October 17, 2022
This colorful, impassioned collection focuses on Indigenous women rebelling against colonialism and capitalism. Selected from an open call made by the Goethe-Institut Indonesien in Jakarta, eight comics short stories highlight the power and resiliency of Native women, from Bolivians forming a trade union against great odds in “The Anarchist Cholas” by Vanessa Peñuela and César Vargas to villagers in the Philippines fighting to keep ruthless industrialists from building a dam on their sacred river in “Let the River Flow Free” by Gantala Press and Nina Martinez. Other narratives highlight individuals who have dedicated their lives to empowering others, such as “Shanti: Beyond the Veil” by Bandana Tulachan and the autobiographical “Times Will Pass...” by trans artist Chandri Narayanan, drawn by Sadhna Prasad. The artwork throughout is excellent, presenting a panoply of approaches ranging from the cartoony stylings of Cecilia Larrea and Citlalli Andrango’s “Mama Dulu” to Vietnamese artist Phạ
m Thu Trà’s lush lyrical drawings in “Tracing Between Colors of the Highlands.” Taken together, these shorts carry a cumulative power, offering a heartening reminder of the strength and spirituality within resistance and a potent call to arms against injustice.
November 1, 2022
This collection of stories chronicles various revolutionary and feminist movements that originated in Indigenous communities around the world and throughout history. In the introduction, the editors explain that they chose these stories from countries in the Global South to highlight how feminist movements operated under the weight of Western colonialism. The stories come from the Philippines, Ecuador, India, Bolivia, Vietnam, Nepal, and Peru to highlight the histories of activism and resistance to colonial governments imposed on these communities. Each story has a distinct artistic style, representing the breadth of experiences represented throughout the collection. Despite these differences, there are a few recognizable themes: the writers emphasize the importance of the community and the history of Indigenous peoples' connection to their lands around the world. In many cases, colonial powers are claiming land for capitalist purposes and driving the Indigenous communities out of lands they've lived and worked on for generations. This anthology is an excellent, engaging historical resource, and it fits with nonfiction comics like Rolling Blackouts (2016) by Sarah Glidden.
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January 1, 2023
This graphic nonfiction collection of stories by authors and artists of the Global South depicts Indigenous women activists in their fights for social, educational, and ecological rights. Selected as part of an open call by the Goethe-Institut Indonesien intended to help rectify the bias in which voices receive the most exposure, the eight stories compiled here highlight local and lesser-known historical and contemporary Indigenous feminist leaders challenging colonial and post-colonial norms and oppressive labor practices and taking climate action. In "Let the River Flow Free: Women Defenders of the Cordillera," by Gantala Press, illustrated by Nina Martinez, people unite in 2020 to deter the Philippine government from building a dam that would devastate their ancestral lands. "Mama Dulu," written and illustrated by Citalli Andrango and Cecilia Larrea, and translated by Renata Duque, showcases Kichwa leader Dolores Cacuango's fight to dissolve indentured servitude in late-19th-century Ecuador, a legacy that inspires to this day. Overlapping themes in each of the stories represent broader, more common struggles and include detailed, often horrific systemic treatment and cultural suppression and erasure, highlighting how these Indigenous activists led the way to rebellion and change through organization and often in community with other women. A variety of illustration styles are brought together by complementary color palettes while maintaining a distinct tone, creating a unique reading experience for each story. An engaging, authentic, and raw collection of spirited advocacy. (artist bios) (Graphic nonfiction. 15-adult)
COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
May 1, 2023
An anthology of eight graphic novel-style short stories selected from an open submission call put out by the Goethe-Institut in Jakarta. The herstories share a common theme of Indigenous women of the world who fight for their rights amid capitalism, and to keep their connections to the land. In "Let the Rivers Flow Free," villagers in the Philippines fight to protect their sacred river when a dam is being built; Bolivian women organize to create a trade union in unlikely circumstances in "The Anarchist Cholas." The artwork in each entry is as different and painstakingly beautiful as each woman's struggle. Curricular tie-ins include colonization, feminism, and capitalism. VERDICT This anthology is an excellent addition to middle and high school libraries looking to bolster their collection of women warriors.-Amy Zembroski
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