{"id":7023,"date":"2021-01-27T11:03:25","date_gmt":"2021-01-27T16:03:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=7023"},"modified":"2021-01-27T11:03:25","modified_gmt":"2021-01-27T16:03:25","slug":"native-women-win-major-award-for-water-protectors-book","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2021\/01\/27\/native-women-win-major-award-for-water-protectors-book\/","title":{"rendered":"Native women win major award for &#8216;Water Protectors&#8217; book"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2YHaRmj9wLU?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">Politics and Prose: <a href=https:\/\/youtu.be\/2YHaRmj9wLU>Carole Lindstrom &#8212; &#8220;We Are Water Protectors&#8221;<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n<div class=\"h3-responsive font-weight-bold\">Native women win major award for &#8216;Water Protectors&#8217; book<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"date\">Wednesday, January 27, 2021<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"byline\">By <A href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Kevin_Abourezk\">Kevin Abourezk<\/A> <A href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Kevin_Abourezk\"><I aria-hidden=true class=\"fab fa-twitter\"><\/I><\/A><\/div>\r\n<div class=\"source\">Indianz.Com<\/div>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nGrowing up in Nebraska, Carole Lindstrom\u2019s favorite novel series was \u201cThe Little House\u201d series by Laura Ingalls Wilder about a young woman\u2019s life as a settler on the Great Plains in the late 19th Century.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nBut while she loved reading about Wilder\u2019s adventures, <a href=http:\/\/www.carolelindstrom.com\/>Lindstrom<\/a> couldn\u2019t help but feel frustrated by how the author depicted her people.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n\u201cI just remember being so torn and not understanding why this book that I loved so much could talk about me so badly, as a savage and as a wild Indian,\u201d she said. \u201cI wasn\u2019t those things. My mother wasn\u2019t those things. My grandmother wasn\u2019t those things. Our people are not those things.\u201d\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nEventually, Lindstrom decided to become an children\u2019s literature author and tell her people\u2019s stories herself. That journey culminated this week with Lindstrom, a citizen of the <a href=\"https:\/\/tmchippewa.com\/\">Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians<\/a>, winning the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ala.org\/news\/press-releases\/2021\/01\/tae-keller-michaela-goade-win-newbery-caldecott-medals\">prestigious Caldecott Medal<\/a> for her latest work \u2013 \u201c<a href=https:\/\/amzn.to\/2M0TQC1>We Are Water Protectors<\/a>\u201d \u2013 along with Tlingit illustrator <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michaelagoade.com\/\">Michaela Goade<\/a>.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nIt marks the first time a female Native author has won the award and the first time a Native author and illustrator have won what is considered the most highly sought-after honor for writers of children\u2019s literature.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Oh, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MichaelaGoade?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@MichaelaGoade<\/a> I have no words to describe how proud of you I am. I love you so so much. You are so extremely talented and just an amazing person inside and out. CONGRATULATIONS!!!! So very well deserved. I wish I could hug you in person!! \ud83d\udc99\ud83d\udca7\ud83d\udc99 <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MacKidsSL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@MacKidsSL<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MacKidsBooks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@MacKidsBooks<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/SXKmjIAx0g\">pic.twitter.com\/SXKmjIAx0g<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Carole Lindstrom \ud83e\udeb6\ud83e\uddac (@CaroleLindstrom) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CaroleLindstrom\/status\/1353718266485739527?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 25, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nPublished by <a href=https:\/\/us.macmillan.com\/books\/9781250203557>Roaring Brook Press<\/a>, \u201cWe Are Water Protectors\u201d tells the story of a young Ojibwe girl who decides to fight a pipeline that threatens her people\u2019s land and water. The whimsical story and its celebration of indigenous culture are accentuated by Goade\u2019s swirling watercolors that capture the sacredness of water.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nThe story was inspired by the 2016  movement that saw indigenous people from around the world stand up against the Dakota Access Pipeline, which they feared would rupture and permanently damage the water and   sacred burial grounds around the homelands of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.standingrock.org\/\">Standing Rock Sioux Tribe<\/a>.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nLindstrom said she wasn\u2019t able to participate in the demonstration near Cannonball, on the North Dakota portion of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, but she became determined after reading news reports of the event to write about it.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nInitially, she intended to write a young adult\u2019s novel that would offer a heavily researched, nuanced portrayal of the historic event. But she also knew that it was important to publish the story sooner rather than later so that it might have a greater impact on the national debate over pipelines and their potential impact on the environment.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<figure>\r\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1710\" data-attachment-id=\"7031\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2021\/01\/27\/native-women-win-major-award-for-water-protectors-book\/nodaplstandingrockjoebrusky\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/27\/nodaplstandingrockjoebrusky-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1710\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;ILCE-7S&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1388534668&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;38&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;500&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.000125&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"nodaplstandingrockjoebrusky\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/27\/nodaplstandingrockjoebrusky-1024x684.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/27\/nodaplstandingrockjoebrusky-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"nodaplstandingrockjoebrusky\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-7031\" \/>\r\n<figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">Women  hold   a banner in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in the fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline. \u00a0Photo: <a href=https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/40969298@N05\/31173773791>Joe Brusky<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nShe decided writing a children\u2019s book would get her message out sooner and allow her to communicate the story better to a younger audience.