Siha Tooskin Knows the Love of the Dance

The authors, Charlene Bearhead and Wilson Bearhead, have written a simple and eloquent story about a powwow. The main characters are Uncle Lenard, his nephew Paul, and Paul’s non-indigenous friend Jeff who has joined them to learn about powwows. The story begins with the boys’ finding the location of the powwow by listening for it (the drums), not looking for it. From there, the story is laid out in a manner where Jeff asks questions about what he is seeing or hearing, and the other two characters provide the answers. The description of the powwow is simple, yet detailed enough that the reader gets a real sense of what a powwow may look, sound and feel like. Different kinds of dances are described in regards to their history within the culture of the Nakota people. Uncle Lenard describes them coming from a time that predates the present Eurocentric political borders. He also explains the modern powwow and how it survived even though it was deemed illegal. The powwow is described in a short, sweet and effective way.

Bravo to the authors and the illustrator. Chloe Bluebird Mustooch’s artwork is remarkable in the way that it portrays the mood and message of this story. Her illustrations are very detailed yet simple as they show the regalia and the spirit of the powwow.

The education this novel provides is excellent. The message of how the powwow is used to bring cultures together is delivered very clearly. The authors show that inclusion and diversity are embraced at powwows through the narration of Jeff’s non-indigenous questioning of his friend and Uncle Lenard. The excerpt (above) is used to show how the authors introduce such an emotional topic very simply and do not dwell upon it. This message is then reinforced by describing the resilience and strength of the first-peoples. Additionally, the use of humour, historical content and details of how a powwow is run helps bridge gaps of knowledge for readers who may have no knowledge of what a powwow is. Siha Tooskin Knows the Love of the Dance sets out to inform, educate and include the reader and does it in a way that works.