Indigenous Authors & Indigenous Artists’ Exhibits around Chicago
I’ve been busy with some new writing deadlines in my future, so this week I am highlighting old posts and reflecting on a recent adult book. No, no. I will not start reviewing adult books, but after I recently finished reading Robin Wall Kimmerer’s The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World (and with National Native American Heritage Day last week), I decided to reflect a bit on The Serviceberry and highlight some of my previous posts celebrating indigenous authors.
Previous posts:
JoJo Makoons - Great chapter book series - the latest book in the series just came out!
The Song That Called Them Home - I think about this captivating picture book often!
Stand As Tall As The Trees - Love this picture book! I love documentaries - I highly recommend watching National Geographic’s recent Expedition Amazon
Forever Cousins - Such a great picture book!
Local Indigenous Exhibitions: My friend recently gave me a tour at the Block Museum on Northwestern’s campus. I grabbed a flier with current exhibitions featuring Indigenous artists - check it out this winter break with your kids!
Museum of Contemporary Art: Andrea Carlson
National Public Housing Museum: Still Here
Newberry Library: Indigenous Chicago
Center for Native Futures: Gagizhibaajiwan
Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum at Northwestern
Heart: I adore Robin Wall Kimmerer’s work, not only because I love nonfiction and nature, but also because I enjoy learning about indigenous cultures. We live in a society that likes to glorify the individualist myth of being a “self-made man” and “pulling yourself up by the boot straps,” but every encounter, every experience in life makes you who you are. All members of our community help shape who we are and propel us to our successes (and failures!). Your teachers, your librarians, your parents, your grandparents, your neighbors all shape your future. Robin Wall Kimmerer’s latest book, The Serviceberry, gets to the heart of the value of community and the lessons we can learn from the natural world, particularly the Serviceberry.
Head: Kimmerer points out that ecologists and economists used to frame their studies from a scarcity viewpoint. Many viewed both the natural world and economies as being driven by competition; yet ecologists are beginning to see the ways in which cooperation helps plants and natural systems thrive. Kimmerer talks about the gift economy and how it can help us and help our environment.