WALKING TOGETHER

In Mi’kmaq culture, honoring the interconnection among humans, plants, animals, and land is everyone’s responsibility.

In their debut picture-book collaboration, Elder Marshall (Mi’kmaq) and Zimanyi emphasize the power and importance of having the right relationship with the Earth and its many inhabitants. “When we walk together / in a good way on Turtle Island, / we learn we are all connected. / We are never alone. We need each other. Mawikwayk—Together, we are strong.” Alongside glowing, colorful illustrations from Anishnaabe illustrator Kewageshig, this tale goes beyond discussing mere environmental responsibility. Emphasizing intergenerational learning, Indigenous storytelling, and the wisdom of nonhuman life, Marshall and Zimanyi describe the concepts of Etuaptmumk (“Two-eyed seeing”) and Netukulimk (“protecting Mother Earth for the ancestors and for present and future generations”). These ways of Indigenous knowing underscore interdependence and reverence, helping young readers understand that “we take only if there is enough. / We ask before we take / and we listen for the answer. / We share.” Though the narrative is simply told, the deep lessons of Mawikwayk, Etuaptmumk, and Netukulimk will provide readers with much food for thought. Backmatter includes an acknowledgment of the late Mi’kmaq spiritual leader and healer Chief Charles Labrador, whose teachings are reflected throughout. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A moving read to instill love and respect for the natural world.