Collaboration and Celebration
In this first book published under Harper Collins new imprint Heartdrum, an imprint dedicated to sharing stories by Indigenous creators, Ancestor Approved edited by Cynthia Leitch Smith is an anthology of stories written by Indigenous creators from across Turtle Island.
There is a common thread linking all of the stories, The Dance for Mother Earth Powwow, an intertribal powwow held annually in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Dance for Mother Earth Powwow is an actual event but the stories in the anthology are fictional, draw on the author’s experiences at other powwows and ceremonies.
This beautiful collection brings together stories from many different Nations. Through each story, readers will learn a little more about the powwow experience and share in the joy of celebration with all of the characters throughout. There are stories from the perspective of children who have been preparing to compete all of their lives, and stories of children who are just discovering pride in their Indigeneity. There is a story from the perspective of a rez dog who tags along to support a community member and beautiful poems that bookend the reader's journey throughout the powwow weekend.
Through all of these stories readers will learn about the different and unique experiences at a powwow. The reader is totally immersed in the powwow experience from the preparation and the journey to get there and the experience of the entire event from a breadth of different perspectives: dancers, vendors, Navajo, Anishinaabe, participants, spectators, etc. Readers are also treated to a taste of the food area and the warmth of fry bread, corn soup and Navajo Tacos.
Finally, each story has a small part, a little thread beyond the setting that connects it to the others. There is a mention of t-shirts sold, a dog travelling around the grounds, the food and the jewelry.
Ancestor Approved was a truly collaborative effort by all of the contributors including some of our favourites Monique Gray Smith and David A. Robertson. We are very much looking forward to the incredible work Heartdrum will gift to readers in the future.
