The Scarf and the Butterfly: A Graphic Memoir of Hope and Healing

Synopsis:

“’There’s an opening above me, but it’s far, and I have to stack up rocks to jump up, and it’s almost impossible to get out.’ That’s when I realized that I was stripped of my identity, and there was nothing of my culture left in me. It was like I wasn’t in my body anymore. It was bare and desolate and empty and cold, lifeless in my body. Where was I? Where had I gone?”

In this visceral graphic memoir, Monica Ittusardjuat brings readers with her from residential school classrooms to government apologies on her journey to rediscovering what it means to be Inuk. Born prematurely in an iglu on Baffin Island, Monica attended three residential schools over eleven years. She details her resulting struggles with addiction, mental health, and domestic violence, which haunted her into adulthood.

Equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful, Monica’s memoir is a testimony to the lasting impacts of residential schools and one woman’s fight to reclaim what she lost.

The Scarf and the Butterfly is a stunning new addition to Qinuisaarniq ("resiliency"), a collection of books created to educate readers about the history and impacts of residential schools.

Reviews
"Monica Ittusardjuat’s graphic memoir is a powerful narrative that chronicles her experiences as an Inuk girl. Her journey through the residential school system and beyond is a poignant depiction of trauma, survival, and the quest for reconciliation. The memoir, rich in visual storytelling, captures the stark realities faced by Indigenous children in residential schools, while also highlighting the enduring hope and resilience of the human spirit. It serves as a testament to the long and ongoing process of healing and understanding needed to address the deep scars left by such institutions.... Cautions / Content Warnings: This narrative should be approached with caution, as traumatic events and harsh realities may be triggering to some readers." - Debra H., Elementary School Teacher, Indigenous Books for Schools

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 14 to 18.

This book exposes readers to the experience and perspective of an Inuk residential school survivor.

This book is part of the Qinuisaarniq program. Qinuisaarniq (“resiliency”) is a program created to educate Nunavummiut and all Canadians about the history and impacts of residential schools, policies of assimilation, and other colonial acts that have affected the Canadian Arctic.

Each resource has been carefully written and reviewed to include level-appropriate opportunities for students to learn about colonial acts and policies that have affected Inuit. These acts and policies created long-lasting impacts on Inuit individuals and communities, which are still being felt today.

This book is included in the Indigenous Books for Schools database from the Association of Book Publishers of BC. It is recommended for Grades 9 to 12 for English Language Arts and Social Studies. 

Additional Information
68 pages | 7.00" x 10.00" | Hardcover