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This Place: 150 Years Retold
In graphic novel format, Indigenous writers explore the untold stories of the past, present, and future in what is now Canada.
Explore the last 150 years through the eyes of Indigenous creators in the graphic novel anthology, This Place: 150 Years Retold. Beautifully illustrated, these stories are an emotional and enlightening journey through magic realism, serial killings, psychic battles, and time travel. See how Indigenous peoples have survived a post-apocalyptic world since Contact.
This is one of the 200 exceptional projects funded through the Canada Council for the Arts’ New Chapter initiative. With this $35M initiative, the Council supports the creation and sharing of the arts in communities across Canada.
Explore the last 150 years through the eyes of Indigenous creators in the graphic novel anthology, This Place: 150 Years Retold. Beautifully illustrated, these stories are an emotional and enlightening journey through magic realism, serial killings, psychic battles, and time travel. See how Indigenous peoples have survived a post-apocalyptic world since Contact.
This is one of the 200 exceptional projects funded through the Canada Council for the Arts’ New Chapter initiative. With this $35M initiative, the Council supports the creation and sharing of the arts in communities across Canada.
287 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2019
261 people are currently reading
8131 people want to read
About the author
Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm
16 books56 followersKateri Akiwenzie-Damm (she/her/hers) is a writer, poet, spoken-word performer, librettist, and activist from the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, as well as an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing, Indigenous Literatures and Oral Traditions at the University of Toronto. She is the founder and Managing Editor of Kegedonce Press which was established in 1993 to publish the work of Indigenous creators. Kateri has written two books of poetry, was a contributor to the graphic novel anthology This Place: 150 Years Retold, was editor of the award-winning Skins: Contemporary Indigenous Writing, and has also released two poetry and music CDs. Kateri's work has been published internationally, and she has performed and spoken around the world. (Re)Generation: The Poetry of Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm, a book of collected poems, edited by Dallas Hunt, will be released this year by Wilfrid Laurier Press.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 722 reviews
May 30, 2019
This Place: 150 Years Retold is fantastic! This anthology of 10 powerful stories told by different Indigenous authors shows a range of talent and different art styles. Not all of the art appeals to me, but the writing is all very strong and it is fascinating to learn some lesser-known stories that, well, really shouldn't be so obscure.
I'd love to see copies of this in classrooms across Canada. The graphic nature of this book makes the material highly approachable and easy to absorb. I love that that each story is accompanied by a few facts and dates to help orient the reader as to where and when the story takes place.
Overall I highly recommend this collection!
4.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Portage & Main Press for providing me with a DRC of this book.
I'd love to see copies of this in classrooms across Canada. The graphic nature of this book makes the material highly approachable and easy to absorb. I love that that each story is accompanied by a few facts and dates to help orient the reader as to where and when the story takes place.
Overall I highly recommend this collection!
4.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Portage & Main Press for providing me with a DRC of this book.
September 18, 2020
I knew from the first page. I knew because upon seeing the lush illustrations I gasped and as I read I realized I was experiencing something truly special. This Place: 150 Years Retold is a graphic novel anthology with ten stories written by eleven Indigenous contributors as well as a powerful foreword written by Haudenosaunee author Alicia Elliott.
Not only are we visually absorbing breathtaking illustrations but we are absorbing important stories of powerful Indigenous individuals across various tribes who strove to protect their people & their teachings while in the grips of settler colonialism.
Each story begins with a brief introduction from the contributor; why they wrote this story, who it was inspired by etc. and then we are given a timeline of factual events in Indigenous history that often deal with how the colonial entity that is called Canada treated Indigenous people across the land over 150 years.
We see how much colonialism has altered Indigenous ways of life through genocide, child apprehension, the criminilization of traditional Indigenous ceremonies and so on, but there is a flip side to this as well. This graphic novel felt like a new way of seeing & telling Indigenous stories that really brought them to life and instilled a deep sense of knowing. We see what Indigenous resistance means and how it will never go away
In the foreword, Elliott writes that Indigenous people have been living in a post-apocalyptic society since colonization and I wholeheartedly agree with this. I think there’s a reason that a lot of Indigenous writing is linked to colonialism in some way or another and that reason being that it’s impacted a lot of Indigenous Lives for many generations. However, collections like this state that we are not going anywhere and our stories will continue to be told, we will continue to resist.
There’s a reason This Place is emerging in more classrooms. It has so much to give its readers.
Not only are we visually absorbing breathtaking illustrations but we are absorbing important stories of powerful Indigenous individuals across various tribes who strove to protect their people & their teachings while in the grips of settler colonialism.
Each story begins with a brief introduction from the contributor; why they wrote this story, who it was inspired by etc. and then we are given a timeline of factual events in Indigenous history that often deal with how the colonial entity that is called Canada treated Indigenous people across the land over 150 years.
We see how much colonialism has altered Indigenous ways of life through genocide, child apprehension, the criminilization of traditional Indigenous ceremonies and so on, but there is a flip side to this as well. This graphic novel felt like a new way of seeing & telling Indigenous stories that really brought them to life and instilled a deep sense of knowing. We see what Indigenous resistance means and how it will never go away
In the foreword, Elliott writes that Indigenous people have been living in a post-apocalyptic society since colonization and I wholeheartedly agree with this. I think there’s a reason that a lot of Indigenous writing is linked to colonialism in some way or another and that reason being that it’s impacted a lot of Indigenous Lives for many generations. However, collections like this state that we are not going anywhere and our stories will continue to be told, we will continue to resist.
There’s a reason This Place is emerging in more classrooms. It has so much to give its readers.
February 11, 2019
Oh my god ya'll, I had better see this on absolutely everybody's TBR.
This is amazing, this is important, and this is wonderfully encapturing. From the many different art styles, I got to experience, to the rich story-telling from different authors, reading this was an experience I've never encountered before.
