This Place: 150 Years Retold

Category: Book
By (author): Akiwenzi-Damm, Kateri
By (author): Assu, Sonny
By (author): Mitchell, Brandon
By (author): Qitsualik-Tinsley, Rachel
By (author): Qitsualik-Tinsley, Sean
By (author): Robertson, David A.
By (author): Sinclair, Niigaanwewidam James
By (author): Storm, Jen
By (author): Van Camp, Richard
By (author): Vermette, Katherena
Series: 150 Years Retold
Subject:  YOUNG ADULT FICTION / General
  YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Historical / Canada
  YOUNG ADULT FICTION / People & Places / Aboriginal & Indigenous
  YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Politics & Government
  YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Social Themes / Prejudice & Racism
Publisher: Portage & Main Press
Published: April 2019
Format: Book-paperback
Pages: 296
Size: 10.00in x 7.00in x 0.68in
Our Price:
$ 36.00
Availability:
In stock

Additional Notes

From The Publisher*

Explore the last 150 years through the eyes of Indigenous creators in this groundbreaking graphic novel anthology. Beautifully illustrated, these stories are an emotional and enlightening journey through magic realism, serial killings, psychic battles, and time travel. See how Indigenous peoples have survived a post-apocalyptic world since Contact.

This is one of the 200 exceptional projects funded through the Canada Council for the Arts' New Chapter initiative. With this $35M initiative, the Council supports the creation and sharing of the arts in communities across Canada.
 
From The Publisher*An anthology of stories from Canada's 150 years told from an Indigenous perspective.
Review Quote*"A landmark collection of Indigenous comics that redraws how we understand the past, present, and future of Indigenous communities and cultures since Confederation. Each chapter immerses us in a gripping story about real people brought to life through vivid and affecting artwork. This collection proves the power of comics storytelling to create fresh pathways to knowledge and new ways of envisioning Indigenous experiences."
Review Quote*"This Place" delivers spectacularly with its diverse collection of gorgeously illustrated stories. Although as an American my grasp of Canadian history is exactly as weak as one would expect, I still enthusiastically devoured the anthology. The stories of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas overall are still stories that one doesn't get to hear all too often, so I find any opportunity to hear and read this often-ignored perspective is a welcome one irregardless of any official borders. When it comes out, "This Place" will have a spot eagerly waiting for it in my library's graphic novel collection.
Review Quote*In all the hoopla about Canada's sesquicentennial, where were the indigenous peoples? Where was their celebration? Was there even a celebration, since as this book points out, in story after story, Canada has done everything in its power to make sure the native peoples are corralled, stripped of their tradition, their language, their land, every change they got.

Each contributor to this volume draws on stories of the Metis, Inuit, and First Nations, that happened in the last 150 years. And Chelsea Vowel, looks back on things that have happened, from the future, when the land has been restored.

This is an amazing book, packed with stories based on fact, of times that Metis, First Nations and Inuit have fought back. Of the residential schools, to the 60s scoop, to land and water rights protests.

Highly recommended to schools, libraries and individuals.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Review Quote*The artwork is simply stunning, spanning a wide variety of styles from a large number of artists. I'm impressed by the scope of the project - tackling such a long and varied history is an impressive feat. It's a great history book to be sure, especially due to its unique storytelling format.
Review Quote*This is an incredible volume. The collection of stories, from a fantastic collection of writers and artists is a masterpiece. The weaving together of storytelling, art, history and opinion is just wonderful.

As an educator, I would gladly add this to my humanities courses. Perhaps we'd study the whole thing, perhaps we'd use it as a way to look at various aspects of Indigenous history in Canada. It's unflinching and honest in its look at the history of our nation.

In the spirit of truth and reconciliation, there is a thread of hope that runs through this collection. It reflects past, present and future.
Review Quote*Oh my god ya'll, I had better see this on absolutely everybody's TBR.

This is amazing, this is important, and this is wonderfully encapturing. From the many different art styles, I got to experience, to the rich story-telling from different authors, reading this was an experience I've never encountered before.

This book is so important, to have been written and to be read in turn. We are coming to see a lot more diversity in fiction, such as a lot more books written by authors of colour about main characters of colour, with many a supporting cast featuring POC, however the minority group I see the least would have to be indigenous people. This is extremely unfortunate, as genocide and colonialism have made generations of Indigenous peoples voices unheard, and we can still see the effects of this today, as we can with any other minority group in society, but especially Indigenous communities and their lack of content written about them. This book specifically delves into this, and as a result, most of the stories told are relatively sad but are telling the stories of important Indigenous figures which stories have been silenced by forced assimilation for so long.

I've decided to highlight some of my favourite stories that I read.

Red Clouds by Jen Storm. This story was tragic, beautifully told by some amazing and haunting artwork. As is unfortunately common in stories told about Indigenous people, the story revolves a woman who is tragically killed. However, I liked the question throughout the novel revolving around the difference between the Queen's laws and the laws the Indigenous people follow and govern by themselves, should white man's law be used to judge an act that happens within Indigenous land and jurisdiction? It was a concept I enjoyed thinking about extensively.

Peggy by David Robertson. This one made me cry like you wouldn't believe. This story explores Indigenous men being summoned to war despite not actually being allowed to have any decent human rights. It also centers around one of the greatest snipers during the war. Our main character is brave and inspirational, we get to see him influence his fellow soldiers in his ways when the beliefs and traditions of Indigenous people were being threatened by bigotry and fear. This story explores a man who risked his life to serve, and serve well, get rewarded and recognized with metals, and still struggles to be granted simple things as an Indigenous person.

Nimkii by Kateri Aikwenzie-Damm. This story is the saddest one by far, I bawled my eyes out reading this. This story follows a woman telling her daughter her story of being ripped from her loving mother at a young age and forced into a residential school, then to be circled around from home to home in the adoptive system. The numbers of Indigenous children in foster care compared to white children is shocking and was a bitter reality for a lot of children after surviving residential school. If you thought a residential school was the worst to happen to Indigenous people, this book may be a rude awakening.
Review Quote*I don't know a huge amount about Canadian history or the struggles of indigenous people. This graphic novel is an interesting and thought-provoking read, which fills in some of the holes.

Each story is introduced by a foreword from the author, and a timeline of events surrounding the narrative; these where both fascinating and added to my appreciation of each story. Beautifully drawn, with a different style being used for each story, This Place is a book that all teenagers should read.
Review Quote*This Place: 150 Years Retold is part of a larger Canadian project called the New Chapter Initiative. The goal is to retell history through the eyes of Indigenous people. You know the saying; history is decided by those that won? Well, this is sort of a twist on that. This is history from the perspective of people who normally don't have the opportunity to share their side of things.
This is an absolutely brilliant collection. It was eye opening and beautifully done. I'm ashamed to say that I had never considered a project like this before, but I am so happy that one exists. I hope to see more like this in the future.
I cannot state the important of this graphic novel enough. We all can afford to work on understanding other people's perspectives, and this couldn't be truer here. This collection really was enlightening.
Along with being important, the stories being told are rich and beautiful. Normally I'd use this time to point out my favorite story or two in a collection. But honestly? I don't think I could pick a favorite here if I tried. They were all lovely, and as I said before, extremely important.
I hope that the New Chapter Initiative continues moving forward and coming out with collections like this. I also hope to see more people reading them that would be absolutely amazing.