10 Spiritual Books from Indigenous Leaders

Hi friends,

Tomorrow (September 30) is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. If your city or town is anything like mine, there are dozens of events happening with storytelling, art, Indigenous-led markets, demonstrations, walks, dancing, and so much more as we observe and honour together. I’ve written many times here in Field Notes, elsewhere, and in my books about my own ongoing and imperfect journey into decolonization and renewal as a woman descended from settlers but this week,1 I wanted to step aside in order to share a few of the storytellers, leaders, and even friends who have deeply impacted my spiritual journey in this way.

For those of you who perhaps aren’t aware of this statutory holiday or Orange Shirt Day here in Canada, here’s the official perspective:

The day honours the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.

Both the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day take place on September 30.

Orange Shirt Day is a commemorative day led by Indigenous communities to raise awareness about the intergenerational impacts of residential schools on children, families, and communities. It honours Indigenous children who were lost in the residential school system.

The orange shirt symbolizes the loss of culture, freedom, and self-esteem that many Indigenous children experienced. This day reminds us that “Every Child Matters”.

On September 30, we encourage all Canadians to wear orange to honour the thousands of Survivors of residential schools.

I’ve seen such a mighty change in these conversations over my own lifetime. It’s my hope that my own children and all of the generations coming up behind us will look back and be able to say the same. Even as you attend the events or watch them on television or online, it’s my hope that this opens the door for a new aspect of your own spiritual journey, too.

This past week, my friend Nichole M. Forbes2 (who is also the Program Coordinator for The Canadian Learning Community for Decolonization and Innovation in Theological Education) shared about her experience as a Métis woman leading communion at a local Christian university and, while the entire post is worth a read,