This book is so important, to have been written and to be read in turn. We are coming to see a lot more diversity in fiction, such as a lot more books written by authors of colour about main characters of colour, with many a supporting cast featuring POC, however the minority group I see the least would have to be indigenous people. This is extremely unfortunate, as genocide and colonialism have made generations of Indigenous peoples voices unheard, and we can still see the effects of this today, as we can with any other minority group in society, but especially Indigenous communities and their lack of content written about them. This book specifically delves into this, and as a result, most of the stories told are relatively sad but are telling the stories of important Indigenous figures which stories have been silenced by forced assimilation for so long.
I've decided to highlight some of my favourite stories that I read.
Red Clouds by Jen Storm.
This story was tragic, beautifully told by some amazing and haunting artwork. As is unfortunately common in stories told about Indigenous people, the story revolves a woman who is tragically killed. However, I liked the question throughout the novel revolving around the difference between the Queen's laws and the laws the Indigenous people follow and govern by themselves, should white man's law be used to judge an act that happens within Indigenous land and jurisdiction? It was a concept I enjoyed thinking about extensively.
Peggy by David Robertson.
This one made me cry like you wouldn't believe. This story explores Indigenous men being summoned to war despite not actually being allowed to have any decent human rights. It also centers around one of the greatest snipers during the war. Our main character is brave and inspirational, we get to see him influence his fellow soldiers in his ways when the beliefs and traditions of Indigenous people were being threatened by bigotry and fear. This story explores a man who risked his life to serve, and serve well, get rewarded and recognized with metals, and still struggles to be granted simple things as an Indigenous person.
Nimkii by Kateri Aikwenzie-Damm.
This story is the saddest one by far, I bawled my eyes out reading this. This story follows a woman telling her daughter her story of being ripped from her loving mother at a young age and forced into a residential school, then to be circled around from home to home in the adoptive system. The numbers of Indigenous children in foster care compared to white children is shocking and was a bitter reality for a lot of children after surviving residential school. If you thought a residential school was the worst to happen to Indigenous people, this book may be a rude awakening.
This is amazing, this is important, and this is wonderfully encapturing. From the many different art styles, I got to experience, to the rich story-telling from different authors, reading this was an experience I've never encountered before.
This book is so important, to have been written and to be read in turn. We are coming to see a lot more diversity in fiction, such as a lot more books written by authors of colour about main characters of colour, with many a supporting cast featuring POC, however the minority group I see the least would have to be indigenous people. This is extremely unfortunate, as genocide and colonialism have made generations of Indigenous peoples voices unheard, and we can still see the effects of this today, as we can with any other minority group in society, but especially Indigenous communities and their lack of content written about them. This book specifically delves into this, and as a result, most of the stories told are relatively sad but are telling the stories of important Indigenous figures which stories have been silenced by forced assimilation for so long.
I've decided to highlight some of my favourite stories that I read.
Red Clouds by Jen Storm.
This story was tragic, beautifully told by some amazing and haunting artwork. As is unfortunately common in stories told about Indigenous people, the story revolves a woman who is tragically killed. However, I liked the question throughout the novel revolving around the difference between the Queen's laws and the laws the Indigenous people follow and govern by themselves, should white man's law be used to judge an act that happens within Indigenous land and jurisdiction? It was a concept I enjoyed thinking about extensively.
Peggy by David Robertson.
This one made me cry like you wouldn't believe. This story explores Indigenous men being summoned to war despite not actually being allowed to have any decent human rights. It also centers around one of the greatest snipers during the war. Our main character is brave and inspirational, we get to see him influence his fellow soldiers in his ways when the beliefs and traditions of Indigenous people were being threatened by bigotry and fear. This story explores a man who risked his life to serve, and serve well, get rewarded and recognized with metals, and still struggles to be granted simple things as an Indigenous person.
Nimkii by Kateri Aikwenzie-Damm.
This story is the saddest one by far, I bawled my eyes out reading this. This story follows a woman telling her daughter her story of being ripped from her loving mother at a young age and forced into a residential school, then to be circled around from home to home in the adoptive system. The numbers of Indigenous children in foster care compared to white children is shocking and was a bitter reality for a lot of children after surviving residential school. If you thought a residential school was the worst to happen to Indigenous people, this book may be a rude awakening.
November 12, 2024
I have never liked the phrase, “History is written by the victors.” …
…just because stories don’t get written down, it doesn’t mean they’re ever lost. We carry them in our minds, our hearts, our very bones. We honor them by passing them on, letting them live on in others, too.
Stunning, somber, informative, inspiring.
Being from the US, I’m not v familiar w the indigenous history within what is now known as Canada.
I was vaguely familiar with some things like the “sixties scoop” (when indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families and put into homes elsewhere), this touches on that as well as many other historical events during the past 150 years on native lands of the northern end of Turtle Island.
The art is beautiful and I really appreciated the specific timelines shown with each intro to comprehend what was happening before, during, & after around the following story. The collection was eye-opening, emotional, and hopeful.
#LANDBACK
The world as we knew it ended the moment colonialism started to creep across these lands. But we have continued to tell our stories; we have continued to adapt. Despite everything, we have survived.
…just because stories don’t get written down, it doesn’t mean they’re ever lost. We carry them in our minds, our hearts, our very bones. We honor them by passing them on, letting them live on in others, too.
Stunning, somber, informative, inspiring.
Being from the US, I’m not v familiar w the indigenous history within what is now known as Canada.
I was vaguely familiar with some things like the “sixties scoop” (when indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families and put into homes elsewhere), this touches on that as well as many other historical events during the past 150 years on native lands of the northern end of Turtle Island.
The art is beautiful and I really appreciated the specific timelines shown with each intro to comprehend what was happening before, during, & after around the following story. The collection was eye-opening, emotional, and hopeful.
