Becoming Kin: An Indigenous Call to Unforgetting the Past and Reimagining Our Future by Patty Krawec

Becoming Kin: An Indigenous Call to Unforgetting the Past and Reimagining Our Future Reviews

• 
  jenny✨

  one of the most powerful books i've ever read.
• 
  Michelle Good

  The way Canadians understand the history of this land is a fairy-tale. It is concocted to either hide the intolerable actions and impacts of the inherent violence of colonialism or present it as something tolerable; something other than what it was. Patty Krawec distills this truth with a tangible brilliance. She is frank about how the future of everyone is fast approaching the point of no return and how we all must face history to have a future worth living. Bravo. Read it!
• 
  Jonathan Stegall

  I've long appreciated Patty Krawec's work podcasting, writing online, and everywhere else that I see it, so I was deeply excited to learn she had a book coming out. It was an instant preorder for me. I deeply appreciated the book as well. The invitation towards kinship that it offers, weaved through each chapter, is a powerful one.
  
  Today I live in Minnesota, where it's common for people to do land acknowledgements for Dakota and Anishinaabe land without taking any action, and I grew up in North Carolina, where it was common for people to claim Cherokee ancestors without any ties. I think this framing of becoming kin and the tasks in the book – of being shaped by stories that aren't ours without claiming them, of learning to live in relationship to land and water that aren't ours, of discarding colonizing concepts of what safety means, of living as though the land actually does belong to the people we acknowledge and what it means for how we live on the land – is the way for white settlers to move toward solidarity in both cases. Importantly, she weaves through the book stories of Black folks – both those who are Native and those who aren't – and migrants, and doesn't let the reader forget that land and water know these stories as well.
  
  Certainly she's not offering an easy journey and the book doesn't make it seem so, but by weaving Anishinaabe stories and words, through the kind of tasks she's encouraging, I think she makes it seem both possible and lifegiving.
  
  While I think it's valuable for folks with a lot of perspectives, I'm especially hoping to share this one with church folks where I live. I know a lot progressive church folks – of various racial backgrounds – who can use a lens like this one to frame how we individually relate to collective actions of solidarity with Indigenous folks that we can take in our time.
• 
  Philip

  "Becoming Kin" is not an easy book to wrap one's head around. And it has nothing to do with neither the writing nor the structure, the book is incredibly straight forward on both counts. It's more about the messaging and the author's choice of kin vehicle.
  
  The book sets out to establish "the true" history of America (especially North America), to de-tangle it from the historical narrative preferred by settlers/colonizers and their progeny (arguing in the process that no European immigrated to North America, taking special umbrage with the idea of the U.S. as a "nation of immigrants"). The book also argues for a common future, of becoming kin, for the betterment of humans and the environment both. In broad strikes, both are commendable goals and, I think, utterly necessary. Krawec's arguments though, are a bit of a mixed bag.
  
  Overall, I liked the book. It provides a valuable perspective and a number of really good arguments and observations. As mentioned, the book is also very well written. The religious comparisons of (primarily) Christianity and Judaism with indigenous (mainly Anishinaabe) faith systems and spiritual mythology are interesting too, where she argues that - despite their differences - the two perspectives are similar enough to serve as cultural glue. On a more general level, the book shares a valuable and historically oppressed perspective.
  
  However, it very much remains a perspective, it is not "the true" history as such, and the author's arguments for the future are based on overly simplified versions of both history and today's world. In short, Krawec's arguments too often boil down to a sort of collective indigenous version of the Noble Savage concept (although she, of course, does not call it that, since that's a colonialist expression/idea and would be totally racist), where indigenous is simply better than white colonialist - both then and now. The religious vehicle of reconciliation/becoming kin also comes up a bit short for me, albeit that most religions are compatible to varying degrees - they do, after all, essentially aim to do the same things (the argument could therefore have attempted a more unifying vehicle had she broadened it somewhat - as it is, even in the most generous interpretation, it excludes a whole lot of people).
  
  That said, I think she's totally right in arguing that the world can learn a lot from indigenous people across the world. It's neither as universally applicable nor as black and white as she makes it, but it is inevitably true. The same can be said for her version of American history. Naturally, the national foundational myths beginning with the European conquests are at best selective, at worst pure fabrications - and it's important to be cognizant of this - but to a not insignificant extent, the same is true for Krawec's version of history.
  
