UnreconciledUnreconciled
Family, Truth, and Indigenous Resistance
Title rated 4.15 out of 5 stars, based on 61 ratings(61 ratings)
Book, 2021
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In 'Unreconciled', a prominent Indigenous voice uncovers the lies and myths that affect relations between white and Indigenous peoples and the power of narrative to emphasize truth over comfort. Jesse Wente is an Ojibwe writer, broadcaster, producer, and chairperson of the Canada Council for the Arts. Born and raised in Toronto, ON, he is a member of the Serpent River First Nation.
Jesse Wente remembers the exact moment he realized that he was a certain kind of Indiana stereotypical cartoon Indian. He was playing softball as a child when the opposing team began to war-whoop when he was at bat. It was just one of many incidents that formed Wentes understanding of what it means to be a modern Indigenous person in a society still overwhelmingly colonial in its attitudes and institutions.As the child of an American father and an Anishinaabe mother, Wente grew up in Toronto with frequent visits to the reserve where his maternal relations lived. By exploring his familys history, including his grandmothers experience in residential school, and citing his own frequent incidents of racial profiling by police whod stop him on the streets, Wente unpacks the discrepancies between his personal identity and how non-Indigenous people view him. He also describes his discomfort at becoming a designated spokesperson for Indigenous peoples concerns, even as he struggles with not feeling Ojibwe enough.Wente analyzes and gives voice to the differences between Hollywood portrayals of Indigenous peoples and lived culture. Through the lens of art, pop culture commentary, and personal stories, and with disarming humour, he links his love of baseball and movies to such issues as cultural appropriation, Indigenous representation and identity, and Indigenous narrative sovereignty. Indeed, he argues that storytelling in all its forms is one of Indigenous peoples best weapons in the fight to reclaim their rightful place.Part memoir and part manifesto, Unreconciled is a stirring call to arms to put truth over the flawed concept of reconciliation, and to build a new, respectful relationship between the nation of Canada and Indigenous peoples. Jesse Wente is an Ojibwe writer, broadcaster, producer, and speaker. Born and raised in Toronto, he is a member of the Serpent River First Nation.
Jesse Wente remembers the exact moment he realized that he was a certain kind of Indiana stereotypical cartoon Indian. He was playing softball as a child when the opposing team began to war-whoop when he was at bat. It was just one of many incidents that formed Wentes understanding of what it means to be a modern Indigenous person in a society still overwhelmingly colonial in its attitudes and institutions.As the child of an American father and an Anishinaabe mother, Wente grew up in Toronto with frequent visits to the reserve where his maternal relations lived. By exploring his familys history, including his grandmothers experience in residential school, and citing his own frequent incidents of racial profiling by police whod stop him on the streets, Wente unpacks the discrepancies between his personal identity and how non-Indigenous people view him. He also describes his discomfort at becoming a designated spokesperson for Indigenous peoples concerns, even as he struggles with not feeling Ojibwe enough.Wente analyzes and gives voice to the differences between Hollywood portrayals of Indigenous peoples and lived culture. Through the lens of art, pop culture commentary, and personal stories, and with disarming humour, he links his love of baseball and movies to such issues as cultural appropriation, Indigenous representation and identity, and Indigenous narrative sovereignty. Indeed, he argues that storytelling in all its forms is one of Indigenous peoples best weapons in the fight to reclaim their rightful place.Part memoir and part manifesto, Unreconciled is a stirring call to arms to put truth over the flawed concept of reconciliation, and to build a new, respectful relationship between the nation of Canada and Indigenous peoples. Jesse Wente is an Ojibwe writer, broadcaster, producer, and speaker. Born and raised in Toronto, he is a member of the Serpent River First Nation.
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- Toronto : Allen Lane Canada, 2021.
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