#LANDBACK
The world as we knew it ended the moment colonialism started to creep across these lands. But we have continued to tell our stories; we have continued to adapt. Despite everything, we have survived.
November 7, 2024
"...We...are awakening to see the truth of the system of genocide that has been imposed on us, and we will not go back to sleep." - Frank T'Seleie
Update June 17, 2021 : Ever since I heard the news of the discovery of 215 children buried at one of the residential schools in Canada, my mind has gone back to this powerful book, an anthology documenting the efforts Indigenous people in Canada made to survive over the last roughly 150 years. In the review below I mentioned how the descriptions to the Residential schools and the survivors reaction to them reminded me of how Holocaust survivors described their ordeal or how you would here formerly enslaved people talk about their experiences in the WPA slave narratives. If you heard the news and wanted to get an introduction to what Indigenous people in Canada have been dealing with since the arrival Europeans to their land, this is a very good place to start.
[original review]
This may be one of the best "books I read because of the cover." This is a comic book anthology that covers 150 years of the Indigenous People in Canada which covers the First Nations, Inuits, and Métis (the French-Canadian version of Mestizos). Growing-up here in the United States it was a struggle to learn about Indigenous people in this land, but I knew next to nothing about the folk living "up North." This anthology breaks down the history of Canada's efforts at genocide and the constant fight that different Indigenous people waged to defend their right to exist. For someone new to this history, all the stories were essential and I know that this book merely scratched the surface. The art was hit or miss for me (par the course of graphic anthologies), but I really like the artwork of GMB Chomichuk on the story "Rosie" about life at the last grasp of autonomy of the Inuits, before the Canadian government would force the assimilation of them. In many of the stories you understand the way Residential schools were run like concentration camps and the introductions written by the writers of each story and the timeline of events that follow through the whole book give you amazing look at how each generation of Indigenous people dealt with the single-minded efforts to un-make them.
Freedom indeed is a constant struggle. Though not every story had a "happy" ending (this sort-of history doesn't work that way), the fact that in Canada—as elsewhere in this world, this Gitchi Mishiike Minisi (the Objibwe name for Earth)—Indigenous people did not decide to face extermination with a smile, but to fight back and resist is what one is to draw from this. I, for my own part, am simply bearing witness to it—given that I have my own battles with whiteness and the state to endure—and learning from it, like Du Bois says:
"...One realizes that what is called civilization lives first of all in the mind, has the mind above all its province, and that the civilization, or its rudiments, can continue to live long after its externals have vanished—they can never entirely vanish from the mind. James Baldwin, No Name in the Street
Update June 17, 2021 : Ever since I heard the news of the discovery of 215 children buried at one of the residential schools in Canada, my mind has gone back to this powerful book, an anthology documenting the efforts Indigenous people in Canada made to survive over the last roughly 150 years. In the review below I mentioned how the descriptions to the Residential schools and the survivors reaction to them reminded me of how Holocaust survivors described their ordeal or how you would here formerly enslaved people talk about their experiences in the WPA slave narratives. If you heard the news and wanted to get an introduction to what Indigenous people in Canada have been dealing with since the arrival Europeans to their land, this is a very good place to start.
[original review]
This may be one of the best "books I read because of the cover." This is a comic book anthology that covers 150 years of the Indigenous People in Canada which covers the First Nations, Inuits, and Métis (the French-Canadian version of Mestizos). Growing-up here in the United States it was a struggle to learn about Indigenous people in this land, but I knew next to nothing about the folk living "up North." This anthology breaks down the history of Canada's efforts at genocide and the constant fight that different Indigenous people waged to defend their right to exist. For someone new to this history, all the stories were essential and I know that this book merely scratched the surface. The art was hit or miss for me (par the course of graphic anthologies), but I really like the artwork of GMB Chomichuk on the story "Rosie" about life at the last grasp of autonomy of the Inuits, before the Canadian government would force the assimilation of them. In many of the stories you understand the way Residential schools were run like concentration camps and the introductions written by the writers of each story and the timeline of events that follow through the whole book give you amazing look at how each generation of Indigenous people dealt with the single-minded efforts to un-make them.
Freedom indeed is a constant struggle. Though not every story had a "happy" ending (this sort-of history doesn't work that way), the fact that in Canada—as elsewhere in this world, this Gitchi Mishiike Minisi (the Objibwe name for Earth)—Indigenous people did not decide to face extermination with a smile, but to fight back and resist is what one is to draw from this. I, for my own part, am simply bearing witness to it—given that I have my own battles with whiteness and the state to endure—and learning from it, like Du Bois says:
These are the things of which men think, who live: of their own selves and the dwelling place of their fathers; of their neighbors; of work and service; of rule and reason and women and children; of Beauty and Death and War. To this thinking I have only to add a point of view: I have been in the world, but not of it. I have seen the human drama from a veiled corner, where all the outer tragedy and comedy have reproduced themselves in microcosm within. From this inner torment of souls the human scene without has interpreted itself to me in unusual and even illuminating ways.The people in this book have made it plain that they ain't going anywhere and will keep pushing and honoring their past and future by fighting for both.
"...One realizes that what is called civilization lives first of all in the mind, has the mind above all its province, and that the civilization, or its rudiments, can continue to live long after its externals have vanished—they can never entirely vanish from the mind. James Baldwin, No Name in the Street
February 6, 2019
In all the hoopla about Canada's sesquicentennial, where were the indigenous peoples? Where was their celebration? Was there even a celebration, since as this book points out, in story after story, Canada has done everything in its power to make sure the native peoples are corralled, stripped of their tradition, their language, their land, every change they got.
Each contributor to this volume draws on stories of the Metis, Inuit, and First Nations, that happened in the last 150 years. And Chelsea Vowel, looks back on things that have happened, from the future, when the land has been restored.
