My Powerful Hair

Juvenile fiction

      Carole Lindstrom, author of We Are Water Protectors, has created another treasure for young readers, My Powerful Hair.  It packs more Indigenous truths into a picture book than you find in many more sophisticated formats.

     Whites tend to make hair style choices based on factors such as popularity and perceived attractiveness, time available and extent of interest in using it on hair care, and financial limitations or lack thereof.  Over an average life time we will rock a wide range of styles for an equally wide range of reasons.

     The young narrator of My Powerful Hair introduces readers to the concept that for Indigenous Peoples hair has many deep meanings.  It's a source of memories and strength.  It connects them with Mother Nature.  It's source of power and reason to celebrate.  Braiding each other's hair strengthens relationship bonds.

     The narrator also tells us how dominant society has robbed many Indigenous people of the chance to grow their precious hair.  Her mother was taught that hers was unacceptably wild.  And her grandmother had her hair forcibly shorn in the boarding school she was mandated to spend her youth in.

     Although My Powerful Hair is fiction, it is based on Lindstrom's life.  

     This vibrant and gorgeous picture can give children and a parents a meaningful glimpse of a much overlooked aspect of Indigenous culture.

On a purrrsonal note, this weekend Eugene went to camp.  I stayed home with Tobago to do homework and internship work, catch up with household stuff, and go through my clothes to pick out some to donate to Wednesday's clothes swap.  My biggest achievement was rewriting the paper the computer ate and putting it on Brightspace.  When I saw that I'd posted successfully I felt delirious with joy and relief.  That's right.  Delirious.  I threw caution to the winds and partied with Tobago right before bed.  I had mixed berry sherbet, Peeps, a raspberry hard lemonade, and a good book.  She had cat treats and me to snuggle with.

Today I was back to work on my really big paper.  Too much to do and too little time.  End of semester blues.  Right now I'm making lasagna for Eugene who has returned from the wilderness, hopefully with no hitchhiking ticks.  (Jules)

That was some party.  (Tobago)

A great big shout out goes out to all the students and professors singing those old end of semester blues.

Tobago and Jules Hathaway 

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