three feathers - ThreeFeathers - Portage & Main Press

TH

REE

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TH

ERS

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Three young men—Flinch, Bryce, and Rupert—have vandalized their community. They are sent by its Elders to live nine months on the land as part of the circle sentencing process. There, the young men learn to take responsibility for their actions and acquire the humility required to return home. But will they be forgiven for what they’ve done?

Three Feathers explores the power and grace of restorative justice in one Northern community and the cultural legacy that can empower future generations.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard Van Camp is a proud member of the Dogrib (Tlicho) Nation from Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. He is the author of two children’s books with the Cree artist George Littlechild: A Man Called Raven and What’s the Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses? He has published a novel, The Lesser Blessed, which is now a feature film with First Generation Films. His collections of short stories include Angel Wing Splash Pattern, The Moon of Letting Go and Other Stories, and Godless but Loyal to Heaven. He is the author of three baby books: Welcome Song for Baby: A Lullaby for Newborns; Nighty Night: A Bedtime Song for Babies; and Little You (now translated into Cree, Dene, and South Slavey). He also has two comic books out with the Healthy Aboriginal Network: Kiss Me Deadly and Path of the Warrior.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

K. Mateus is a Canadian illustrator who always knew art was her calling. Her interest in illustration in various formats inspired her to teach herself the skills she needed. She recently attended and graduated from a private art school where she received guidance in the right direction for the type of artist she decided to be. She hopes her work will inspire others with a similar calling to follow her on the path of illustration. Three Feathers is her first graphic novel.

Richard Van Camp Krystal Mateus

three feathersThree Feathers

Richard Van Camp K. Mateus

The graphic novel is available in selected Indigenous languages.

three feathers_cover.indd 1 2015-02-18 4:15 PMSC 210938-2 CC2014.indd 1 2015-02-19 8:56 AM

RUPERT, BRYCE, AND FLINCH RETURN FROM NINE MONTHS ON THE LAND.

1

22928-ThreeFeathers-ENG-v7.indd 1 15-02-13 1:38 PM

AM7976

Text Comparison Documents Compared old9781553797227.pdf reduce_9781553797227.pdf Summary Text is identical

DRAGONFLIES ARE KEEPERS OF SNAKES AND CAN SEW THELIPS SHUT OF ANY CHILD WHO

TELLS THEIR FIRST LIE.

FROGS ARE THEKEEPERS OF RAIN.

BEARS ALWAYS KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING.

THEY SAY EVERY ANIMAL IS BORN WITH GIFTS.

FLINCH’S STORY

32


AN EAGLE HASTHREE SHADOWS.

A WOLVERINE CAN STEAL YOUR SHADOW.

MAYBE THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED TO US ...FOR A WHILE.

BRYCE FLINCH RUPERT

32


NINE MONTHSEARLIER.

54


54


RUPERT’S STORY.

76


YOU THREE ARE THE REASON WE LOCK OUR DOORS NOW. THIS TOWNWAS NEVER AS BRUTAL AS IT IS NOW,

ALL BECAUSE OF YOU.

MY DAD HAD A HEART ATTACK AND A STROKE

DEFENDING OUR HOME. YOU’RE PITIFUL. ALL OF YOU!

NINE MONTHS ON THE LAND.

76


IT WAS EASY, BECAUSE YOU’RE ALL DRUNK AND STONED.

WE STOLE YOUR POT, BOOZE, COKE, PILLS. THERE’S

SO MUCH DOPE IN THIS TOWN IT’S NOT EVEN FUNNY.

AND YOU’RE THE ADULTS!

SEND US OUT ON THE LAND FOR NINE MONTHS FOR SOME STUPID BIG CHIEF SENTENCING CIRCLE?

YOU WAIT ’TIL WE GET BACK. YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHIN’ YET!

YEAH, IT’S TRUE. WE WERE THE ONES WHO’VE BEEN ROBBING ALL OF YOU.

SO WHAT?

BRYCE’S STORY.

YOU’RE THE HYPOCRITES!

98


98


1110


This story is dedicated to everyone in Fort Smith, NWT, and I’d like to dedicate this, as well, to the leadership and memory of Irene Sanderson, George Blondin, Elizabeth Mackenzie and Chief Minnie Letcher. I am grateful to Brent Kaulback for inspiring this project and for Krystal Mateus who brought these characters and this story to life. Mahsi cho, Marci cho and Kinaskomitin. – RVC

HighWater Press acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $157 million to bring the arts to Canadians throughout the country.

Nous remercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien. L’an dernier, le Conseil a investi 157 millions de dollars pour mettre de l’art dans la vie des Canadiennes et des Canadiens de tout le pays.

