Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga
Review by Joanna S., Youth Reviewer
“Seven Fallen Feathers” by Tanya Talaga tells the stories of Jethro Anderson, Curran Strang, Paul Panacheese, Robyn Harper, Reggie Bushie, Kyle Morrisseau, and Jordan Wabasse. They were all students who attended Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School in Thunder Bay, Ontario, a high school for Indigenous kids from all over Canada. All of these students were found dead while attending the school. Tanya Talaga details the events that took place leading up to the deaths of each student, and the after-effects caused by each case. Told through interviews with those closest to the victims, and others fighting for justice, it offers perspectives that are often repressed in relation to these cases, and in general.
Upon completing this novel, I found it necessary to stop for a moment of reflection. I wanted to make sure I fully understood what I had learned, keeping in mind the differences between passive versus active listening. Each time I dive into Indigenous stories and history, the word resilience is constantly blaring in my head. Time and time again, Indigenous people show great strength in their dealings with a country that has never been on their side. Indigenous people seek to restore what they have lost, never using malicious methods to do so. It puts into perspective the ways in which Western culture has defined justice, as opposed to the Indigenous view on the word. In Western culture, we often exercise retributive justice, resorting to violence and punishment. Indigenous people have continuously implemented the idea of restorative justice, in which those in the wrong must do everything within their power to restore a state of peace.
By telling these stories, Tanya Talaga gives readers the tools to learn from and understand Indigenous perspectives. In doing so, a chain reaction can be started. Word travels as people get vocal, sharing the things that they’ve learned with those around them. When we come together as Indigenous people and allies, we can create change. This book was heart-wrenching and empowering, I would recommend it to everyone.
Find Seven Fallen Feathers at Kitchener Public Library!