This is an amazing book, packed with stories based on fact, of times that Metis, First Nations and Inupiat have fought back. Of the residential schools, to the 60s scoop, to land and water rights protests.
Highly recommended to schools, libraries and individuals.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Each contributor to this volume draws on stories of the Metis, Inuit, and First Nations, that happened in the last 150 years. And Chelsea Vowel, looks back on things that have happened, from the future, when the land has been restored.
This is an amazing book, packed with stories based on fact, of times that Metis, First Nations and Inupiat have fought back. Of the residential schools, to the 60s scoop, to land and water rights protests.
Highly recommended to schools, libraries and individuals.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
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November 28, 2020
Holy shit.
This took me on a mind-bender and flipped a lot of my thinking around. I don't know if I'll look at another dystopian the same way, particularly with the fascination of the end of society on a continent that has already experienced it with its indigenous peoples.
I loved the breadth and scope of the cultures represented in this graphic anthology, and all of the history represented. It was heartbreaking and hopeful, from peoples who have experienced colonialism and genocide at the hands of colonizers and government vested in the interests of money and white ideals instead of reaching true understandings.
Definitely a must-read.
This took me on a mind-bender and flipped a lot of my thinking around. I don't know if I'll look at another dystopian the same way, particularly with the fascination of the end of society on a continent that has already experienced it with its indigenous peoples.
I loved the breadth and scope of the cultures represented in this graphic anthology, and all of the history represented. It was heartbreaking and hopeful, from peoples who have experienced colonialism and genocide at the hands of colonizers and government vested in the interests of money and white ideals instead of reaching true understandings.
Definitely a must-read.
May 5, 2020
This anthology of nonfiction, dramatized, and science fiction stories about and by the indigenous people of Canada is pretty consistently good. Skipping around to so many pinpoints in history piques the interest more than sates though. The subject matter is pretty heavy since so much of the history involves abuse and betrayals, so be prepared to be depressed, shocked, and/or outraged.
February 27, 2022
2021 Winter Bingo (#SnowInLoveBingo❄️): Indigenous Author
Difficult (but necessary) to read. The graphic novel anthology format is extremely accessible/informative for folks lacking knowledge about indigenous history in Canada. I learned so much about indigenous struggle, triumph, and protest from 1865 to the present. Read via library.
Difficult (but necessary) to read. The graphic novel anthology format is extremely accessible/informative for folks lacking knowledge about indigenous history in Canada. I learned so much about indigenous struggle, triumph, and protest from 1865 to the present. Read via library.
May 23, 2019
The graphic novel, This Place: 150 Years Retold, showcases the voices of eleven Indigenous writers as well as several Indigenous artists. It is a powerful telling of 150 years of Canadian history from the perspective of different First Nations members, Inuit, and Metis, voices rarely heard in our history which is told mostly from the perspective of European settlers.
As in any anthology, the art is somewhat uneven and varies from black and white to full eye-catching colour. Overall, though, it is gorgeous and complements the stories which are uniformly well-written and shine a light on important parts of Canadian history since Confederation that few of us have learned, certainly not in school - stories about the horrors of the Residential schools, the kidnapping of their children in the '60s scoop, and the theft of land, culture, and language. Although the stories are (mostly) fictional told in the form of time travel or dystopian tales, there are references to real historical figures like Metis businesswoman Annie Bannatyne (who I had never heard of) and Louie Riel and real historical events like the Red River Rebellion, the Oka crisis, as well as one story about a young Cree boy from the future sent back to witness the effects of climate change.
This Place is a beautiful, heartbreaking, and important book. For those who think graphic novels are for children, yes, this one definitely is and for teens, adults, classrooms, and libraries as well. It gives a side of the story that has too long been hidden but needs to be told and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Thanks to Netgalley and Portage & Main Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
As in any anthology, the art is somewhat uneven and varies from black and white to full eye-catching colour. Overall, though, it is gorgeous and complements the stories which are uniformly well-written and shine a light on important parts of Canadian history since Confederation that few of us have learned, certainly not in school - stories about the horrors of the Residential schools, the kidnapping of their children in the '60s scoop, and the theft of land, culture, and language. Although the stories are (mostly) fictional told in the form of time travel or dystopian tales, there are references to real historical figures like Metis businesswoman Annie Bannatyne (who I had never heard of) and Louie Riel and real historical events like the Red River Rebellion, the Oka crisis, as well as one story about a young Cree boy from the future sent back to witness the effects of climate change.
This Place is a beautiful, heartbreaking, and important book. For those who think graphic novels are for children, yes, this one definitely is and for teens, adults, classrooms, and libraries as well. It gives a side of the story that has too long been hidden but needs to be told and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Thanks to Netgalley and Portage & Main Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
March 24, 2021
This collection of short stories in graphic novel format shows the struggles of the Native Americans of Canada over the 150 years after colonization, highlighting important figures and events in the history of their fight for equal rights.
As a whole, this book wasn't exactly what I imagined when I read the description, as I was expecting something more dystopian in nature. The stories are based on historical facts and very few take fictional liberties. However, almost everything I read in this book was new information to me - I knew generalities of what the Native Americans went through, but very little about specific events or people - which makes this book an important one. I wasn't especially enamored of the illustration style except in the story "Rosie," which stood out to me. I also really enjoyed the story "Red Clouds" more because it was like a horror story (and explained the origins of some of the imagery in Stephen Graham Jones's The Only Good Indians). But I think I liked these two stories mostly because they felt like stories and not like a history lesson.
