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A review by bookalong
Peyakow by Darrel J. McLeod
5.0
"After laborious research and deep reflection over the last few years, I now grasp how my extended family, once proud and strong, independent and thriving, became disenfranchised and impoverished while the society around us grew increasingly affluent. In the pages of this book, I write what I've come to understand about the colonization of my people and tell the story of how I struggled to turn around our dystopian lives, striving to salvage some degree of happiness and well-being not only for myself and my family but also for Indigenous individuals and peoples in Canada and other parts of the world."
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~THOUGHTS~
I read this remarkable memoir a few months ago. I chose this passage which is at the very beginning of the book because it really conveys McLeod's intentions with this book and I felt he carried through on this wonderfully. Memoirs in general are harder to review, but when it comes to ones where I am not an own voices reviewer its even harder. I couldn't even begin to understand what Indigenous peoples have been through.
McLeod left me emotionally moved upon finishing this book. As he picks up where his first memoir left off and takes us through his life to now. I appreciated his passion for his people and culture and his need to reconnect with his ancestral roots. Touching on big themes here like colonialism, treaties, racism, suicide, poverty, discrimination in the workplace and challenges Indigenous youth face. McLeod proves our Canadian Government still has so much work to do towards reconciliation and reparation for our Indigenous communities in Canada. McLeod himself spent time working in our Government to which he shows was a taxing effort. Like in MAMASKATCH he opens up about his personal lifelong traumas and the loses in his life, the struggles with his identity and the strain of maintaining his profession life in spite of it all. McLeod is an intelligent writer and an essential voice in Canadian Literature. His story is one of inspiration!
Thanks to @douglasmcintyre2013 for sending this to me.
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
.
~THOUGHTS~
I read this remarkable memoir a few months ago. I chose this passage which is at the very beginning of the book because it really conveys McLeod's intentions with this book and I felt he carried through on this wonderfully. Memoirs in general are harder to review, but when it comes to ones where I am not an own voices reviewer its even harder. I couldn't even begin to understand what Indigenous peoples have been through.
McLeod left me emotionally moved upon finishing this book. As he picks up where his first memoir left off and takes us through his life to now. I appreciated his passion for his people and culture and his need to reconnect with his ancestral roots. Touching on big themes here like colonialism, treaties, racism, suicide, poverty, discrimination in the workplace and challenges Indigenous youth face. McLeod proves our Canadian Government still has so much work to do towards reconciliation and reparation for our Indigenous communities in Canada. McLeod himself spent time working in our Government to which he shows was a taxing effort. Like in MAMASKATCH he opens up about his personal lifelong traumas and the loses in his life, the struggles with his identity and the strain of maintaining his profession life in spite of it all. McLeod is an intelligent writer and an essential voice in Canadian Literature. His story is one of inspiration!
Thanks to @douglasmcintyre2013 for sending this to me.
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong