There There

The novel tells the story of a group of Indigenous people in the Oakland, California area, as they prepare to attend the Oakland Powwow. The characters include a film maker attempting to record Indigenous stories, a woman raising her great nephew who denies their culture to protect him from the past, a recovering ex-convict who finds himself through Native drumming, and many others. Each character struggles with personal and cultural identity and their stories converge over the powwow. Suitable for literature circles around identity, overcoming adversity, or how the past shapes our lives. Social considerations noted; recommended for mature students.