10 Books by Indigenous Authors from Around the Globe

Published on 23 October 2023 at 16:47

This time of year comes with several holidays that recognize indigenous peoples. On September 22nd, we celebrate Native American Day. This year, the theme is, "Protecting Our People Through Sovereignty: Past, Present, and Future." On October 9th, we recognize Indigenous Peoples Day. The theme for 2023 is "Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-determination." In November, we honor Native American Heritage Month. While we try to uplift the voices of indigenous storytellers all year long, we will share a couple posts that specifically recognize the work of Indigenous writers. In this post, we focus on the work of Indigenous authors from around the world.

Image Description: A woman with light brown skin and long dark hair holds a hand-painted poster. Red and black lettering says, "Indigenous womxn will lead us forward." A black handprint is painted over her mouth. Behind her stand other protesters, carrying signs with similar slogans.

Credit: Dulcey Lima / Unsplash via Webador

10 Books by Indigenous Authors from Around the Globe

  1. The Birchbark House (Louise Erdrich): Written for kids, this book tells the story of Omakakiins who lives on an island in Lake Superior. A visitor changes the once comfortable and familiar rhythm of her life and changes her community forever. This book is part one of a nine-part series which tells the story of a single Ojibwe family over the course of one hundred years. The author is a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. You can read this book through OpenLibrary for free, or buy it from Birchbark Books.
  2. Brooklyn Heights (Miral al-Tahawy): Written by an al-Hanadi Bedouin woman, this book presents Bedouin culture without the mire of stereotypes and tropes. Al-Tahawy centers the stories of Bedouin women. Read this book for free online through the InternetArchive. Buy this book on Amazon.
  3. The Girl from Chimel (Rigoberta Menchú): This autobiographical children's book tells the story of a young Maya girl who hears stories from her grandparents about the days before the Guatemalan Civil War that began in the 1960s and lasted for 36 years. The author is a K'iche' Maya human rights activist who founded Guatemala's first Indigenous political party, called Winaq. You can find this book on Amazon. Search for this book at a library near you using LibraryLink or WorldCat.
  4. Jonny Appleseed (Joshua Whitehead): A novel about a young Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer person trying to survive city-life, Jonny Appleseed follows a protagonist in the week before returning home for the funeral of a family member. This book covers themes of love, kinship, family, sex, and trauma. Buy this book from Birchbark Books. Whitehead is an Oji-Cree, Two-Spirit author from Peguis First Nation. Search for this book at a library near you using LibraryLink or WorldCat.
  5. Poet Warrior: A Memoir (Joy Harjo): A member of the Muscogee Nation, Harjo was the first indigenous US Poet Laureate. She has held that term for three terms. This book tells the story of Harjo's journey to writing her poetry in a way that honors ancestors, family, and Muscogee teachings. Learn more about Harjo, her books, and where to buy them through the author website. Search for this book at a library near you using LibraryLink or WorldCat.
  6. Robopocalypse (Daniel H. Wilson): Reminiscent of Black Mirror and other dark, science fiction, this book is set in a future in which humans are almost extinct and fight a war against their robot overlords in order to preserve their species. Wilson is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Find this book for free online through the InternetArchive. Learn more about the author, his books, and where to buy them on the author's website.
  7. Shark Dialogues (Kiana Davenport): This novel tells a Native Hawaiian story that spans the arrival of American missionaries to the present. It tells a complex story of race, colonization, and identity. Visit the author's website to learn more about her, her books, and where to buy them. Search for this book at a library near you using LibraryLink or WorldCat.
  8. The Sun, My Father (Nils-Aslak Valkeapää): Written by a Finnish Sami writer, musician, and artist, this book is a collection of poems that highlight the author's ties to their culture. Read this book for free through the InternetArchive or buy it on Amazon.
  9. Too Much Lip (Melissa Lucashenko): Set in Bundjalung country in Australia, this book tells the story of a woman trying to avoid prison while she searches for a way to keep her family together in the face of developers who threaten to flatten a sacred site. This book is written by an indigenous Australian author. Try the author's website to learn more (the site was down at the time of writing this article, but may be back online at a later date). This book is available on Amazon. Search for this book at a library near you using LibraryLink or WorldCat.
  10. The Whale Rider (Witi Ihimaera): This book tells the tale of eight-year-old Kahu, a Maori girl of the Whangara tribe. She steps up to save her people by using the gift of the legendary Whale Rider to communicate with whales that have beached themselves near her home. The author is Maori and often writes about the conflict between Maori and European colonial powers. You can find this book on Amazon. Search for this book at a library near you using LibraryLink or WorldCat.

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