Legacy: Trauma, Story, and Indigenous Healing

by Suzanne Methot

Winner of the 2019–20 Huguenot Society of Canada Award “Powerful … A deeply empathetic and inspiring work with insights of value to anyone struggling to overcome personal or communal trauma.” ― Library Journal “[A] beautifully written book about strategies for healing from intergenerational trauma … In crystal-clear prose, Methot has written a book that is both easy to follow and crucial to read.” ― LitHub Five hundred years of colonization have taken an incalculable toll on the Indigenous peoples of the substance use disorders and shockingly high rates of depression, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions brought on by genocide and colonial control. With passionate logic and chillingly clear prose, author and educator Suzanne Methot uses history, human development, and her own and others’ stories to trace the roots of Indigenous cultural dislocation and community breakdown in an original and provocative examination of the long-term effects of colonization. But all is not lost. Methot also shows how we can come back from this with Indigenous ways of knowing lighting the way.

Genres: Nonfiction, Indigenous, Psychology, Race, History, Memoir, Canada

368 pages, Paperback

First published March 19, 2019

Reviews

[Enid Wray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really important book. Critically important, especially for the non-indigenous, settler population.

Taking, as it does, a multi-faceted approach - part anthropological, part psychological, part sociological, part legal, part personal memoir - it lays bare the history, the brutal reality, of the lived experience of Canada’s indigenous peoples.

Most fundamentally, it lays out, systematically, how inter-generational trauma operates and the continued legacy of that trauma.

This reads, feels, like a primer, or a course textbook. I see this assigned in an upper level college or university class. I see this belonging in the professional collection in a secondary school library, as a core resource for teachers. I hope it ends up there!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suzanne Methot's Legacy: Trauma, Story, and Indigenous Healing combines her personal story with history and psychology to create an understanding of the consequences of colonization. She demonstrates how abuse and CPTSD creates a cycle that impacts generations. On the personal level, she documents her own legacy of abuse and dysfunction and how a return to traditional ways brought healing. On the universal, she explains the psychological damage of trauma through story, with summary charts at chapter ends.

Methot's book is perhaps more suited for the indigenous population or educators those in the helping professions who work with indigenous people. But I also found her insights applicable in many ways. I found myself thinking about women I have known who demonstrated the characteristics she describes. And I even found myself applying her insights to characters in novels I have read!

I thank ECW Press for a free ebook in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

[Esme Kemp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still devouring indigenous literature. With a focus on Canada and and how indigenous communities are still faced with almost insurmountable hurdles, this book offers insight on how to heal and deal with centuries of colonisation.
Trudeau cute but fuck him still.

[Erin || erins_library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gunalchéesh to ECW Press for the free review copy!

When I was first presented with Legacy by Suzanne Methot, I was feeling intimidated by actually picking it up and reading it. I have a hard time motivating myself to read non-fiction books, but I will always read Indigenous written literature in any genre, so I knew I’d get into it. The writing was much more accessible than I expected and I was able to relate to a lot of what she said. I found myself marking a sentence with exclamation points and tabbing a lot in this book... which isn’t the norm for me.

Legacy discusses intergenerational trauma within Indigenous communities and how we can heal from it as a community. I really liked how clearly the author explained what intergenerational trauma is and why it makes sense. How are we linked to the trauma of our ancestors? How does it affect us now? And she also provided examples of trauma and lateral violence in her own community as well as for herself. I appreciated how much of her personal life she was able to share with us. It couldn’t have been easy.

The book ends on a hopeful note with a discussion on Indigenous healing and the work we can do. It won’t be easy, but it’s important and powerful work. I wholly recommend this book to people who want to learn more about the people who’s land you live on and what they are going through. I also recommend it to Indigenous people as a means to understand ourselves and what we can do. This book was a solid 5 stars and I’m so glad I read it.