As a whole, this book wasn't exactly what I imagined when I read the description, as I was expecting something more dystopian in nature. The stories are based on historical facts and very few take fictional liberties. However, almost everything I read in this book was new information to me - I knew generalities of what the Native Americans went through, but very little about specific events or people - which makes this book an important one. I wasn't especially enamored of the illustration style except in the story "Rosie," which stood out to me. I also really enjoyed the story "Red Clouds" more because it was like a horror story (and explained the origins of some of the imagery in Stephen Graham Jones's The Only Good Indians). But I think I liked these two stories mostly because they felt like stories and not like a history lesson.
Read
November 27, 2020▪️THIS PLACE: 150 Years Retold [graphic story anthology by 20+ writers and artist collaborators], 2019 by Highwater Press.
.
This visually stunning anthology of short graphic works - ranging from the biographical & historical to the innovative & speculative of Indigenous North American storytelling - was both a sensory and creative experience.
I would finish one story and think "that was my favorite one..." Only to think the same thing with the next one! Each story varied in artistic vision and writing style, but ALL were well done.
I'd like to note 2 stories from the collection, highlighting the historical significance and the continued efforts and activism for the very same thing now decades later...
▪️ "Like a Razor Slash" by Richard Van Camp, illustrated by Scott B. Henderson - the Dene resistance against the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline through the Northwest Territories to Alberta in mid-1970s, and the speech by Chief Frank T'Seleie of Fort Good Hope:
🗣️"There will be no pipeline, because we, the Dene people, are awakening to see the truth of the system of genocide that has been imposed on us and we will not go back to sleep."
▪️"Migwite'tmeg: We Remember It" by Brandon Mitchell, illustrated by Tara Audibert - Mi'gmaq fisheries on the Atlantic coast and tributaries. Mitchell's story outlines the 1980/1981 conflicts with the Listuguj Mi'gmaq and Quebec Provincial Police over fishing rights.
⏭️ Fast forward 40 years and THIS very month, the Mi'kmaq lobster fisherman in Nova Scotia encountered multiple conflicts with Canadian commercial fisherman over fishery rights. The skirmishes resulted in arsons and vandalism and one injury due to the fire.
The book frames this "unseen" history and stories, but these 2 pieces (and others) clearly indicate - this is the present moment. History all over again.
.
This visually stunning anthology of short graphic works - ranging from the biographical & historical to the innovative & speculative of Indigenous North American storytelling - was both a sensory and creative experience.
I would finish one story and think "that was my favorite one..." Only to think the same thing with the next one! Each story varied in artistic vision and writing style, but ALL were well done.
I'd like to note 2 stories from the collection, highlighting the historical significance and the continued efforts and activism for the very same thing now decades later...
▪️ "Like a Razor Slash" by Richard Van Camp, illustrated by Scott B. Henderson - the Dene resistance against the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline through the Northwest Territories to Alberta in mid-1970s, and the speech by Chief Frank T'Seleie of Fort Good Hope:
🗣️"There will be no pipeline, because we, the Dene people, are awakening to see the truth of the system of genocide that has been imposed on us and we will not go back to sleep."
▪️"Migwite'tmeg: We Remember It" by Brandon Mitchell, illustrated by Tara Audibert - Mi'gmaq fisheries on the Atlantic coast and tributaries. Mitchell's story outlines the 1980/1981 conflicts with the Listuguj Mi'gmaq and Quebec Provincial Police over fishing rights.
⏭️ Fast forward 40 years and THIS very month, the Mi'kmaq lobster fisherman in Nova Scotia encountered multiple conflicts with Canadian commercial fisherman over fishery rights. The skirmishes resulted in arsons and vandalism and one injury due to the fire.
The book frames this "unseen" history and stories, but these 2 pieces (and others) clearly indicate - this is the present moment. History all over again.
February 5, 2024
Trigger warnings: racism, colonialism, genocide, violence, death, cannibalism, animal death
I've been meaning to read this since it came out, and I'm so glad I finally did. I really enjoyed the series of short stories about significant First Nations figures and leaders throughout Canada's history, and the addition of a dystopian/sci-fi short story at the end was a fantastic way to wrap things up.
As an Australian, I had very little context for some of the events and individuals discussed, even with what's provided as an introduction to each story. But given that I'm very much NOT the intended audience of this book, I fully understand that this lack of knowledge is a Me Problem and it's not up to the book to fill the gaps in my knowledge.
Ultimately, I'm really glad I read this and I'd love it if we could have something similar published in Australia.
I've been meaning to read this since it came out, and I'm so glad I finally did. I really enjoyed the series of short stories about significant First Nations figures and leaders throughout Canada's history, and the addition of a dystopian/sci-fi short story at the end was a fantastic way to wrap things up.
As an Australian, I had very little context for some of the events and individuals discussed, even with what's provided as an introduction to each story. But given that I'm very much NOT the intended audience of this book, I fully understand that this lack of knowledge is a Me Problem and it's not up to the book to fill the gaps in my knowledge.
Ultimately, I'm really glad I read this and I'd love it if we could have something similar published in Australia.
October 2, 2021
-gorgeously illustrated, informative, thought-provoking, and genre-bending
-confronts the colonial past while providing hope for a decolonial future
-confronts the colonial past while providing hope for a decolonial future
November 29, 2023
Every indigenous person's story is, in a way, a tale of overcoming apocalypse.
November 7, 2021
Fantastic. Accessible and backed up with pertinent facts for each chapter, with a short introduction, and then a story with a different writer/illustrator combo. This highlights how indigenous peoples have had to combat constant forms of violence by colonial forces and the government. Most of this was not taught in school.
I think this is perfect for the form. All age groups, including myself can learn some history in an engaging way from indigenous voices and creatives. Hopefully it gets people to pick up even more information on the topic and get a much more comprehensive historical outlook about our country. It’s unfortunate that every person has to do this work themselves because government approved curriculum would rather teach from ahistorical point-of-view. It’s not hard to see why they do this. But I think it’s the responsibility of everyone to become more ethical than their government.
