On June 21, National Aboriginal Day, we celebrate aboriginal culture in British Columbia and across Canada.
The New Westminster Public Library has resources to help you acknowledge and learn about the contributions, history and culture of First Nations, Métis and Inuit people.
When looking for books with aboriginal content, look for items that are culturally respectful, appropriate and historically accurate. You can do this by looking at the author's and illustrator's relationship to the story, ensuring there is no tokenism or stereotypes, and that there is a representation of First Nations people living in present-day culture and not as part of an extinct culture.
For an entertaining novel that showcases present-day aboriginal issues, try the Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. Alexie writes a funny and sad semi-autobiographical story of a teen living on a reserve in Washington State. For historical fiction, try The Orenda, by Joseph Boyden, which looks at an Iroquoian village during the time of Jesuit missionaries in early Canada.
A reader-friendly non-fiction book about the recent history of residential schools, check out Residential Schools: The Devastating Impact on Canada's Indigenous Peoples and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Findings and Calls for Action. The library also has the full final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada if you’re interested in its conclusions.
For a retelling of history from the point of view of Native Americans, read The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America by Thomas King. It’s a witty collection of personal essays, told in an accessible and entertaining way.
If you have some children in your family, check out books by Canadian authors Julie Flett, Richard Van Camp or Nicola Campbell. These authors make their home in British Columbia and are of aboriginal descent.
