Materials from the Americas
A sobering perspective of what it was like to be forced on the Navajo Long Walk, one of our nation’s most traumatizing events. Ninaanibaa’, the young woman whose family the story centers on, is the heart of the novel. Two of her young daughters are kidnapped prior to removal. Through the love of her warrior husband, Haske Yil Naanaah, she never gives up hope of reuniting again with her daughters.
“I am a child of Changing Woman.” That is a line in a Navajo prayer spoken by medicine men on behalf of patients, and in the old days it was symbolic and spiritual. Today, it is real. Navajo women, once relegated to bearing children, caring for the home, and raising livestock in a matrilineal society, have transformed themselves into businesswomen, attorneys, truck drivers, pilots, nurses, artists, presidential candidates, and more. Who is the Navajo woman and what drives her in 2007? Join Navajo writer Betty Reid and photographer Kenji Kawano on a journey through the cycle of a Navajo woman’s life, from east (birth and youth) to south (teenager and young adult) to west (adult) to north (elder).
Adventures of Rabbit and Bear Paws is set in 18th Century colonized North America. We follow the story of two mischievous Ojibwa brothers as they play pranks and have amazing adventures using a traditional Ojibwa medicine (spirit powder) that transforms them into animals for a short time.
A renowned activist recalls his childhood years in an Indian boarding school
A winter’s day full of fun and excitement takes an unexpected turn when our young heroes, Rabbit and Bear Paws, cross paths with a mysterious and powerful healer known as the Bear Walker. What does this man want from our boys, and what secret is he hiding?
James and his daughter, Rebecca, go on a trip to harvest beluga whale. Harvesting and preparing beluga meat together as a family is an integral part of what it means to be Inuvialuit. Join James and Rebecca and learn about how the beluga whale is interlinked with Inuvialuit culture and history.
What is LOVE? Is love the respect you have for your parents, family, friends and all beings? Or is it something more? What Rabbit loves to do the most is play pranks with his brother Bear Paws on family and friends. Rabbit is the best at playing pranks on others – until he meets his equal in a young girl called Strawberry. Is it young love at first sight?
A young man is on a dangerous mission that will secure his future … or leave him dead. With all the suspense of a fast-paced movie, this gripping novel about Diego’s treacherous journey across borders, is also a moving story about a boy’s crossing into manhood.
Ukaliq and Kalla are two friends who could not be more different. Ukaliq is loud, excited and always looking for adventure. Kalla on the other hand, is calm, quiet and knows it’s best to be well prepared before travelling out on the land or sea ice. When the two friends head out for a day of fishing, Ukaliq can barely wait to get his line in the water—but his eagerness to catch a fish may just leave him empty handed in the end. There is a lot Kalla could teach Ukaliq about a successful fishing trip, if only Ukaliq would sit still long enough to listen!
When young Donald and his friends head down to the water to play, they have no idea that they are soon to encounter a mermaid, one of the creatures that his elders have told him about. Terrified, the boys run back to their camp, ready to tell everyone what they have just seen. They can’t seem to remember it clearly. It is up to Donald’s grandmother to explain to them the magical creature they just encountered