Know We Are Here: Voices of Native California Resistance

by Terria Smith (Editor)

An essential look at the ways California’s Native nations are resisting colonialism today, from education reform to protests against environmental injustice and beyond. Collecting over twenty-five essays written by more than twenty California Indian authors, Know We Are Here surveys many of the ways California’s Indigenous communities are resisting the legacies of genocide. Focusing on the particular histories, challenges, and dynamics of life in Native California—which are often very different from elsewhere in the United States—the book collects essays from writers across the state. It encompasses the perspectives of both elders and the rising generation, and the contributors include activists, academics, students, memoirists, and tribal leaders. The collection examines histories of resistance to colonialism in California, the reclaiming of cultures and languages, the connection of place and nature to wellness in tribal communities, efforts to overhaul the racist presentation of California Indians in classrooms and popular culture, and the meanings of solidarity in Native California. Unifying the book is an introduction by Terria Smith (Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians), editor of the renowned and long-running magazine News from Native California . This book is an indispensable resource for California Indian readers, educators of all levels in California, and students in Native studies courses nationally.

272 pages, Paperback

Published June 27, 2023

About the author

Terria Smith is a tribal member of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians. For more than five years she has been working as the editor of News From Native California, a quarterly magazine devoted to the vibrant cultures, art, languages, histories, social justice movements, and stories of California’s diverse Indian peoples. Terria is also the director of California Indian Publishing at Heyday. She is a member of the Native American Journalists Association and an alumna of the University of California Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.

Reviews

[Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

As it is Native American History Month I thought I'd finally knock this off my backlist. It took forever to find and I was happy it is available through my library's Hoopla. I don't know much about California's Indigenous populations and their specific history of resistance, but I was interested to see what I could learn from these essays.

In this collection the essays are roughly divided by topic: Histories of Resistance, Culture and Language, Places, Nature and Wellness, Education, and Solidarity. Most of these are essays but there are a couple of interviews just as a heads up. The essays also vary: some I felt I could understand and relate (or even if not, I could understand them). Others, unsurprisingly, felt like they were for an audience that did not include me, which is fine.

That's pretty much it. I don't care for essay collections and did feel there were more misses than hits, but that was just me. It's important to have collections such as these and I did appreciate hearing from a variety of California Indigenous peoples.

If you like essay collections, have a special interest in this region and/or in Indigenous/Native people, this might be a good pickup. If you're more of a casual reader I wouldn't rush to find a copy and would recommend a bargain buy.

Borrowed via the library and that was best for me.

[Taylor M · Rating 4 out of 5]

The content of this book was great. Lots of wonderful perspectives and wisdom. The format I wasn’t a huge fan of. Many of the chapters I felt out of context since it seemed like it was ripped from a larger story. There was three chapters from “Bad Indians” by Deborah A. Miranda — a great book — but I felt like they lost a bit of their power since you didn’t get the whole picture. I’m not a fan of essay books to begin with, especially not essays not specifically written for the book, so I’m a bit bias in that regard. The book was great though! Also go read Bad Indians! (also by Heyday Books)

[NormaJean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a superior, engaging collection of current relevance by a wide variety of authors representing a swath of Native America. (Full disclosure, my cousin is one of them!)