#NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women edited by Lisa Charleyboy & Mary Beth Leatherdale

 

#NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women

Bibliography

Charleyboy, Lisa & Leatherdale, Mary Beth, Eds.  (2017). #NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women.  Toronto, ON: Annick Press.  ISBN 9781554519583.

Content Summary

This anthology is a collection of poems, drawings, and short narratives from Native American women, most from Canadian tribes, but some are also from the United States.  Topics range from Native American history to life on the reservation to prejudice, abuse and family.  Each element highlights the struggles that Native American women face both on the reservations and in public places, and many of the writings emphasize that they should be treated just like anyone else.  The book advocates for the media to show Native American women in everyday roles like doctors, lawyers, or teachers, not just as Pocahontas-type Indian princess roles.

Critical Analysis

This book does an excellent job of forcing the reader to examine his or her perception of Native Americans, particularly women.  It brings to light the abuses and self-destructive behaviors that are swept under the carpet and not spoken of beyond the reservation.  It highlights the plight of Native American women to be rightfully pictured and perceived like any other race, hence the hash tag title #NotYourPrincess.  It examines the prejudices and stereotypes that Native American women face in their daily lives.  The editors include a wide range of women's' voices, from athletes to artists, and each contributor's tribe is listed with her piece. Each contribution is heartfelt and emotional and provide first-hand accounts at the struggles these women face.

Awards & Review Excerpts

2018 Norma Fleck Award Winner

2018 American Indian Youth Literature Award Winner

2018 YALSA Nonfiction Award Finalist

Voice of Youth Advocates, Starred, 2/1/2018 by Diana Geers

"This is a stereotype-bending anthology that honors the past lives and struggles of Native American women. Individual pieces are grouped together in themed sections about connection to the past, historical pain, challenge of stereotypes, celebration of power, and cultivating of hope for the future."

School Library Journal, Starred, 9/1/2017 by Alicia Abdul

"Charleyboy and Leatherdale have selected art, poetry, and prose created by Indigenous teenage girls and women that touch on a plethora of topics, from Standing Rock to ReMatriate, a collective of Indigenous women dedicated to showing the multiplicity of Indigenous identity through social media. Each entry is titled and accompanied by the author's name and their tribal ancestry or affiliation. In addition to the text, art pieces such as Lianne Marie Leda Charlie's Tagé Cho (Big River) and Pamela J. Peters's Real NDNZ Re-Take Hollywood, which recasts iconic movie stars as Indigenous actors/actresses, deepen the conversation and provide alternative ways of looking at identity, history, and inherited trauma." 

Connections

I think this book would be a fantastic companion to the study of the treatment of Native Americans as part of a U.S. History course; this anthology shows the legacy that our American ancestors left behind for indigenous women.  Since most of the included works are poems, it would also be great to use for an interdisciplinary unit.  Readers may also enjoy Sifters: Native American Women's Lives by Theda Perdue, ISBN 9780195130805 or American Indian Women by Patrick Deval, ISBN 9780789212474.