[Meaghan Recollet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Methot really broke down alot of huge concepts that I feel are consistently discussed in regards to Indigenous peoples. She unpacked intergenerational trauma in an understandable way relating chronic trauma and complex post traumatic stress disorder. She very clearly highlighted how these lived or inherited experiences of trauma affect everyday life, behaviours, patterns, relations, and self-concept. I found this very helpful as I feel that intergenerational trauma is something that is out of reach for me to understand being non-Indigenous however, this book gave the phenomenon tangible meaning for me in order to better understand the experiences of Indigenous peoples. Further, Methot broke down Indigenous science and medicine, and the view of the body-mind and soul from an Indigenous way of knowing, which I also found very helpful. She also discussed the necessity of trauma-informed practice for all professions and sectors of society to move towards supporting reconciliation and healing. I thought this book was very well-written and well-researched, and I have definitely learned a ton!

[Ashley Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will be coming back to this book over and over again, simply because as a non-indigenous person, I cannot forget wha my ancestors have done and what my culture continues to do. This was a hard, but necessary read.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good read.

I particularly enjoyed all I learned from the book.

Quite an important read.

3.8/5

[Lynda Erlandson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a difficult read but I think it is an important one for those interested in reconciliation.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this book, as a non-indigenous person.

But, the holistic healing chapter kind of threw me. I'm not sure dismissing 'European' concepts like falsifiability as being somehow tied to one culture is helpful. I'm sure indigenous traditions can teach western medicine a lot, but they should still be falsifiable if they're being funded by the government.

I'm also not sure about having a completely separate justice approach for indigenous vs non-indigenous people... Anyone who commits a serious crime likely suffers from some kind of trauma, why should only the trauma of indigenous offenders be recognized and treated? But I guess in an ideal system, everyone would get the therapy they need.

Overall, interesting and thought-provoking, and convincing re: cPTSD and generational trauma, but in other ways lacking credibility.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Astounding in scope, but deeply personal and searing. This exploration of integernerational trauma among the Native population was very difficult and painful, but Suzanne Methot is clear eyed in her assessment and leaves us with concrete things we can do to aid in the healing of both the land and the people that colonization has destroyed. Highly recommend.

[Allen Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to read this book kind of randomly so I was surprised by how much it affected me. It is very common in American culture to view colonialism as a past issue that has been resolved. So, I think it’s important for people to open up to books like this to see that historic injustices don’t just go away after they’ve “ended”.

In the text, Methot tells the stories of generational trauma in Indigenous communities in Canada, as well as her and her family’s. She tells the story of her healing journey from trauma and chronic illness. The final section describes how communities are healing from dysfunction through advocacy, innovation, and decolonization. I felt like the message of the book was that ignorance and continuous forms of oppression are preventing those harmed by colonization from healing from that trauma. I thought that ending the book by providing examples of healing through decolonization was good, and helps prime the reader to be more open to question their beliefs and to be tolerant of new ideas on the path to heal.

The tone of this book was often very serious as it depicts real-life stories of colonization, abuse, and neglect (and other topics). So, it might be hard for some to read. I think these stories are needed to communicate the gravity of the effects of colonization on living Indigenous people today. So, I’d still recommend reading it.

[Rebecca Upjohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important book which gives context to the multi generational trauma experienced by Indigenous people in Canada. The author uses personal stories to illustrate the effects of colonialism within Indigenous communities and how these effects are perpetuated. She also shows how and why some attempts toward healing do or do not work. I appreciated the depth and scope of this book.

[Kaitlin Huntington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read. Learned a lot.

[Jennifer Lucking · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though it has a focus on trauma specific to the Indigenous experience, it is one of the best books I’ve read to understand complex trauma and the effects of trauma more broadly.

[James Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suzanne Methot is a Canadian, Nehiyaw first nations writer, editor, educator and survivor. This book is a story about one person's reckoning with the power of marginalizing institutions, painful personal and cultural history and family dysfunction. She notes how friends, psycho-education, acupuncture, therapy and understanding of first nations history are indispensable to the process of healing.

