Description
Shawna Lee Corbould is a proud Ojibwe woman and member of Matachewan First Nation. She was inspired to write Jenny's Concrete Powwow by her own experiences of being raised in a city 2 hours away from her reservation. She has a Masters in Social Work and is a mom of 2, which takes up 99% of her life. She loves painting and making dreamcatchers. Shawna Lee is also the author of Charlie the Matachewan Moose. Regina Wilman is a freelance Canadian-Indigenous artist of Plains Cree descent, born in Atikameg (Whitefish Lake Reserve), AB. She grew up in a small town in Ontario, and after high school, she attended Emily Carr University for Art and Design in Vancouver, BC, specializing in illustration.
Jenny's Concrete Powwow tells the story of a young Indigenous girl that attends her very first Powwow. Jenny doesn't want to go because she would much rather be home in the city with her friends, but once she arrives at the reserve, she begins to feel a deep-rooted connection to nature, the Powwow, and the community. The next day, Jenny realizes that while the city is busy and full of people, she does not feel that same connection. She spots a crow flying down the street and follows it to the park, where she is inspired to find that same spark of cultural connection she felt at the Powwow within herself.
This unique and beautifully illustrated book addresses the challenges of urban Indigenous experience, validates the feeling of cultural identity disconnect, and considers ways to regain that connection. Through the beauty, joy, and spirit of powwows, Jenny demonstrates how children can take action to reclaim their Indigenous identity and pride.
Audience: Ages 7-9.