Library Spotlight: Posts

Natasha's Book Pick: National Indigenous History Month

For National Indigenous History Month, Humber Libraries is collaborating with Indigenous Education & Engagement to highlight new and diverse Indigenous voices, histories and experiences across Turtle Island. Each Friday in June, a member of the IE&E community will recommend a book that has influenced, moved or inspired them. In turn, the library will share a recommended reading list that complements their selection of the week. 

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Natasha's Book Pick: Reclaiming Tom Longboat by Janice Forsyth, 2020.

"I selected this book because Tom Longboat's story is one that shows great resilience. Despite him being required to attend residential school and being an Indigenous athlete at a difficult time, he continued to give his all. The part of his story that truly amazes me is that he used his running ability during World War I and risked his life. Not only did he become one of Canada's greatest athletes, but he represented the Indigenous people with dignity." 

 

Natasha Saddleback is from Samson Cree Nation in Treaty 6 Territory (Alberta) and is now living in Toronto. She has dedicated herself to promoting healthy living and empowering Indigenous peoples. Currently, Natasha is working as a healthy lifestyle coach at Humber College but is also a certified fitness trainer. 

 

 

 

 

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If you liked this week's pick, why not check out some further selected resources,  available at Humber Libraries? 

 

Tom Longboat is Cogwagee is Everything [Streaming Video], Library and Archives Canada, 2019.

In the early 20th century, no spectator sport captivated the world like long distance running. And no runner captured the hearts of Canadians like a Six Nations Indigenous man by the name of Cogwagee in the Onondaga language, or Tom Longboat in English. From his victory at the 1907 Boston Marathon, where he shattered the previous world record by five minutes, to his death-defying service in the First World War, he lived an extraordinary life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Roads Home : A Life on and off the Ice by Bryan Trottier, Stephen Brunt, and Jesse Thistle, 2022.

 A poignant and inspiring memoir of the people and challenges that shaped the life and career of Canada's most decorated Indigenous athlete. Over the course of his incredible career, Bryan Trottier set a new standard of hockey excellence. A seven-time Stanley Cup champion (four with the New York Islanders, two with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and one as an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche), Trottier won countless awards and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. In 2017, he was named one of the NHL's Top 100 Players of All Time. Trottier grew up in Val Marie, Saskatchewan, the son of a Cree/Chippewa/Metis father and an Irish-Canadian mother. All Roads Home offers a poignant, funny, wise, and inspiring look at his coming of age, both on and off the ice. It is a unique memoir in which Trottier shares stories about family, friends, teammates, and coaches, the lessons that he has learned from them, and the profound impact they have had in shaping the person he has become. 

 

 

Call Me Indian by Fred Sasakamoose; Bryan Trottier (Foreword by), 2021. 

This isn't just a hockey story; Sasakamoose's groundbreaking memoir sheds piercing light on Canadian history and Indigenous politics, and follows this extraordinary man's journey to reclaim pride in an identity and a heritage that had previously been used against him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aboriginal Sports Coaches, Community, and Culture by Demelza Marlin; Nicholas Apoifis; Andrew Bennie, 2021. 

This book is the first to celebrate the stories of this group of Aboriginal mentors and leaders and present them in a form that is accessible to both academic and general audiences. In this book, Aboriginal sport coaches from all over Australia share stories about their involvement in sport and community, offering insight into the diverse experiences of Aboriginal people in settler colonial Australia. This collection amplifies the public voice of Aboriginal coaches who are transforming the social, cultural, and political lives of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. These stories have been overlooked in public discussion about sport and indigeneity. Frank and often funny, these intimate narratives provide insight into the unique experiences and attitudes of this group of coaches. This book deepens our understanding of the shared and contested history of Aboriginal peoples' engagement with sport in Australia.

 

 

 

From Bear Rock Mountain by Antoine Bear Rock Mountain, 2019. 

In this poetic, poignant memoir, Dene artist and social activist Antoine Mountain paints an unforgettable picture of his journey from residential school to art school--and his path to healing. He won the Tom Longboat Award in 1967.