  In the end, it's a beautiful book (and not just its cover) and I highly recommend it.
  Just, you know, don't swallow it whole.
• 
  J. Muro

  I love her book, because at the end, she (& and many awesome others who helped collaborate-guide) the book, offered an excellent solution(s). Robin Wall Kimmerer’s BRAIDING SWEETGRASS part 2.
• 
  Fei

  Required reading for anyone looking to be in solidarity with native and Indigenous communities. I liked that the history section included Black History as black and Indigenous communities are intertwined in ways that often aren't recognized.
• 
  Geoffrey

  In less than two hundred pages, Patty Krawac packs a mighty perspective-shifting power that I did not anticipate in the slightest, but now deeply appreciate. As I write this, I'm still very much processing her thoughts on identity, relationships, and the forces of settler colonialism. But as busy as my mind currently is, I do have the mental bandwidth to say this with confidence - this feels like the kind of book that should be widespread reading in high school or college classes. In the meantime though, I'm going to at least do my part to try and get copies of Becoming Kin on the shelves of both my local public library, and the academic library where I work.
• 
  Sarah Cavar

  Thought-provoking and heartfelt, with practicable calls to action interspersed throughout. My only ick with this book was the weird Christianity-apologia scattered throughout the book — it wasn’t that Krawec excused the violence of the church and it’s agents of genocide, but she found a lot of false sites of radicalism in “Christian” religious tradition that were actually attributable to Judaism, and used them to attempt to redeem Christianity as a liberators philosophy. This felt wildly out of step with the rest of her approach to colonial violence and western hegemony.
• 
  Trina

  This was helpful to me because of it's perspective. Relationships are key. As a pretty intense introvert this can be a struggle for me, but it is important to push beyond the confines of the books and learn alongside the people more often. I'm taking a mini language class in Nsyilxcen as a baby step toward deepening my non-text Indigenous learning.
• 
  Crisanne

  One of the best books I have read that gives actionable steps to move forward with a new perspective.
• 
  Allium

  All those who live in the Americas should read this, take note, and do better.
• 
  Brontee (bookswithbibi)

  An incredibly thoughtful and eye-opening book! I learned so much (especially about the history of Indigenous peoples in the so-called United States), and this information is presented in an easily accessible way.
  
  The writing flowed with ease and in a way that kept me engaged even with some of the slower parts (mainly some of the deep history). While I picked up this book off and on, it is such a rich source of knowledge and the perspectives shared are so valuable. I have so many passages highlighted that I couldn't include them all, but here are some quotes that specifically resonated with me or made me reflect.
  
  "Big Brother is always hungry. He is a voracious monster that never stops eating. He is so hungry that he turns his little brother into a slave and forces him to go out looking for good. But no matter what Little Brother brings - trees for lumber, diamonds from the earth, fish from the rivers - it is never enough."
  
  "Stones are ancient, older than water, older than time. Bones of earth. They've been through so many worlds, so many floods, and they hold all the memory and knowledge that comes with it. Eternity sits in my hand, and it ties me to home"
  
  "We could be the most anti-racist society on earth, but as long as America relies on stolen land and the displacement of Indigenous people, it will remain a colonial state. Decolonizing means returning the land to the people from whom it was taken"
  
  "At what point did light skin become an indicator of being "from here" and the skin of the original people become an indicator of strangeness?"
  
  "We can't alter the actions of our ancestors, but we can decide what to do with the social relations they left us."
  
  "But there is no magic bullet. No single book you can read, no one podcast to listen to, no perfect Twitterati to follow, no percentage you can donate, and no amount of time you can spend outside in nature will put things right. We have to build relationships."
  
  "The land mourns and wastes away not only because of the things that humanity has done but the things it has not done, such as our lack of care for those who suffer. The land has absorbed the blood of that suffering, and it mourns."
  
  "As we prepare to reconsider the history that we have learned, look for Black and Indigenous people. Look for us in your life, on your bookshelf, in the music you listen to and the movies or television you watch. Look for us on your social media feed. Look for us in the collective nostalgia of your country. Don't try to read too much into our presence or absence. Just notice. Where are we?"
  
• 
  Jeffrey Pedro

  Becoming Kin is an exceptional primer for change. I’ve never read a more thought provoking book. Not only did it engage me in self-reflection, but it also helped to answer many questions that have plagued me regarding decolonization, reclaiming land back for indigenous peoples, cultural appropriation, and how to be an effective ally to indigenous communities. The author provides the framework for working towards meaningful and impactful relationships with animals, the land, plants, and one another.
  
  My reading history lately has reflected a deep desire for change and further understanding of our current state of affairs. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t concerned or disturbed by the history that has shaped what America is today. Capitalism has been the product of habitat destruction, promotion of caste, and the impoverishment and displacement of black, Latino, and indigenous communities, as well as an insatiable appetite for land ownership/claim. The author structures each chapter to tackle many of these issues while providing attainable solutions.
  
  The author calls us to not just spend life informing ourselves, but to get out there and build relationships, participate in community events, reflect on how our ancestors impacted and shaped the world today, work towards being an ally without culturally appropriating, and most importantly, listen and learn from others.
  
