Janet Smylie (Cree/Metis)
mindfullibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
Powerful compilation of poetry, essays and artwork.
niniane's review against another edition
5.0
The poems and drawings were enlightening. They were authentic and quickly drew the reader into the world of the authors.
One issue was my Kindle version misformatted many of the pages.
One issue was my Kindle version misformatted many of the pages.
molly_dettmann's review against another edition
4.0
This was a quick, but powerful read. It felt like I was reading a magazine all about Native American pain and pride. Some of the essays and poems were hard to read because you could just feel the emotion and anguish. I loved all the artwork and photos featured. I could have just looked at an entire book filled with that, but I liked all the variety. I only wish that it was a little longer! I feel like there is still so much more to discover with these women's stories and art. Definite must-purchase for teen library collections.
nglofile's review against another edition
4.0
A remarkable collection of original artwork, poetry, essays, and testimonials. The formats may vary, as do the voices, but the connective tissue is the combined message of strength and agency.
Because the selections themselves are compact and the entire work is slim, it is easy to pick up for a few minutes but then lose yourself in its entirety. This makes it accessible to a variety of readers, especially the intended young adult audience, and the purity of message has value regardless of the reader's previous exposure to indigenous culture.
Two of the entries on which I find myself continuing to reflect are of wildly different tones but equal in power. One is a portrait of the thirteen-year-old who has been an active leader in the Standing Rock protest. The other is a recounting of (offensive, infuriating, all-too-believable) comments the unsuspecting author was subjected to by her massage therapist during a session. These are but samples that illustrate the different entry points that invite greater understanding of the struggles very much a part of even 21st century life.
Because the selections themselves are compact and the entire work is slim, it is easy to pick up for a few minutes but then lose yourself in its entirety. This makes it accessible to a variety of readers, especially the intended young adult audience, and the purity of message has value regardless of the reader's previous exposure to indigenous culture.
Two of the entries on which I find myself continuing to reflect are of wildly different tones but equal in power. One is a portrait of the thirteen-year-old who has been an active leader in the Standing Rock protest. The other is a recounting of (offensive, infuriating, all-too-believable) comments the unsuspecting author was subjected to by her massage therapist during a session. These are but samples that illustrate the different entry points that invite greater understanding of the struggles very much a part of even 21st century life.
goldxnapplxs's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
confusedmuse's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Fantastic anthology! The art and text are perfect. However, the ebook version is a chore to read. The text is so tiny, and I had to zoom in so much to make it legible that it became pixelated. I wish I'd had the physical version to read instead--the layout looks beautiful.