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bookdragonhoard's review
5.0
A memoir that reads more like items found in an archival box. I really liked this unconventional format and am eager to see the finished copy (I read and advance version) in it's full glory. The transcription narratives and poetry convey the complicated emotions of the author in a unique way. More than storytelling, this book gives the reader more than just words to ponder. And you will ponder. There is a lot to chew on in this piece. Jordan Abel has bravely taken us with him through his journey of identity, history, belonging of place. The impact of this work stays with you.
janeycanuck's review
emotional
medium-paced
3.0
A very moving memoir told through excerpts of court documents, presentations, notes, and art, bringing me a new perspective of the Indigenous experience that I hadn't considered before.
secanno's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Child abuse, Genocide, and Abandonment
careinthelibrary's review
4.0
It must have been very hard for Abel to bare all for the publication of Nishga. Sharing such an intimate look at his family history and his own life, masterfully, artfully articulated. I found so many passages were powerful with their honesty and their scrutiny of both large systems of colonization and racism and simultaneously the intimate experiences of one person.
This book handles the sensitive topic of disconnection from culture well. This gave me a sense of the loneliness and anxieties surrounding being mixed-race and being raised miles and miles away from ancestral land, family, and language. The concept of being not being "Nisga'a enough" for other Indigenous peoples, and facing racism from white settlers as well. Being caught between two cultures that should feel comfortable but instead aches like a dislocation.
This is coupled with beautiful art, family photos, poetry excerpts, etc. which enhance the reading experience. Definitely something in this memoir for everyone, I hope it reaches great success and wide audience.
Thank you to the author for choosing to share his story with us, I hope this helps other mixed-race people see themselves and make space for themselves in the world.
content warnings for: cultural loss, racist micro-aggressions, brief mentions of child sexual abuse, residential school, brief mentions of addiction, suicidal ideation.
This book handles the sensitive topic of disconnection from culture well. This gave me a sense of the loneliness and anxieties surrounding being mixed-race and being raised miles and miles away from ancestral land, family, and language. The concept of being not being "Nisga'a enough" for other Indigenous peoples, and facing racism from white settlers as well. Being caught between two cultures that should feel comfortable but instead aches like a dislocation.
This is coupled with beautiful art, family photos, poetry excerpts, etc. which enhance the reading experience. Definitely something in this memoir for everyone, I hope it reaches great success and wide audience.
Thank you to the author for choosing to share his story with us, I hope this helps other mixed-race people see themselves and make space for themselves in the world.
content warnings for: cultural loss, racist micro-aggressions, brief mentions of child sexual abuse, residential school, brief mentions of addiction, suicidal ideation.
alybcan's review
5.0
The author quotes Samantha Neck's essay Being A Witness: "When you witness someone’s story … you are carrying a part of that person with you now. You have entered a very specific and powerful relationship that exists between the storyteller and the witness.” I keep thinking about this and how our role as storytellers and also as witnesses can be combined or separate, but continue to be linked beyond the moments that the story is shared.
This book discusses the intergenerational trauma from the Residential Schools system, and the author's use of mixed media allowed me to hear his story and understand this trauma in a different way.
This book discusses the intergenerational trauma from the Residential Schools system, and the author's use of mixed media allowed me to hear his story and understand this trauma in a different way.