Library launches author series exploring the experiences of Indigenous, Caribbean and African Peoples in Canada

Yorkregion.com
March 25, 2021

Newmarket Words have the power to influence, inform and enlighten. When those words are contained in a book that expresses the voices of people from different cultures, they can help us understand and learn more about each other.

Newmarket Public Library in collaboration with Maxine Gordon Palomino, a local lawyer, and Kim Wheatley, an Anishinaabe Consultant, is launching the author series Ancestral Voices: Belonging and Identity in Canada to highlight the experiences of Indigenous, Caribbean and African Peoples in Canada. Due to the pandemic the series will be held online via Zoom.

The idea for the series originated last summer, when Maxine Gordon Palomino watched the racial unrest unfold in the U.S., protests that reverberated around the world. It made her realize that much more needs to be done to create a society where everyone is treated equally with dignity and respect. One way to do that, she thought, was to share and have conversations that would help break down stereotypes and bias.

“Books provide us with an opportunity to read about the diverse experiences of people from other cultures,” says Gordon Palomino. “Whether fiction or non-fiction they provide us with insights into how a character or author feels about the trauma they undergo when exposed to racial or cultural stereotyping.”

A book that had an impact on Gordon Palomino and helped her learn more about another culture was 21 Things You May Not Know About The Indian Act by Bob Joseph, his guide to understanding the federal law and its repercussions on generations of Indigenous Peoples. For the author series it was important for her to involve the local Indigenous community and through the Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association (NACCA) she connected with Kim Wheatley.

“Maxine and I talked about the need for more diversity in Newmarket and how an author series would create engagement in an intimate and very human way,” says Wheatley. “The perspectives and viewpoints of Black and Indigenous authors challenge cultural tropes and misperceptions. Their voices provide readers with the truth and enrich their understanding of what are too often marginalized cultures.”

The books in the author series are varied, including memoirs, fiction and non-fiction. What ties them all together is the human element: real people, or fictional characters, dealing with everyday challenges, relationships, and other aspects of life.

One such voice is author Antonio Michael Downing who will kick off the author series with an online event on Thurs., March 25 at 7 p.m. Downing’s book, Saga Boy, My Life of Blackness and Becoming, relates his personal story of emigrating from Trinidad to Northern Ontario, where he and his brother were the only Black children in a small town. His story of cultural dislocation, family strife, and his journey to overcome adversity and find himself is enthralling and uplifting.

It is these authentic voices the author series has tapped into. Upcoming events will feature award-winning Indigenous author Lee Maracle, renowned for her acclaimed novels and poetry, Francesca Ekwuyasi, an author from Nigeria whose book Butter Honey Pig Bread was longlisted for the Giller Prize, and Waubgeshig Rice, an author and journalist from Wasauksing First Nation whose novel Moon of the Crusted Snow was a national bestseller.

As awareness of the books being written by Indigenous and Black authors increases, the literary landscape in Canada will become more inclusive. Authors will have their voices amplified, and readers will enjoy more points of view. Educators can choose books by Indigenous and Black authors to use as teaching tools and to spark discussions on cultural identity. To that end an Ancestral Voices author series for children is in the works as well. It will be launched with an event featuring award-winning children’s author Nadia Hohn.

“It’s vital for children to see themselves in the books they read, the toys the play with, the shows they watch,” says Wheatley. “I think it helps support equality and inclusivity from the youngest ages, and diminishes stereotyping.”

The subtitle for the Ancestral Voices series is Belonging and Identity in Canada. Each of us has our own identity and we all belong to a multicultural society. Reaching out to each other, understanding each other, accepting our cultural differences, and embracing our common humanity is what Wheatley and Gordon Palomino hope the series will convey.

All of the upcoming author events in the Ancestral Voices series are free. Find out more about the series and register at http://bit.ly/nplseries

Lorne Chase is the Marketing & Communications Coordinator at Newmarket Public Library. Visit the library’s website at www.newmarketpl.ca