Stories That Grow: Honoring Indigenous Heritage with Children’s Books

In August, we are not only commemorating but celebrating the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples! As I reflect, I tried to remember the first piece of Indigenous literature I read with my children. 

My oldest son was about 8 years old when I read a bit of the Popol Wuj to him in Spanish. This well-known, engaging, and interesting book of the Quiché Mayan people expresses their cosmovision, traditions, history, and more. When I was a child, I had read parts of the book in one of its many versions. Then I forgot about it, rediscovered it as an adult, and realized why I had loved it as a child. That’s why I was excited to share it with my son. He no longer remembers the title, but he does recall some of the stories and the experience. 

Have you ever been certain that you’ve read a particular book, but you can’t remember the content or what it was about? Yet, you vividly recall the feeling it evoked or the atmosphere around you when you read it. Sometimes, remembering the feeling is more than enough. It is when the reading experience has passed through the body. 

My youngest son was also about 8 years old when we read The Story of the Colors by Subcomandante Marcos, beautifully illustrated by Domitila Domínguez. He loved it so much that he kept insisting we share the book with the children who visited the library where I worked at the time. In his excitement, my son would always jump ahead in the story and end up telling the other children how the book ended. 

Unfortunately, neither of these two books can be found in libraries here. Now that I’ve realized this, I will request their acquisition. However, our Finnish public libraries do have other children’s books written and illustrated by Indigenous artists that are well worth reading. Here are some of the titles: 

Children’s books written and illustrated by Indigenous artists in the Helmet Collection:

• We are water protectors is a precious book written by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade. It speaks in a precise and somewhat poetic way about how everything is connected, highlighting the importance of water and the urgency to preserve it. You can find it in its English edition. Activities kit.
• Älskade Kulu or Sweetest Kulu, is an adorable book written by throat singer Celina Kalluk and illustrated by Alexandria Neonakis. In it, a mother almost whispers to her newborn how its arrival has been greeted with love by the world around it. You can find the book in its Swedish version. 
• Fry bread: a Native American family story, written by Kevin Noble Maillard and illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal, is a feast of delicious food, togetherness, and cultural diversity. Plus, there’s a little surprise at the end: a simple and delicious recipe. You’ll finish reading with a full belly and a happy heart. You can find it in English at the library. 
• Raven squawk, orca squeak is a short, fun and onomatopoeic book full of sounds and rhythm. It was illustrated by Roy Henry Vickers and written by Robert Budd. 

Children’s books about Indigenous cosmovisions and philosophies, included in the Helmet Collection:

1. Juan Palomino‘s Antes del primer día is based on Mayan mythological accounts of the birth of the world, closely related to the Popol Vuh. By the way, did you know that Palomino attended the Ninho’s Kolibrí festival in 2022? How wonderful is that?  

2. In the library, you can find at least three books by Mariana Ojeda in Spanish and one in Swedish: Jaguar, corazón de la montaña, Tlacuache, ladrón del fuego (I love tlacuaches… Did you know they are marsupials?), and Serpiente, espiral del tiempo. These three animals—the jaguar, the tlacuache, and the snake—are very important and prominent in pre-Hispanic and Mesoamerican cultures, especially among the Nahuatl and Mayan peoples, as far as I know. These are truly beautiful books, and coincidentally, the illustrations are by Palomino as well. 

Well, now that you have your library card ready, shall we meet there? 

Find more reading suggestions to enjoy with your children