This point rang true to me. Healing from deep wounds takes time and multiple positive experiences where vulnerability is rewarded with support and understanding. If you cannot find safety and also a means to let your body release the accumulated ptsd, you will spin your wheels. CBT is ok, but ineffective to get to the root of trauma formation. Neural grooves and nervous systems are too fined tuned and dialed in to "think your way out." Methot shows in detail how long and complicated recovery can be. Trustworthy and safe long term relationships are critical components.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I needed this book. I needed the author’s voice in the audiobook version. I listened during my commute, and it was so healing. It brought me back to my own healing practices and my own medicine work. I’d especially recommend for any medical doctors (chapter 7!) trying to better serve their Indigenous patients.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emotionally a very hard book to read but stick with it. I have a much clearer picture of what happened and the after effects that are still happening today.

[Katherine V · Rating 2 out of 5]

I stumbled across this title while exploring Indigenous Canadian history and Canadian Indigenous authors. The content and stats are well articulated and reading about the author’s personal family history left an unforgettable impression while supporting her thesis via her own real life examples.

What gave me pause in the book was the author’s shaming, blaming, finger pointing, and armchair diagnosis approach to the people in her life and workplace. Her judge, jury, and executioner approach to this part of the book left a bad taste in my mouth, and as such, I would not recommend.

[Marlies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel that this book helped me finally understand what reconciliation will take. Thank you. “We make sense of what had happened, we share our stories, we get to the root of the pain, and then work together to create change.”

[Lolz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing!

[Blythe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an incredibly important, insightful book that has done a lot to challenge my preconceptions about trauma, recovery, and rehabilitation. One of the reasons it proved to be such a lengthy read is because I often had to step away from it and reflect, which is a sign of strong, impactful writing. The subject matter is often very painful, but the lessons I took away from this made it well worth the read.

If I had one critique--and this may come down to a matter of reader preference--it would be that the structure of the book was another reason this was a long read. "Legacy" is a combination of memoir, treatise, and dissertation, and the way the three are stacked together did not mesh well for me. The three often bleed into each other in one chapter, so one incredibly engaging page could be followed by another one of statistics and government reports. Some readers may not have a problem with this; I personally would have preferred more of a demarcation between the three types of book.

That's a minor quibble, though. Even if the whole book doesn't interest you, I recommend skimming it. There's a lot of important things to be said and considered here, irrespective of your origins.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program. An honest review was requested in exchange, but not required.

[Gemma Crouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot express how much I needed to read this book. I feel it is an especially important read for non-indigenous, settler population because it helps put things into perspective and gives us insight into the root of the problem. This book helped me understand what reconciliation will take.
I loved how Suzanna Methot combined her personal experiences throughout the book to help illustrate the effects of colonialism on her family and other Indigenous communities.

This passage is so striking, I thought I'd include it here:
"To truly heal from the traumatic history that has created this country, Canada must address the fear and mistrust settlers feel toward Indigenous peoples. This sense of unease - the assumptions and biases that are based not on actual experience or reliable information but on myths and stereotypes - must be interrogated and properly understood as both individual manifestations of, and systematic forces behind, the oppressive model of colonial control. Non-Indigenous Canadians must also address the trauma that they carry as bystanders to the events of colonization and as descendants of the first wave of settlers."

MUST READ.

[Isabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a detailed investigation into the colonization of Indigenous Peoples in Canada, comprised of research, personal anecdotes and the journey of the impacts of mistreatment of Indigenous Peoples. Its focus is on healing and returning to the truth of culture, spirituality, nature and holistic healing as methods of moving forward. The combination of natural healing, psychology and the author’s personal experiences was fascinating.

I especially loved the chapter “What the Body Remembers” which explains how trauma, anguish and colonization have physical manifestations, extensive physical manifestations.
I also loved the chapter, “Fractured Narratives”, which is about the impact of trauma on memory and how it leaves survivors struggling to piece together the story of their lives, their childhood.

The writing was fresh and challenging and the writer taught me so much, offering not only an investigation of Indigenous living as a result of colonization but also profound insight into the solutions and the path forward. Highly recommend.

