Adult Interest Books - Indigenous
Adult Interest Books - Indigenous features titles selected for adult readers concerning issues and experiences of the various Indigenous communities in Canada.
Call me Indian : from the trauma of residential school to becoming the NHL's first Treaty Indigenous player
Sasakamoose, Fred, 1933-2020 author
2021
Fred Sasakamoose, torn from his home at the age of seven, endured the horrors of residential school for a decade before becoming one of 120 players in the most elite hockey league in the world. When people tell his story, this is usually where they end it. Sasakamoose's story was far from over. He paved a way for youth to find solace and meaning in sports for generations to come. This ground breaking memoir intersects Canadian history and Indigenous politics, and follows his journey to reclaim pride in an identity that had previously been used against him.
Life in two worlds : a coach's journey from the reserve to the NHL and back
Nolan, Ted, 1958-, author
2023
Growing up on a First Nation reserve, young Ted Nolan built his own backyard hockey rink and wore skates many sizes too big. Playing the game meant spending his life in two worlds: one in which he was loved and accepted and one where he was often told he didn't belong. Nolan chronicles those controversial years. This is also an exploration of how a beloved sport can harbour subtle but devastating racism, of how a person can find purpose when opportunity and choice are stripped away, and of how focusing on what really matters can bring two worlds together.
The witness blanket : truth, art and reconciliation
Newman, Carey, 1975- author
2022
This nonfiction book for middle-grade readers, illustrated with photographs, tells the story of the making of the Witness Blanket, a work by Indigenous artist Carey Newman that includes items from every residential school in Canada and stories from the Survivors who donated them.