Welcome to Litsy!

THE KNOWING is intense; both an in-depth history of the harm perpetuated against Indigenous people on Turtle Island and a personal look at the impact on Tanya Talaga‘s own family.

It‘s also one of many, many, MANY books I‘ve read about the evil done by various Christian churches over the last 500 years, and I realize I‘ve never read anything in which a Christian writer reckons with this horrific legacy. Can any of you recommend one to me?

“My first encounter with the originality of Canadian French-speaking cultures came at an early age, when living in Ottawa during the 1950s. It was immediately apparent that the French taught in English- language public schools belonged to a world apart from the everyday French spoken in the streets.” #FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

While it was lovely to hear the Cree in this book spoken aloud, I don't think audiobook was the best choice for this, as the print copy is full of art! The book traces the literal beginning of time to 19th cent. from the perspective of a queer Cree shape-shifting immortal being. Often funny, very sexy, and scathing. Europeans come out looking, rightly so, as heartless idiots. I would have liked more content that didn't focus on colonization.

Happy Flag Day, Canada 🇨🇦

This wasn‘t like anything else I‘ve ever read. I read the audiobook and recommend for the Cree spoken in it but will borrow a copy to browse the amazing art. This book has mythology, history, art, sex (a lot),culture and mind bending perspectives. Miss Chief is a shapeshifter, non-gendered, demi-god, lover, and heroine. It‘s the story of the beginning of existence to first contact with European settlers on turtle island. ⬇️

A hybrid queer fictional memoir / true history of North America—from creation of the universe to Canada‘s confederation in 1867—told from a Cree Indigenous worldview. Miss Chief is a supernatural, all-gender shapeshifter with a talent for lovemaking. The story is sexy, tongue-in-cheek, and eye-opening. The physical book is beautifully designed & full of Monkman‘s gorgeous artwork. The audiobook is read by Cree-speaker Gail Maurice. Both are 👌😍

Throughout this text, Cree words are printed in red (there‘s a glossary at the back) and there are references to the many notes in the appendix.

Our muscular bodies still entwined & radiating heat, I whispered to him that otôtêmihtowin* was not limited to human beings. “Do not take more than you need,” I said, kissing him tenderly. “Respect all creatures & also the land. Tell Your people.” He nodded, assuring me that he would, but I was not convinced he had understood, so I kept spreading the word in the way I knew best.

*respectful openness & acceptance of others; friendship, diplomacy

She inquired about my heels. I explained that my shoes were not like the shoes of human beings. They contained power, and to me felt like moccasins; besides, I liked the pink on the bottom, like the paw pads of my dear older brother Wîsahkêcâhk.