ringofkeyz's Reviews (147)

Truly, the Billy-Ray Belcourt quote on the cover of the book holds true: "No Canadian can feign ignorance of the Indigenous struggle when this book is within arm's reach."
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This collection of essays sheds light on the Indigenous struggle over the past hundred+ years in a way that does not even begin to attempt to sugarcoat the atrocities committed against them by the Canadian government. That is exactly why non-Indigenous readers should interact with this book. All too often, the history of the country's treatment of Indigenous people is ignored or sugarcoated in general academic settings to avoid the white students' discomfort. Reading non-fiction books written by Indigenous people is the first step in unlearning the historical narrative that is presented to us in Canadian institutions.

Additionally, this book not only delves into the complexities behind the Indigenous struggle but clearly outlines a call to action: what the Canadian government needs to do to make actual progress towards Truth and Reconciliation. I think that the insight offered into what Truth and Reconciliation should actually look like helps non-Indigenous readers walk away from the book with actionable items to work towards in their own lives + better understand what an Indigenous future would look like.