Indigenous mothers, Indigenous children, Indigenous parents – Willie Poll sees you – and she wants you to know that you’re enough.

In this episode of Getting Lit With Linda, Willie Poll (Metis Nation of Ontario) discusses with Linda why she wrote this children’s book, titled My Little Ogichidaa, and the source of inspiration for its creation – in large part, the Moose Hide Campaign (2:00).

The Moose Hide Campaign, which began as a BC-born Indigenous-led grassroots movement to engage men and boys in ending violence towards women and children, has since grown into a nationwide movement of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians from local communities, First Nations, governments, schools, colleges/universities, police forces and many other organizations – all committed to taking action to end this violence.

Willie and Linda also discuss Willie's collaboration with illustrator, Hawlii Pichette, a Mushkego Cree (Treaty 9) urban mixed ancestry artist and illustrator who currently resides in London, Ontario. Linda asks her to explain the title for her book, which means "my little warrior" -- and how being a warrior is not necessarily incompatible with being loving.

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Linda begins this episode with a brief acknowledgement of the passing of Nobel Prize winner for the short story, Alice Munro – who died a couple of days before this episode was aired. It's a pertinent moment to take pause when the subject of this episode is, in part, about anniversaries - which often include remembering when a beloved person dies or, as was the case only a few days ago, honouring a special person - like mothers on Mothers' Day. Who we choose to so honour and how we do so says a great deal about us, not just the persons we are honouring.

In this episode, Linda interview author Christopher DiRaddo about anniversaries, particularly the 10th one for his first novel, The Geography of Pluto, and his reading series (in Montreal), called The Violet Hour. Among other topics, they also discuss the following:

• family, role of and shape (11.40)
• Bronski Beat (16.50)
• His other book, The Family Way
• author Licia Canton (19.10; 21.45) and her support for Christopher
• Marisa Portolese's Goose Village (exhibit, 22.32)
• the titles and epigraphs of his novels (25.00), one from Le Petit Prince (27.30) and the other from a Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five.

And there is a Takeaway in this episode - appropriately (in view of our discussion about anniversaries and commemoration) referencing the Canada Post stamps that honour graphic novelists in Canada.

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In this -- the second live episode of Getting Lit With Linda held at the Blue Metropolis Literary Festival and co-sponsored by the Quebec Writers' Federation -- Linda speaks with Andrew Stobo Sniderman and Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashi, Beaver Clan, of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation) about their book, Valley of the Birdtail: An Indian Reserve, A White Town, and the Road to Reconciliation. The book has been receiving all manner of recognition. Here are some examples of the awards it has garnered:

• Winner – 2023 Stubbendieck Great Plains Distinguished Book Prize
• Winner – 2023 John W. Dafoe Book Prize
• Winner – 2023 High Plains Book Award for Indigenous Writer
• Winner – 2022 Manitoba Historical Society Margaret McWilliams Book Award for Local History
• Winner – 2023 Quebec Writers’ Federation Mavis Gallant Prize for Non-Fiction and Concordia University First Book Prize.

And deservedly so. In this interview, Douglas and Andrew explain how and why we have arrived at the present moment and how there is hope for finding the pathway toward meaningful reconciliation.

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