Technolandy

Day 179 (of 2024/25) Friday  #booktok Our Place 150 years for #nationalindigenouspeopleshistorymonth and #nationalindigenouspeoplesday #nationalindigenouspeoplesday

150 years… a great subheading for an important graphic novel… but the promo video does a pretty good job on its own… https://youtu.be/sX9rWYxoFQ8?si=5vWYW_R5D1pQJK7L

This was highlighted in our schools asynchronous assembly (as an online school, students and families ‘get’ to participate in our varied activities rather than ‘have’ to. So by making what would be an assembly into a video… it can be accessed ‘when convenient’ – a good takeaway from Covid… getting everyone to sit criss-cross legged isn’t fun for many (speaking from experience) and can distract from the content more deeply than any screen!

And our June has a lot of things to choose from, including our (now) annual Comic Con which makes it very poignant for a time to promote a book that us being well received as a selection for our English First Peoples selections, and the more general English New Media… mind you I’d love nothing more than to gave New Media focus on comics, blogs/vlogs, podcasts and infographics…

“This Place: 150 Years Retold” is a graphic novel anthology that offers a powerful Indigenous perspective on Canadian history since Confederation, highlighting resilience, resistance, and resurgence. The book reimagines key historical events and figures through the eyes of Indigenous creators, showcasing their unique experiences and contributions. It confronts the impact of colonialism, offering a nuanced and often overlooked history of Indigenous peoples.

• Specific Stories:
  • “Annie of Red River”: Tells the story of Annie Bannatyne, who publicly challenged a racist individual and inspired Louis Riel and the Métis. 
  • “Titled Ground”: Focuses on Chief Billy Assu’s role in maintaining the potlatch tradition despite colonial restrictions. 
  • “Red Clouds”: Explores the impact of Canadian law and justice on an Indigenous community through the lens of a wendigo. 
  • “Peggy”: Highlights the life of Francis Pegahmagabow, a highly decorated WWI sniper and Indigenous leader. 
  • “Nimkii”: A poignant story about the Sixties Scoop and its impact on Indigenous families and communities. 
  • “Rosie”: Follows an Inuk girl’s coming-of-age during WWII. 
  • “wâpanacâhkos”: Features a young woman sent back from the future to the early 2000s to learn about Indigenous-settler relations. 

The stories are emotionally resonant, visually stunning, and deeply thought-provoking. A great addition to every library – even if you’re not a comics-exclusive library (but try having a comics library! It’ll help your literacy rates!)