Get inspired by these five memoirs by indigenous authors. To engage in personal stories that don’t receive much limelight, it’s time to hear the stories from actual individuals with beautiful indigenous backgrounds.
1. Mamaskatch by Darrel J. McLeod
Darrel’s boyhood and adulthood in Alberta, Canada is complex. He is a member of the Cree Tribe, and has a strong passion for his culture. He lost his dad at a young age and grew up in poverty with a mother who was an alcoholic. Darrel explains how he came to terms with the complicated life that was handed to him.
2. White Magic by Elissa Washuta
A collection of essays and personal stories linked together. As a native woman member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, her youth took place in New Jersey. We explore her adulthood in Seattle and the tarot practices that make her a witch. This is a strong and lively memoir that piques the interest of this bewitching woman.
3. Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot
Terese Marie grew up on the Seabird Island Reservation in Pacific Northwest. She goes into detail about her difficult upbringing, her hospitalization for PTSD and bipolar II disorder. She writes about her traumas and her path to healing. This lyrical, fragmented memoir captivates readers with its haunting beauty.
4. Abandon Me by Melissa Febos
This collection of essays are about Febos’s family, identity, and relationships. She examines her Native American birth father, early childhood, and her addiction. She also learns about her needs and desires when having a love affair with a woman.
5. Crazy Brave by Joy Harjo
Harjo is a U.S. poet, musician, writer, and memoirist. This memoir is about her journey as a poet. She writes about avoiding childhood abuse, early motherhood, and her interest in art and writing. She attended the Indian Arts Boarding School, where she practiced her art and writing. This is a memoir of spirituality, love, and the natural world.
Explore your literary palette by giving these memoirs a try. Explore the stories of Native and Indigenous writers this November.
For more books by Native American and Indigenous authors click here!