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Reviews tagging 'Violence'
Fresh Banana Leaves: Healing Indigenous Landscapes through Indigenous Science by Jessica Hernandez
9 reviews
salemander's review
5.0
absolutely amazing !! i’ve seen some critiques about the grammar of this book but like did y’all read chapter 4 ?? she talks in depth about the discrimination against indigenous scientists and researchers who are deemed to not have enough “formal education” (colonial brainwashing) to be published or to work on certain projects. grammar rules are made up and english is a colonists language, who cares!! i also really appreciated how blunt the author was and the repetitive nature of the information. she explained things multiple times from different perspectives to ensure her audience truly grasped the information and as an autistic person it made this book a really easy and very educational read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, Colonisation, Violence, Genocide, and Police brutality
unsuccessfulbookclub's review
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
Extremely important topics and I’m glad Hernandez took this project on… but I wish she had had a better editor. I switched to the audio about 75% through and that was a much better format.
The book has many repeated words (however, oftentimes, continue) as well as repeated sentences. The style feels like someone speaking very informally, so it’s no surprise that the audio just *works better*. Additionally, the way the book is structured with headlines and sub headlines reads like an academic paper or a term paper that one might write. A solid edit could really make the prose on-page shine, and it’s such a shame that the publisher or Hernandez’s agent didn’t get that for her, because in listening to her narrate this book, her voice and style shine, and her passion for the topics she covers comes through very strongly.
I liked the in-depth stories about Central America and the Indigenous people throughout the Americas as well as the multiple intersectional points of view that Hernandez brought to the table. I found Hernandez’s interviews with her family and Indigenous activists valuable and interesting. She covers so many stories and topics that I have never encountered, and this book feels important. Recommended ON AUDIO.
The book has many repeated words (however, oftentimes, continue) as well as repeated sentences. The style feels like someone speaking very informally, so it’s no surprise that the audio just *works better*. Additionally, the way the book is structured with headlines and sub headlines reads like an academic paper or a term paper that one might write. A solid edit could really make the prose on-page shine, and it’s such a shame that the publisher or Hernandez’s agent didn’t get that for her, because in listening to her narrate this book, her voice and style shine, and her passion for the topics she covers comes through very strongly.
I liked the in-depth stories about Central America and the Indigenous people throughout the Americas as well as the multiple intersectional points of view that Hernandez brought to the table. I found Hernandez’s interviews with her family and Indigenous activists valuable and interesting. She covers so many stories and topics that I have never encountered, and this book feels important. Recommended ON AUDIO.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Violence, and War
risaleel's review
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, and Racism
Moderate: Violence, War, and Xenophobia
Minor: Deportation, Child death, and Cultural appropriation
katharina90's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This book beautifully summarizes:
-the pervasive settler colonialism and anti-Indigenous racism in areas like academia, environmental sciences and 'conservation' (which includes National Parks--louder for the people in the back!)
-the continued colonization of Indigenous knowledge, from invalidation and erasure to theft and co-optation (especially in academia)
-human supremacist delusion a.k.a. the Western failure/ unwillingness to recognize that we, as human animals, are part of nature and everything is interconnected
-that capitalism commodifies everything, incl. our animal and plant kin, when we should only be taking what we need and live in right relationship
-settler colonial capitalist extraction is why 'conservation' is needed in the first place
Informed by her cultural teachings the author reframes conservation as healing, and non-native invasive species as displaced relatives, amongst many other nuggets of Indigenous wisdom shared so generously in this book.
I love that she calls out the audacity of white people to deride non-native plants when WE brought them to these lands.
As well as the hypocrisy of settlers to imply only native plant species belong here, while failing to apply that same principle to other species.
Meanwhile, the genocide of Indigenous peoples in the Americas is ongoing.
"Due to all the beliefs and value systems colonizers introduced into the Americas, Indigenous rights and land protectors are a threat to every settler government."
LAND BACK.
A livable planet depends on it.
-the pervasive settler colonialism and anti-Indigenous racism in areas like academia, environmental sciences and 'conservation' (which includes National Parks--louder for the people in the back!)
-the continued colonization of Indigenous knowledge, from invalidation and erasure to theft and co-optation (especially in academia)
-human supremacist delusion a.k.a. the Western failure/ unwillingness to recognize that we, as human animals, are part of nature and everything is interconnected
-that capitalism commodifies everything, incl. our animal and plant kin, when we should only be taking what we need and live in right relationship
-settler colonial capitalist extraction is why 'conservation' is needed in the first place
Informed by her cultural teachings the author reframes conservation as healing, and non-native invasive species as displaced relatives, amongst many other nuggets of Indigenous wisdom shared so generously in this book.
I love that she calls out the audacity of white people to deride non-native plants when WE brought them to these lands.
As well as the hypocrisy of settlers to imply only native plant species belong here, while failing to apply that same principle to other species.
Meanwhile, the genocide of Indigenous peoples in the Americas is ongoing.
"Due to all the beliefs and value systems colonizers introduced into the Americas, Indigenous rights and land protectors are a threat to every settler government."
LAND BACK.
A livable planet depends on it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Violence, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Genocide, Racism, and War
Minor: Child death, Xenophobia, Confinement, and Deportation
wy_woman's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, War, and Racism
Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Misogyny, Violence, and Sexism
careinthelibrary's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
I read this for the nonfiction prompt of the Skoden Readathon hosted in November by @nativeladybookwarrior (on IG and YouTube).
I really expected to like this more! I found it to be repetitive so while I enjoyed the first third, it became redundant as I continued on.
I appreciated the family stories that the author shared, the El Salvadoran history, the symbol of the banana leaves which made the title make so much sense.
If you're new to ideas of Indigenous environmental science and respectful relationships with plants and the earth, maybe this will be good for you!
I really expected to like this more! I found it to be repetitive so while I enjoyed the first third, it became redundant as I continued on.
I appreciated the family stories that the author shared, the El Salvadoran history, the symbol of the banana leaves which made the title make so much sense.
If you're new to ideas of Indigenous environmental science and respectful relationships with plants and the earth, maybe this will be good for you!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Racism, Violence, and Colonisation
Moderate: War
Forced migration, child soldiersmadmantha's review
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
Phenomenal book, I would suggest it to absolutely EVERYONE. Strangers, friends, family, everyone. I want to purchase for my whole family for Christmas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, War, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Violence, and Colonisation
Moderate: Police brutality and Deportation
Minor: Drug use, Animal death, Death, Deportation, and Gaslighting
razzberry_pi's review
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Genocide, War, and Colonisation
Minor: Violence, Xenophobia, and Rape
galexy_brain's review
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
This book is so important. I truly believe any non-indigenous person in a conservation/environmental etc. field needs to read this book. The way I think about conservation issues has changed because of this book. I especially appreciated reading a book written about indigenous experiences by an indigenous person whose ancestry is not from North America, because I don't think I've had much exposure to perspectives from those cultures before. There was definitely room for a bit more editing throughout this book, but there were still passages I wish I could have underlined (if only it wasn't a library book!)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation and War
Minor: Child death, Cultural appropriation, Death, Genocide, and Violence
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