I think this is perfect for the form. All age groups, including myself can learn some history in an engaging way from indigenous voices and creatives. Hopefully it gets people to pick up even more information on the topic and get a much more comprehensive historical outlook about our country. It’s unfortunate that every person has to do this work themselves because government approved curriculum would rather teach from ahistorical point-of-view. It’s not hard to see why they do this. But I think it’s the responsibility of everyone to become more ethical than their government.
December 31, 2021
A really interesting and informative collection of stories from Indigenous writers. I really liked the format - each one started with a brief historical summary and a timeline of events, to get the reader oriented in the upcoming story. All of them were well done, but the storytelling in ‘Nimkii’ - which was about a mother telling her child about her experience as a survivor of the sixties scoop - really stood out to me. The illustrations were also excellent. I would highly recommend reading this.
July 9, 2025
I quite enjoyed This Place - 150 Years Retold. I found that the comic anthology clearly expressed different historical, and fictional, events in an easily digestible manner. It was fascinating reflecting upon how certain events were conveyed through the eyes of Colonial mainstream media in contrast to the Indigenous perspectives. This book is highly worth reading.
November 9, 2024
It wasn’t an easy read, but I learned some more about the Native American experience in Canada.
February 17, 2025
Loved this. The art and storytelling are incredibly beautiful.
October 26, 2025
Such a strong and interesting way to learn about the stories we weren't thought growing up.
December 21, 2020
I must preface this with a little something about graphic novels. I don't read them often and I'm not sure why, especially since I grew up with comic books. I was a huge Archie fan, I was even published in an issue when I was knee high to a grasshopper. Sure, I know they are not the same things but one evolved from the other somewhat.
This Place which I've seen around my library a lot, is a beautifully illustrated novel told in short stories. It tells of the history of Canada's Indigenous People throughout the past 150 years. For the most part these stories are not uplifting but they tell of the violence and oppression that has taken place in my own backyard. I wasn't a part of these stories but you can better believe I am linked to them through my ancestors. Oppression is not okay anywhere and it needs to stop. I hope there are more books like this to help enlighten people, myself included, to take the steps to ensure these things don't continue for another 150 years.
This Place which I've seen around my library a lot, is a beautifully illustrated novel told in short stories. It tells of the history of Canada's Indigenous People throughout the past 150 years. For the most part these stories are not uplifting but they tell of the violence and oppression that has taken place in my own backyard. I wasn't a part of these stories but you can better believe I am linked to them through my ancestors. Oppression is not okay anywhere and it needs to stop. I hope there are more books like this to help enlighten people, myself included, to take the steps to ensure these things don't continue for another 150 years.
June 25, 2020
This Place: 150 Years Retold is aesthetic, monumental, essential, wise, infuriating, poignant and powerful. Some stories were easy to comprehend, others were difficult to follow. The only subjects familiar to me were residential schools and the DAPL pipeline. My favorite story was Like a Razor Slash. The illustrations are varied and all quite extraordinary. I was particularly drawn to the artwork with unusual color choices in Tilted Ground, Rosie and kitaskînaw 2350.
My dad was Canadian, from Saskatchewan. I've always been proud of that. Reading this book during the height of the Black Lives Matter movement leaves me wondering, is there any place on this planet where one group of people hasn't treated another group inhumanely? Inherently, this abhorrent behavior also leads to misuse of animals and our planet itself. Enough is enough!
Thanks to Isa for bringing my attention to this book.
My dad was Canadian, from Saskatchewan. I've always been proud of that. Reading this book during the height of the Black Lives Matter movement leaves me wondering, is there any place on this planet where one group of people hasn't treated another group inhumanely? Inherently, this abhorrent behavior also leads to misuse of animals and our planet itself. Enough is enough!
Thanks to Isa for bringing my attention to this book.
August 24, 2021
"We know that our grandchildren will speak a language that is their heritage. That they will look after this land and protect it. And that five hundred years from now someone with skin my colour and moccasins on his feet will climb up the ramparts and rest."
–Frank T'Seleie, 1975
This is a hard book to rate as the stories and history are SO IMPORTANT. The timelines and forwards were so informative but I am not sure these stories were best told through graphic novel. It is aimed at all ages and recreates historic events and I can't but wish this was prose instead.
(Most of) the dialogue was so stilted and info dumpy in order to convey important information that I just kept wishing the same stories were told in a different format. I love graphic novels and as land and nature is such important part of Indigenous identity I wouldn't have wanted to loose the art. But I think the two could have been married better. Something akin to how John Ridley retold marginalized heroes in the DC Universe by having narration and paragraphs of text accompanied by art.
I stopped to research and read up about many of the people and events mentioned and for that it was such a good tool. As an introduction and overview of Indigenous history. The standout for me was the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline story and learning about Frank T'Seleie. His speech, part of it which was included was so powerful.
Overall, I feel very conflicted as I don't want to discourage people from reading this anthology as I learned so much but as a reviewer I feel ignoring the formatting and writing issues I had isn't exactly honest.
Writing issues that I don't think are reflections of the authors. Reading their forwards it was evident they're talented writers. I think this was mostly an issue of form. But I am reminded of John Lewis' March (his memoir and story of the Civil Rights Movement) and how accessible it is because of it being a graphic novel and I don't want to discount that. And though I am happy we had so many stories included, my issues with stiltedness are more evident because of the page restriction each author had.
Some Indigenous books I really recommend are Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga
From The Ashes by Jesse Thistle
The History of My Brief Body by Billy-Ray Belcourt Spirit Run by Noé Álvarez
–Frank T'Seleie, 1975
This is a hard book to rate as the stories and history are SO IMPORTANT. The timelines and forwards were so informative but I am not sure these stories were best told through graphic novel. It is aimed at all ages and recreates historic events and I can't but wish this was prose instead.
