CIRCLE OF LOVE

A young Indigenous girl feels deeply connected to her community.

In the foreword, Cree/Lakota/Scottish author Smith discusses tawâw, a nêhiyawêwin (Cree) word meaning “there is always room.” This value is at the heart of her story, told from the perspective of young Molly. Molly describes the various emotions she feels as she interacts with those around her: “When Kôhkom and her wife, Kôhkom Raven, sing a welcome song, I feel connected.” “When my uncles and I play peekaboo with their baby, I feel love.” Molly and family, friends, and elders gather at an intertribal community center for a feast. Together, they prepare for a ceremony, make a food offering, and share bannock and soup. Queer and gender-nonconforming relatives figure prominently in Neidhardt’s (Diné) vibrant images; Molly’s community is lovingly portrayed as one that includes people with many gender expressions, skin tones, and styles of dress, and the words “love is love” appear throughout the book’s colorful spreads. This is a beautiful and moving glimpse into the rich intersections of Indigenous cultures and the Native queer and trans people who co-create them. Backmatter includes an author’s note in which Smith reflects on her own identity as a two-spirit person, a glossary, and information on the importance of Native community centers and Indigenous LGBTQ+ people.

A celebration of community, queer Native families, and Indigenous joy.