Dancing with Our Ancestors
Dancing with Our Ancestors by Sara Florence Davidson is a tender picture book published by Portage & Main Press in 2022, featuring 40 pages in English. This book transports readers to a potlatch in Hydaburg, Alaska, capturing the essence of a celebration intertwined with personal memory and cultural heritage. It reflects on the joy of dancing and singing alongside family, particularly the author’s late brother, against the backdrop of Haida traditions.
Readers will find a heartfelt exploration of family and community as the story unfolds on the day of the potlatch, where guests gather to partake in a bittersweet yet joyful celebration of Haida culture. The narrative emphasizes multigenerational connections and the significance of cultural practices, highlighting themes of death, grief, and bereavement. Illustrated by Janine Gibbons, this edition brings the Sk’ad’a Principles to life, offering a glimpse into the rich traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island through the lens of performing arts and social themes.
Official synopsis Publisher
In this tender picture book, Sara Florence Davidson transports readers to the excitement of a potlatch in Hydaburg, Alaska–her last memory of dancing with her late brother.
It feels like my brother and I have always known how to sing the songs and dance the dances of our Haida ancestors. Unlike our father, we were born after the laws that banned our cultural practices were changed. The potlatch ban did not exist during our time, so we grew up dancing and singing side by side.
The invitations have been sent. The food has been prepared. The decorations have been hung. And now the day of the potlatch has finally arrived! Guests from all over come to witness this bittersweet but joyful celebration of Haida culture and community.
Written by the creators of Potlatch as Pedagogy, this book brings the Sk’ad’a Principles to life through the art of Janine Gibbons.
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