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Aki-wayn-zih

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Aki-wayn-zih: A Person as Worthy as the Earth
AuthorEli Baxter
LanguageEnglish
GenreMemoir
PublishedSeptember 15, 2021
PublisherMcGill-Queen's University Press
Publication placeCanada
Media type
Pages160
AwardGovernor General’s Literary Award
ISBN9780228008071
Websitemqup.ca

Aki-wayn-zih: A Person as Worthy as the Earthis a memoir written by Canadian writerEli Baxter.Published byMcGill-Queen's University Press,the book won the 2022Governor General's Literary Awardfor English-language non-fiction.

Synopsis

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Told from an Anishinaabay point of view,Aki-wayn-zihis the story of growing up onTurtle Island,life before European contact, and early memories of trapping and fishing on traditional lands. In his book, Baxter also describes how the residential school system changed him as a person, and transformed his family, his reserve community, and others like it.

The book is divided into three parts: the first, "Anishinaabay Kih-kayn-daa-soh-win (Anishinaabay Knowledge)"; the second, "Ish-poh too-kin-nih-goh-yung (Before Contact)"; and the third, "Residential School."

Awards

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Aki-wayn-zihwon theGovernor General's Award for English-language non-fictionat the2022 Governor General's Awards.[1]

Reception

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Aki-wayn-zihwas generally well received. In her review forMontreal Review of Books,Linda M. Morrawrites, "These stories are elegant and simple, and therefore accessible, sometimes repeating elements that suggest both their roots in oral narration and their importance as a resource in the building and restoring of Anishinaabay Knowledges."[2]At the49th Shelf,David Paul Achneepineskum of theMatawa First Nationscontributed, "Aki-wayn-zihwill educate not only Canadians but the world as to what my people went through during this tragic part of history. "[3]The Governor General's Literary Award peer assessment committee membersWill Aitken,Madhur Anand,and Jenna Butler stated, "At a time when [Baxter] worries that the fires of Indigenous languages are going out, his simple and beautiful book, written across languages, cultures, and generations, radiates a radical kind of hope.”[4]

References

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  1. ^"Aki-Wayn-Zih by Eli Baxter".CBC Books.October 11, 2022.RetrievedNovember 22,2022.
  2. ^Morra, Linda(March 2, 2022)."Aki-wayn-zih • Montreal Review of Books".Montreal Review of Books.RetrievedNovember 22,2022.
  3. ^"Aki-wayn-zih: A Person as Worthy as the Earth".49th Shelf.RetrievedNovember 22,2022.
  4. ^"Aki-wayn-zih: A Person as Worthy as the Earth".Governor General's Literary Awards.RetrievedNovember 22,2022.
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