AN ANISHINAABE CHRISTMAS

Kinew (Onigaming First Nation), premier of Manitoba, tells the story of a Native family returning home to the reservation on the winter solstice.

Baby, an Anishinaabe child, doesn’t want to go back to the rez for Christmas: How will Santa find the family if they aren’t in the city? On the drive into the country, Baby’s pressing concerns fill the car: Why are presents exchanged on Christmas? Why is the rez “home” if they don't live there? Baby’s parents, who both have tan skin and black hair like Baby, answer each question by centering Anishinaabe language and values: Daddy explains that miigiwe means “giving away,” while Mommy says that giiwedaa (“let’s go home”) reflects the Anishinaabe reality that “home is where we live. But home is also where we come from.” The tender reunion with Kookom (Grandmother) and Mooshom (Grandfather) includes storytelling, sipping tea and eating bannock, singing, and giving gifts. Indigenous illustrator Hill’s cartoon art brings warmth and heart to Kinew’s simple narrative. Backmatter briefly spotlights the Anishinaabe customs of sharing food and gifts during the winter solstice, as well as the community’s reclamation of feasting and miigiwe at the end of the year. The sense of cultural pride and holiday joy will resonate with many young readers and their families.

A sweet window into Indigenous Christmas traditions.