Katherine Palmer Gordon
Katherine Palmer Gordon is the author of five books of non-fiction, including several BC Bestsellers: The Slocan: Portrait of a Valley, The Garden That You Are, and Made to Measure: A History of Land Surveying in British Columbia, for which she was awarded the 2007 BC Haig-Brown prize. She is also an award-winning freelance journalist and lives on Gabriola Island, BC.
Books (1)
Synopsis:
“Katherine Palmer Gordon, a consummate listener, weaves a powerful tapestry of ten First Nations people, deeply grounded in land, memory and story. Their lives honour the inextinguishable inter-connectedness of humans and nature, in righteous defiance of colonization. These are stories that point to an optimistic future based on the teachings of Ancestors and Elders with a view to making the world better for children, grandchildren and children yet to come. To do this, human wellbeing and land protection must be inseparable. This book is an encounter with wonderful people doing wonderful things. This Place is Who We Are is an invitation to hope for a better society, a better world, featuring ten people creating it. I thank the contributors and Katherine Palmer Gordon for engaging in a visionary conversation.” — Shelagh Rogers, O.C. Host/Producer of The Next Chapter, CBC Radio One, Honorary Witness, Trut
“A beautiful collection of stories and lived experiences! Each with gentle and loving reminders of our sacred connections to each other, the land and water and all living beings. Individually, these stories are inspiring, hopeful and thought provoking. As a collection, majestically woven together by Katherine Palmer Gordon, they have the potential to change hearts and minds of readers, decision makers and future generations.” — Monique Gray Smith
“An astute facilitator of Indigenous governmental relationships and reconciliation, Katherine Palmer Gordon is also an award-winning writer, and a very good listener who earns trust. These deeply personal accounts of Indigenous cultural rediscovery, empowerment—and healing in a post-colonial world—are truly inspiring. Steeped in ancient connections with the land, the shared wisdom and vision of elders, youth and community leaders offer timely lessons for a healthier, more respectful relationship between people, wildlife and our planet. This is good medicine for all.” — Mark Forsythe, Co-author of The Trail of 1858: British Columbia's Gold Rush Past and former C
256 pages | 8.00" x 10.00" | Paperback
Teen Books (1)
Synopsis:
First Nations are the fastest growing population in the country. There are thousands upon thousands of young First Nations people growing up today who, together with the kind of individuals whose stories are told in this book, represent a future for this country that is brighter than it has been for a long, long time.--from the foreword by Shawn A-in-chut Atleo, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations
Since 2004, journalist Katherine Palmer Gordon has interviewed dozens of young First Nations people living in British Columbia--artists and community leaders, comedians and consultants, musicians and lawyers, people who are household names and those known only within their own communities. We Are Born with the Songs Inside Us collects sixteen candid stories gleaned from those interviews, stories of people who share an unshakeable belief in the importance of their cultural heritage to their well-being, to their success at what they do, and to their everyday lives.
Included are Kim Baird, former chief of the Tsawwassen First Nation; Lisa Webster-Gibson, spoken word artist and rock-and-roll drummer with Delaware-Mohawk and Scottish-Canadian heritage who lives and works on Gabriola Island as an Environmental Assessment Professional; and John Marston (Qap'u'luq), an artist and storyteller from the Chemainus First Nation who learned to carve from his father. "What I put into each piece," he says, in his interview with Gordon, "is 100 percent me."
Shattering stereotypes, We Are Born with the Songs Inside Us gathers the thoughts and hopes of young native people living in twenty-first century Canada. Each has a compelling, meaningful story that deserves to be told, understood and, above all, celebrated.
Authenticity Note: The author of this book is not Indigenous; however, those who contributed the stories for the book are Indigenous. It is up to readers to determine if this will work as an authentic text for their purposes.
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