  There are so many lessons and stories packed in roughly 200 pages that will leave you wanting to play an active role in making positive changes in the world. This call to action is highly recommended!!!
• 
  Karen

  Becoming Kin is enlightening, informing, educational and inspiring. This is the book that is taking me on a journey to learn and discover more about our indigenous kin and how I can best live on the land as a settler, how I can begin to reconcile relationships. To learn about “unforgetting”. Patty has such a lovely way of writing and putting forth ideas. She has also explained the meaning behind the land acknowledgements that we hear at every event we attend; so much more meaningful to me now. She inspires one to ‘do better, be better’. This is a book that all Canadians should read. Patty also speaks to some of the history in the United States and reflects on teh black diaspora and the connections with indigenous people. I borrowed this book from the library, however will be purchasing a copy to have as my own reference. Check out Patty’s podcast Medicine for the Resistance.
• 
  Russell McOrmond

  I have been following Patty Krawec on social media for some time, and pre-ordered the book as soon as she announced it was available for pre-order. I read every excerpt as it became available on her daanis.ca website.
  
  I took a few days off work to ensure I could put some focus on the book once it arrived!
  
  The book was everything I hoped it would be, and I am looking forward to the ongoing discussion it will generate with any readers. Her lived experiences, and ancestral connections to Anishinabek and Ukrainian peoples, and connection and willing to question Christianity, gives her a unique perspective to bring together as possible Kin people who might otherwise fall for the incorrect belief they must see each other as political opponents.
  
• 
  Michelle

  I loved this book so much. Patty does an incredible job of reminding us how much indigenous history we've papered over, and what all of us have lost in the process. It is, at once, an incredible tribute to Indigenous people everywhere, & a plea to the rest of us to see how our fates are intertwined. Her beautiful stories of Anishinaabe creation felt so comforting to me (an avowed atheist). And her message of “unforgetting” the past reminds us all to think differently about the world we CAN create. Patty asks us to recognize the humanity in each other; to see that we are in kinship with each other and with nature. I rarely come across a book that is both thought-provoking and comforting. This one does both. Read it.
• 
  Pauline Zed

  Both an accessible overview of the history of colonialism in North America and a guidebook for true reconciliation with the Indigenous peoples of our country. I’ve been reading a lot of books about our shared history and colonialism and mostly they’ve left me feeling angry and helpless to counteract the gears of colonialism that seem to keep on grinding. But this book gives some small concrete steps at the end that you can take, that can then snowball into more change and has left me feeling like there are things I can take on.
• 
  Michael

  My, best read in 2022 so far.
  
  The whole book is a journey & every chapter ends with a personal challenge.
  
  Speaking of personal, Patty ties in her own story as she walks the readers through both the history & impact of settler colonialism.
  
  She ends with very practical advice on living authenticity with uncomfortable truths, drawing on teaching from her Oijbwe ancestors & deep spirituality.
  
  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• 
  Emily

  Absolutely phenomenal book. I've already recommended it to about a dozen people. This book goes deeper than explaining the atrocities done to native peoples to help someone who wants to be an ally understand what is and is not productive. The author offers the need for kinship and relationship building to heal humanity and the world. I particularly enjoyed the point of view of a native person in Canada, since I have less knowledge of Canadian history and people.
  
  TL;DR: Read it.
• 
  Barb Cherem

  Some thought-provoking pages along the way through some that were not so illuminating.
  
  Having read the invitational Braiding Sweetgrass, this came across by contrast as the same-old historic justified complaints in many respects. Although certainly worthwhile and true, this gets repetitive and not as enjoyable a mood as the more invitational positive sharing of an indigenous lens that Kimmerer is such a master of.
• 
  Kristina

  This book taught me so much about true history, about looking for who has been erased from spaces, about what real reconciliation can look like, about so much I need to read the book again.
  
  Not only does this book require your attention but it makes you start doing the work too.
  
  This is a definite must read if you want to get past the reading stage and into the action stage of your journey.
• 
  W.L. Bolm

  I feel like this is a definite must-read. It provides an overview of colonization in North America, the effects it has on us all, and actionable steps we can take to be in community and kinship moving forward. This is a great book to read in a book club or discussion setting, as each chapter has thoughts to ponder and discuss.
• 
  Katrina McCracken

  Grateful to you, one of my oldest friends, for recommending this book. If anybody skimming this review is continuing on ya path toward unlearning and re-learning in reconciliation, I recommend it to you as well! As we each finish the book, we’ll embark upon our partnership in disruption. It’s important!
• 
  Ali Sanders

  One of the sentiments I found most compelling in this book is Krawec’s urging of Christian missionaries to shift focus away from indigenous peoples thriving in their own traditions, and towards Wall Street, big corporations, big government. I believe all should know the power of Christ but she’s right that His grace might be needed more within our own moral wilderness in over-consumptive, image-drive first world nations. These areas have been largely ignored.