Westerly Sun Column | Explore the Works of Indigenous Authors

In recent years, there has been much debate surrounding Indigenous Peoples Day and Columbus Day. While the state of Rhode Island celebrates Columbus Day on the second Monday in October, I encourage you to also explore and celebrate the written works of Indigenous authors. We’ve curated a list that includes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, memoirs, and much more to get you started.

“There, There” (2018) is the debut novel by Tommy Orange, who is a citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. The book, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, follows 12 Native Americans who come together at the Big Oakland Powwow, delving into their personal stories and challenges, notably around their struggles with identity as “Urban Indians.” It’s fast-paced and powerful, and we can’t wait for Orange’s next book (“Wandering Stars”), which comes out next year.

In contrast to “There, There”, which focuses largely on tribal people who live in urban settings, there are some great books set on reservations. “Ceremony,” by Leslie Marmon Silko, is one of the most well-known. It follows a half-Pueblo, half-white man who returns to the reservation after a harrowing experience as a prisoner of the Japanese during World War II, and must grapple with PTSD, depression, loneliness, and identity struggles. Eventually, he finds comfort, healing, and a sense of self in the ancient traditions and ceremonies of his people. If you’re looking for more novels by and about native people, I recommend “The Only Good Indians” by Stephen Graham Jones and anything by Louise Erdrich, a powerhouse of a writer who has written dozens of books to date and won numerous awards.

Memoirs — which are one of the most popular genres in the library — are great choices for those who want to learn more about the authentic experiences of Indigenous people. “Dog Flowers” (2021) by Danielle Geller is a fascinating and heart-wrenching one to start with. After her mother passes away from substance abuse issues, Geller embarks on a journey to piece together her mother’s past — and her own — using archival documents she’s gathered to lead her through, eventually ending where her life began and her mother’s ended: at the Navajo Reservation.

No list of Indigenous authors would be complete without Joy Harjo, the multi-talented author, poet, performer, playwright, and 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States. She’s well-known for her many collections of poetry, including “She Had Some Horses” (1983) and “Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings” (2015), as well as her memoirs and “Poet Warrior” (2021) and “Catching the Light” (2022). She’s also helped create two anthologies of Native poets, together representing hundreds of native voices and Indigenous nations. The first is “When the Light of the World Was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through” (2020) which was followed in 2021 by her signature laureate project, “Living Nations, Living Words.” All of these — and many more — are available through the Ocean State Library Consortium, and many of them digitally using the Libby and hoopla apps!

by Cassie Skobrak, Adult Services Librarian