Celebrating the World's Indigenous People
Aug 19 2024

Happy International Day of the World's Indigenous People!
The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is observed every August 9th, recognizing the achievements and contributions that indigenous people have made to our world.
During my time at university—which is acknowledged to be upon the unceded ancestral lands of the Mi’kmaw people—I was lucky enough to work very closely with amazing members of the Fort Folly Reserve near my university town.
Actually, the work we did was for a cookbook that one of my professors co-wrote with Margaret Augustine, a community member in Elsipogtog First Nation. Working alongside these amazing, talented women—and getting to listen in on the many interviews they executed to gather more information on the cultural history of Mi’kmaw cuisine—was one of my best memories from university.
That said, I am here to fill your daily scroll with book recommendations that support Indigenous voices. I’d love to know which books by Indigenous authors you would recommend!
1. “Braiding Sweet Grass” by Robin WallIf you’re looking for nonfiction, try reading “Braiding Sweet Grass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer. This book is a mythic, scientific, and sacred journey exploring the interrelationships of all living beings. As someone who loves to read about nature, this is at the top of my TBR for this month.
2. “Heartbeat Braves” by Pamela SandersonIf you’re looking for romance, try reading “Heartbeat Braves” by Pamela Sanderson. If you like the forced proximity and enemies-to-lovers tropes, then you’ll probably like this book! Rayanne Larson is not happy when her special project is handed over to her leader’s nephew. The thing is, neither is the nephew in question. Henry Grant has no interest in working at the Indian Center… until he meets Rayanne.
3. “Funeral Songs for Dying Girls” by Cherie DimalineIf you’re looking for fantasy, try reading “Funeral Songs for Dying Girls” by Cherie Dimaline. In this book, the FMC, Winifred, befriends a ghost and starts rumors of a haunted cemetery to save her father’s job. It’s a story of grief, belonging, and love. This is another queer title that’s perfect to read to support Indigenous and queer voices.
4. “Never Whistle at Night” by Shane Hawk & Theodore C. Van Alst JrIf you’re looking for a mystery/thriller/horror, try reading “Never Whistle at Night” by Shane Hawk & Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. These wholly original and shiver-inducing tales introduce readers to ghosts, curses, hauntings, monstrous creatures, complex family legacies, desperate deeds, and chilling acts of revenge. Introduced and contextualized by bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones, these stories are a celebration of Indigenous peoples’ survival and imagination, and a glorious reveling in all the things an ill-advised whistle might summon.
5. “Love After the End” by Joshua WhiteheadIf you’re looking for something short, but impactful (that also raises queer/two-spirited voices!), try reading “Love After the End” by Joshua Whitehead. This is an anthology of queer, Indigenous speculative fiction that I recommend to everyone who asks for shorter book recommendations. I read it last year and still think about it on a regular basis.