(Most of) the dialogue was so stilted and info dumpy in order to convey important information that I just kept wishing the same stories were told in a different format. I love graphic novels and as land and nature is such important part of Indigenous identity I wouldn't have wanted to loose the art. But I think the two could have been married better. Something akin to how John Ridley retold marginalized heroes in the DC Universe by having narration and paragraphs of text accompanied by art.
I stopped to research and read up about many of the people and events mentioned and for that it was such a good tool. As an introduction and overview of Indigenous history. The standout for me was the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline story and learning about Frank T'Seleie. His speech, part of it which was included was so powerful.
Overall, I feel very conflicted as I don't want to discourage people from reading this anthology as I learned so much but as a reviewer I feel ignoring the formatting and writing issues I had isn't exactly honest.
Writing issues that I don't think are reflections of the authors. Reading their forwards it was evident they're talented writers. I think this was mostly an issue of form. But I am reminded of John Lewis' March (his memoir and story of the Civil Rights Movement) and how accessible it is because of it being a graphic novel and I don't want to discount that. And though I am happy we had so many stories included, my issues with stiltedness are more evident because of the page restriction each author had.
Some Indigenous books I really recommend are Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga
From The Ashes by Jesse Thistle
The History of My Brief Body by Billy-Ray Belcourt Spirit Run by Noé Álvarez
April 6, 2020
This collection of graphic short stories by Indigenous authors in Canada was an awesome read. THIS PLACE: 150 YEARS RETOLD strives to give voice to Indigenous people throughout parts of Canada's history after Western Imperialism/Colonization. The stories range from history to biographical to mythology and Sci Fi, and they were a wide array of well done tales. As someone who is unfamiliar with Canadian history, I really appreciated that each story had a bit of background and a timeline that the story was set in. My favorite three tales were the following:
"Red Clouds" by Jen Storm. This Wendigo tale addresses both mental illness as well as cultural relativism, and how Indigenous peoples were punished by Western Government interference for things that the white people perpetuated by their mistreatment. It also looks at how mental illness was viewed by both populations, and brings in the Wendigo as a lurking presence throughout the story. THe artwork on this was was great, and the tone was both sufficiently disturbing and sad.
"Nimkii" by Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm: the story of a woman reminiscing about her time in the foster system, and how she never knew her mother and only knew cruel foster parents. This story addresses a time where Indigenous Children were being taken from their families at alarming rates, an the injustice of what a number of those kids had to go through while in the system. This one was my favorite of the collection, even though it was also the hardest one to read.
"Like A Razor Slash" by Richard Van Camp: A tribute to Chief Frank T'Seleie and his speech speaking out against the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline, this story takes T'Seleie's speech and puts it to the page. Given that the fight for water rights and against corporate greed and pipeline placement is still ever present today, going back and looking at one of the first strikes against pipeline building in Canada that was successful felt both hopeful and timely.
There are so many other great stories in this collection that you really can't go wrong. I'm so glad that book club picked this book to read.
"Red Clouds" by Jen Storm. This Wendigo tale addresses both mental illness as well as cultural relativism, and how Indigenous peoples were punished by Western Government interference for things that the white people perpetuated by their mistreatment. It also looks at how mental illness was viewed by both populations, and brings in the Wendigo as a lurking presence throughout the story. THe artwork on this was was great, and the tone was both sufficiently disturbing and sad.
"Nimkii" by Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm: the story of a woman reminiscing about her time in the foster system, and how she never knew her mother and only knew cruel foster parents. This story addresses a time where Indigenous Children were being taken from their families at alarming rates, an the injustice of what a number of those kids had to go through while in the system. This one was my favorite of the collection, even though it was also the hardest one to read.
"Like A Razor Slash" by Richard Van Camp: A tribute to Chief Frank T'Seleie and his speech speaking out against the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline, this story takes T'Seleie's speech and puts it to the page. Given that the fight for water rights and against corporate greed and pipeline placement is still ever present today, going back and looking at one of the first strikes against pipeline building in Canada that was successful felt both hopeful and timely.
There are so many other great stories in this collection that you really can't go wrong. I'm so glad that book club picked this book to read.
October 1, 2021
Today (September 30) is the inaugural National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day.
As part of honouring and reflecting on this day, I spent some time reading This Place: 150 Years Retold. It’s an Indigenous comics/graphic novel anthology retelling key moments from the last 150 years from Indigenous perspectives. This Place is a unique blend of nonfiction/biography and historical fiction, and each story is well written and powerful with amazing artwork. Every story began with a short introduction from the author, and included a key moments timeline to help guide the reader in situating Canada-Indigenous relations for the story.
I loved each story and learned something new (or multiple new somethings) from every one. Much of this history I never learned in school, and still hadn’t yet learned on my self-education journey. Many of these historical stories have contemporary parallels, and they do a great job showcasing the trauma, pain, and also the resilience and strength in the face of relentless genocide. This Place also highlights the diversity of histories and cultures across First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities while showing the many experiential similarities due to colonial rule.
The following stories are probably my favourites (usually because the art clicked with me most):
Annie of Red River by Katherena Vermette
Red Clouds by Jen Storm
Peggy by David A. Robertson
Nimkii by Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm
Like a Razor Slash by Richard Van Camp
Warrior Nation by Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair
Overall, this is a 5+ star read for me and I recommend everyone, and especially all Canadians, read this anthology.
I also hope more volumes or similar projects are published in the future since there’s so many more stories to tell.
As part of honouring and reflecting on this day, I spent some time reading This Place: 150 Years Retold. It’s an Indigenous comics/graphic novel anthology retelling key moments from the last 150 years from Indigenous perspectives. This Place is a unique blend of nonfiction/biography and historical fiction, and each story is well written and powerful with amazing artwork. Every story began with a short introduction from the author, and included a key moments timeline to help guide the reader in situating Canada-Indigenous relations for the story.