[Shiva Kashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was about trauma, focusing on indigenous people and how the history of severe mistreatment has affected them and their behavior. This is a book that anyone with any history of trauma can relate to and learn from.
What made me take one star away from it was how the author glorifies the alternative “medicine” industry. The very unregulated field, full of fakes, cash grabbers, and charlatans. I’m not saying modern medicine and the pharmaceutical industries are perfect and always good for you. But I had been a victim of cash grabbers of pseudoscience - who had certificates and diplomas on their walls and testimonies from people claiming to have been helped - and I know glorifying them to this scope can be damaging. She talks about how one herb cured her as if it was magic then a few pages later she is back to another one for another cure, then another and glorified each one of them. Obviously meaning the first (and second) were not as magical as she tries to make you believe.
Ignoring this specific part, it is a good book.

[Bobby Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first book that I have read for a book club I just joined: “Antiracist book club for cool people”. This is not the kind of book that I normally read, but its the kind of book that we all need to read more of.

The author does a great job of sharing her personal experiences (and those of others) alongside researched material in each of the chapters. These experiences really helped me understand the principles that she was explaining. There are a lot of things I could share from the book that stood out to me, but this was one of my favorites:

“Lateral violence is a cycle of anger, blame, and retribution caused by traumatic experiences, fuelled by unresolved emotions, and sustained by a fear of confronting the actual control figure. Incidents of lateral violence are often used by the dominant society as “evidence” to justify racism and colonialism, serving to show how indigenous people are - at least in the colonizer’s mind - primitive and uncivilized”

[Joseph Carrabis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating and worthwhile book for people doing trauma recovery work. Reading some sections, I wondered if someone followed my father around with a notebook. There are sections which may be painful reading for people dealing with these issues.
That aside, I believe Methot does a good job on the whole. Some lines here and there make me think her own wounds are still deep (perhaps I'm transposing my own anger issues on her?).
There're also times I thought I was reading a tripolar account; All whites are evil. Some whites are evil. If we could only be more indigenous...
Methot deals with indigenous trauma, and I appreciate and understand that. Perhaps she'll continue her work and expand it beyond the indigenous arena. My anthropology studies caused me to borrow from many aboriginal cultures when developing healing techniques for non-aboriginals, so there's a precedent for such cross cultural modeling.
And again, a worthy read.

[Keisha Bell-Kovacs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book well written and researched. It gave a clear description of the story of Indigenous peoples in Canada. Furthermore, her explanation of trauma and its resulting maladaptive behaviours were really helpful for me understanding the lived experiences of trauma in my own life, as a black Jamaican immigrant to this country. She provides compelling examples of communities which have embraced traditional paths to community healing, which are an alternative to increased policing. Very relevant to today's conversations around defunding police forces. It makes me wonder about the impact of colonization on other non-Indigenous people such as myself, and if traditional solutions can be applied in a broader context. We can learn so much from Indigenous wisdom, if only we realized that they are Canada's greatest resource.

[Sam Lange · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely a hard read for me, in that it is a more academic work, and also a study of heavy trauma related subjects. It came at the perfect time for me personally - I was finishing up a job at a daycare where more than half of my classroom was composed of students exhibiting trauma related behavior and symptoms. Methot's methods and studies gave me valuable insight into how my own behavior was affecting my students, and allowed me to view their behaviors through a more sympathetic lens. Methot's work also made me consider my own traumas, and those passed down through my family. Most importantly, this work gave me a glimpse of indigenous struggles in Cananda that I had no prior knowledge of (I am US based) and taught me absolutely wonderful indigenous tales and practices.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for anyone interested in understanding intergenerational trauma and the complex relationship between the indigenous people of Canada and settlers. I loved how Suzanne Method combined her personal story to illustrate the effects of colonialism on indigenous communities. The book is a mix of anthropology, psychology, sociology and a memoir. Legacy: Trauma, Story and Indigenous Healing can be quite emotional and hard at times, but it speaks truths that needs to be told. I wish everyone to read this well-written book so that they can understand the cultural genocide that indigenous people went through and how this still has an impact on them.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for canadians and for those who work in the healing profession and for those interested in looking at the effects of trauma. This author so clearly explains and outlines the effects of intergenerational trauma caused by colonization. I especially found the storytelling aspect of this book helpful in allowing the theories and concepts to be clarified.
I also felt this book has helpful concepts and information on trauma that can help to understand trauma beyond just Indigenous experience.
The call to look at healing in different ways and the examples of strategies was powerful and thought provoking.