Why We Should Read
A
t its best, fiction shows us who we are and, more importantly, expands our idea of who is included in that “we.” In Jonny Appleseed, Joshua Whitehead captures the loneliness of the protagonist’s double exile as a youth who is Two Spirit and Indigenous in a society which fully accepts neither. We accompany Jonny as he struggles to find belonging moving from the rez to Winnipeg carrying scars of intergenerational trauma, and we begin to see a commonality with a character whose life on the surface seems so dissimilar from most
of our own. Both Jonny’s mother and grandmother understand that he is Two Spirit and accept him in a way many on the rez do not. Much of the novel is a recounting of Jonny’s quest for the unconditional love and acceptance he found from his kokum. In his pursuit of this connection and a way to make his way in the city, Jonny becomes an online sex worker. While the very graphic details of sexual encounters may not be to everyone’s comfort level, it gives a sense of how much this is a part of Jonny’s day-to-day life. As he says, sex is a way to feel that “we were here,” to be seen and known in some way, as “… our bodies are a library, and our stories are written like braille on the skin.” Being Two Spirit, Jonny and indeed Whitehead themselves, resist the gender pigeonholes into which society wants to put people. Jonny says, “There are a million parts of me that don’t add up, a million parts of me that signal immodesty. When I think of masculinity, I think of femininity.” Through the
Rock I Funk I Blues I Reggae I Latin I Metal
Paul Jutras
DRUM KIT AND HAND PERCUSSION LESSONS 35+ years experience- Private / One 2 One / Customized / Fun
Beginner to advanced - In your home or in my studio in Duncan
250-732-7735 I chopsdrumschool@gmail.com
TEN OLD BOOKS
Always something for everyone
Great Selection of Used & New Books • Bestsellers & Award Winners • Classic Novels & Timeless Favourites • BC & Canadian Authors Plus Local Cards • Crafts • Children’s Books • Jewelry • Unique Gift Ideas and More!
102-330 Duncan St 250 -715-1383 Find us inside the historic Duncan Garage character of Jonny, Whitehead is trying to break down the preconceptions of what being Indigiqueer is – and readers may be left surprised, grateful for the tenderness that is revealed in this book. The Warmland Book and Film Collective – begun in 2018 as a response to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada – explores,
celebrates, and learns from Indigenous authors and filmmakers. We are welcoming new members – if you enjoy friendly, spirited, and interesting conversation, email us at WarmlandBFC@ gmail.com for the zoom link. We next meet online February 9th to discuss Five Little Indians by Michelle Good. Submitted by David and Ranji
11