I loved each story and learned something new (or multiple new somethings) from every one. Much of this history I never learned in school, and still hadn’t yet learned on my self-education journey. Many of these historical stories have contemporary parallels, and they do a great job showcasing the trauma, pain, and also the resilience and strength in the face of relentless genocide. This Place also highlights the diversity of histories and cultures across First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities while showing the many experiential similarities due to colonial rule.
The following stories are probably my favourites (usually because the art clicked with me most):
Annie of Red River by Katherena Vermette
Red Clouds by Jen Storm
Peggy by David A. Robertson
Nimkii by Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm
Like a Razor Slash by Richard Van Camp
Warrior Nation by Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair
Overall, this is a 5+ star read for me and I recommend everyone, and especially all Canadians, read this anthology.
I also hope more volumes or similar projects are published in the future since there’s so many more stories to tell.
August 29, 2019
An amazing blend of story telling with non-fiction history. A variety of writers came together with visual artists to bring us through a journey of Canada's history from their perspective.
Each story begins with a timeline of events that can help us to dig deeper into the history surrounding these events. From these timelines, we can begin to see why Canada's indigenous people are not able to 'get over it' or 'put the past behind them.' The simplest reason is the past is still here, happening every day. These struggles are still going on. It's difficult to fully heal when there's still so much work to do.
This graphic novel is well organized for which stories they tell. They begin in the 1700's with a very strong lady who stands up for what's right. We journey through the spiritual world of the native people, as they fight alongside Canadian soldiers in WW2, then fighting to protect the environment when its destruction also means the destruction of life on Earth. There is no 2nd Earth, we have to protect it. The stories are beautiful, moving & constantly reveal the spirits of these storytellers.
I recommend this for everyone who's curious to learn more about this lesser known history of Canada.
Each story begins with a timeline of events that can help us to dig deeper into the history surrounding these events. From these timelines, we can begin to see why Canada's indigenous people are not able to 'get over it' or 'put the past behind them.' The simplest reason is the past is still here, happening every day. These struggles are still going on. It's difficult to fully heal when there's still so much work to do.
This graphic novel is well organized for which stories they tell. They begin in the 1700's with a very strong lady who stands up for what's right. We journey through the spiritual world of the native people, as they fight alongside Canadian soldiers in WW2, then fighting to protect the environment when its destruction also means the destruction of life on Earth. There is no 2nd Earth, we have to protect it. The stories are beautiful, moving & constantly reveal the spirits of these storytellers.
I recommend this for everyone who's curious to learn more about this lesser known history of Canada.
August 19, 2019
This Place: 150 Years Retold, edited by Alicia Elliott, is everything we need from history and everything we need from comics right now.
This variety of perspectives of Indigenous history in what we know as Canada is incredibly necessary. It makes me realise how woefully lacking my knowledge in that area is, but I'm so glad that there are comics like this collection to introduce us all to these incredible stories. We could all do with a better understanding of Indigenous history and this is a great place to start.
All of the stories are fantastic, and there wasn't a single one I didn't love, but I think my favourites were Annie of Red River, Red Clouds, Nimkii, and kitaskinaw 2350.
Highly recommended to all! I read this from the library, but I need to get my own copy for sure. New favourite.
This variety of perspectives of Indigenous history in what we know as Canada is incredibly necessary. It makes me realise how woefully lacking my knowledge in that area is, but I'm so glad that there are comics like this collection to introduce us all to these incredible stories. We could all do with a better understanding of Indigenous history and this is a great place to start.
All of the stories are fantastic, and there wasn't a single one I didn't love, but I think my favourites were Annie of Red River, Red Clouds, Nimkii, and kitaskinaw 2350.
Highly recommended to all! I read this from the library, but I need to get my own copy for sure. New favourite.
December 31, 2020
This fantastic graphic novel anthology tells stories about famous people and important events in the history of the Indigenous peoples of North America, focused on what is now called Canada.
Being from the USA, I’ve always assumed things were better in Canada, but they were not. I learned a lot of Canadian history, was introduced to Indigenous heroes I wish I’d known about sooner, was heartbroken over children being taken from their families to be “assimilated,” enraged at the racism, lack of respect, greed and environmental devastation that the colonial mindset produced and continues to produce and felt hope at the stories of people finding their roots again, resisting injustice and land thievery and finding spiritual healing.
This is an excellent anthology everyone should read.
Being from the USA, I’ve always assumed things were better in Canada, but they were not. I learned a lot of Canadian history, was introduced to Indigenous heroes I wish I’d known about sooner, was heartbroken over children being taken from their families to be “assimilated,” enraged at the racism, lack of respect, greed and environmental devastation that the colonial mindset produced and continues to produce and felt hope at the stories of people finding their roots again, resisting injustice and land thievery and finding spiritual healing.
This is an excellent anthology everyone should read.
September 19, 2020
4.5 stars
This book is such a cool concept! A collection of graphic short stories. This Place: 150 Years Retold features stories by Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm, Katherena Vermette, Richard Van Camp, and other star-studded names. And a forward from Alicia Elliott that was *brilliant* and set the tone. I enjoyed all of the stories, super rare for me when I'm dealing with different authors. It is a high 4.5 stars, maybe a 5. I'm ruminating on it still! This theme stuck with me: it has been post-apocalyptic since Contact for indigenous people.
This book is such a cool concept! A collection of graphic short stories. This Place: 150 Years Retold features stories by Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm, Katherena Vermette, Richard Van Camp, and other star-studded names. And a forward from Alicia Elliott that was *brilliant* and set the tone. I enjoyed all of the stories, super rare for me when I'm dealing with different authors. It is a high 4.5 stars, maybe a 5. I'm ruminating on it still! This theme stuck with me: it has been post-apocalyptic since Contact for indigenous people.
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