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n\u201cChildren just get it. They just get it,\u201d she said. \u201cSubtlety like this is just so much more powerful. It was exactly what I hoped for but never imagined.\u201d\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nIn one of his first actions as the 46th president of the United States, Joe Biden last week issued an executive order rescinding the construction permit for the Keystone XL oil pipeline, which would have transported oil from the Canadian tar sands to the Gulf Coast. Native leaders and anti-pipeline activists hailed the decision, and Canadian TC Energy suspended work on the line.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nLindstrom noted the timing of winning the Caldecott for a story about a Native girl\u2019s fight against a pipeline and the newly inaugurated president ending construction of another controversial pipeline the same week.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n\u201cWe have a president who is listening, who gets it,\u201d said Lindstrom, adding that she is trying to get a copy of her book to Biden so he can share it with his grandchildren.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<div class=\"mt-1 mb-1\"><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8411603009680747\" data-ad-slot=\"6394965691\"><\/ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/div><p><\/p>\r\nShe said the process of writing the book and working with Goade to portray Ojibwe people and culture in a positive way helped her come to terms with her own Native identity, something that had been complicated by people in her life who didn\u2019t appreciate that aspect of her.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n\u201cThrough the book, it helped me to embrace me and my culture and my people,\u201d she said.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nShe said working with Goade also helped her reconnect to her culture as the two of them collaborated on the artistic design of the book, including the images of floral clothing, ribbon skirts and beadwork. Lindstrom said she taught Goade what she knows about Ojibwe culture so she could more accurately portray that culture.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nThrough the process, the two became friends.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I am still struggling to find the right words. More to come but for now, w\/ a VERY full \ud83d\udc99 gunalch\u00e9esh to <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ALALibrary?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@ALALibrary<\/a>, the Caldecott committee, my dear <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CaroleLindstrom?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@CaroleLindstrom<\/a> &amp; the team <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MacKidsSL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@MacKidsSL<\/a>! To EVERYONE who lifted this book up, thank you &amp; I love you. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/QdAYhgWjlh\">pic.twitter.com\/QdAYhgWjlh<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Michaela Goade (@MichaelaGoade) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MichaelaGoade\/status\/1353741123206832128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 25, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n\u201cShe\u2019s just so special, magically talented,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m so proud of her. She so deserves this medal.\u201d\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nShe said she\u2019s proud to be able to share a story that might inspire more young people and others to help fight for Native and environmental justice.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n\u201cI adore writing for young people,\u201d she said. \u201cThey are so magical in everything, the things they think and the things they say.\u201d\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nAnd Lindstrom said she\u2019s happy to have been able to create a hero for Native children.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n\u201cI want her to shine out so everyone can shine out,\u201d she said.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fB5_PpgAk-s?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">MacKids Books: <a href=https:\/\/youtu.be\/fB5_PpgAk-s>&#8220;We Are Water Protectors&#8221; Earth Day Event with Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n<div class=\"h4-responsive\">Related Stories<\/div>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2021\/01\/26\/d-c-circuit-court-of-appeals-standing-rock-sioux-tribe-v-u-s-army-corps-of-engineers\/\" title=\"D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals: Standing Rock Sioux Tribe v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers\">D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals: Standing Rock Sioux Tribe v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers<\/a> (January 26, 2021)<BR><a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2021\/01\/26\/standing-rock-sioux-tribe-v-u-s-army-corps-of-engineers\/\" title=\"Standing Rock Sioux Tribe v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers\">Standing Rock Sioux Tribe v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers<\/a> (January 26, 2021)<BR><a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2020\/12\/07\/native-sun-news-today-native-activists-hold-joe-biden-to-campaign-promises\/\" title=\"Native Sun News Today: Native activists hold Joe Biden to campaign promises\">Native Sun News Today: Native activists hold Joe Biden to campaign promises<\/a> (December 7, 2020)<BR><a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2020\/10\/28\/native-sun-news-today-tribes-get-more-time-to-contest-dakota-access-pipeline\/\" title=\"Native Sun News Today: Tribes get more time to contest Dakota Access Pipeline\">Native Sun News Today: Tribes get more time to contest Dakota Access Pipeline<\/a> (October 28, 2020)","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A book inspired by the movement at Standing Rock is educating young people around the world about Native rights.","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7035,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,18,11,1],"tags":[79,111,1091,708,53,707,1093,754,1092,153,44,102],"class_list":["post-7023","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-entertainment","category-education","category-environment","category-national","tag-alaska-native","tag-books","tag-carole-lindstrom","tag-dakota-access-pipeline","tag-joe-biden","tag-keystone-xl-pipeline","tag-michaela-goade","tag-standing-rock-sioux","tag-tmbci","tag-water","tag-women","tag-youth","no-wpautop"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/27\/wearewaterprotectors.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pcoJ7g-1Ph","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7023","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7023"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7023\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7035"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7023"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7023"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7023"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}