HighWater Press gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Province of Manitoba through the Department of Culture, Heritage & Tourism and the Manitoba Book Publishing Tax Credit, and the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund (CBF), for our publishing activities.

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Van Camp, Richard, 1971-, author Three feathers / Richard Van Camp, K. Mateus.

ISBN 978-1-55379-722-7

1. Graphic novels. I. Mateus, K., 1989-, illustrator II. Title.

PN6733.V36T57 2015 741.5’971 C2015-900609-0

www.highwaterpress.com

HighWater Press is an imprint of Portage & Main Presswww.portageandmainpress.com

© 2015 by Richard Van CampExcerpts from this publication may be reproduced under licence from Access Copyright, or with the express written permission of HighWater Press, or as permitted by law.

All rights are reserved, and no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, scanning, recording or otherwise, except as specifically authorized.

Cover Art: Menton 3Printed and bound in Canada by Friesens

About the Debwe Series

In the spirit of the Anishinaabe concept debwe (to speak the truth), HighWater Press presents a series of exceptional Indigenous writing from across Canada.

three feathers_cover.indd 2 2015-02-13 11:38 AMISC 210938-2 CC2014.indd 1 2015-02-18 11:46 AM


www.portageandmainpress.com

This story is dedicated to everyone in Fort Smith, NWT, and I’d like to dedicate this, as well, to the leadership and memory of Irene Sanderson, George Blondin, Elizabeth Mackenzie and Chief Minnie Letcher. I am grateful to Brent Kaulback for inspiring this project and for Krystal Mateus who brought these characters and this story to life. Mahsi cho, Marci cho and Kinaskomitin. – RVC

HighWater Press acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $157 million to bring the arts to Canadians throughout the country.

Nous remercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien. L’an dernier, le Conseil a investi 157 millions de dollars pour mettre de l’art dans la vie des Canadiennes et des Canadiens de tout le pays.

HighWater Press gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Province of Manitoba through the Department of Culture, Heritage & Tourism and the Manitoba Book Publishing Tax Credit, and the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund (CBF), for our publishing activities.

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Van Camp, Richard, 1971-, author Three feathers / Richard Van Camp, K. Mateus.

ISBN 978-1-55379-536-0 (pbk.)

1. Graphic novels. I. Mateus, K., 1989-, illustrator II. Title.

PN6733.V36T57 2015 741.5’971 C2015-900609-0


HighWater Press is an imprint of Portage & Main Presswww.portageandmainpress.com

© 2015 by Richard Van CampExcerpts from this publication may be reproduced under licence from Access Copyright, or with the express written permission of HighWater Press, or as permitted by law.

All rights are reserved, and no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, scanning, recording or otherwise, except as specifically authorized.

Cover Art: Menton 3Printed and bound in Canada by Friesens

About the Debwe Series

In the spirit of the Anishinaabe concept debwe (to speak the truth), HighWater Press presents a series of exceptional Indigenous writing from across Canada.

three feathers_cover.indd 2 2015-02-13 11:38 AMISC 210938-2 CC2014.indd 1 2015-02-18 11:46 AM

TH

REE

FEA

TH

ERS

VAN

CA

MP

/ MA

TEU

S

Three young men—Flinch, Bryce, and Rupert—have vandalized their community. They are sent by its Elders to live nine months on the land as part of the circle sentencing process. There, the young men learn to take responsibility for their actions and acquire the humility required to return home. But will they be forgiven for what they’ve done?

Three Feathers explores the power and grace of restorative justice in one Northern community and the cultural legacy that can empower future generations.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard Van Camp is a proud member of the Dogrib (Tlicho) Nation from Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. He is the author of two children’s books with the Cree artist George Littlechild: A Man Called Raven and What’s the Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses? He has published a novel, The Lesser Blessed, which is now a feature film with First Generation Films. His collections of short stories include Angel Wing Splash Pattern, The Moon of Letting Go and Other Stories, and Godless but Loyal to Heaven. He is the author of three baby books: Welcome Song for Baby: A Lullaby for Newborns; Nighty Night: A Bedtime Song for Babies; and Little You (now translated into Cree, Dene, and South Slavey). He also has two comic books out with the Healthy Aboriginal Network: Kiss Me Deadly and Path of the Warrior.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

K. Mateus is a Canadian illustrator who always knew art was her calling. Her interest in illustration in various formats inspired her to teach herself the skills she needed. She recently attended and graduated from a private art school where she received guidance in the right direction for the type of artist she decided to be. She hopes her work will inspire others with a similar calling to follow her on the path of illustration. Three Feathers is her first graphic novel.

Richard Van Camp Krystal Mateus

three feathersThree Feathers

Richard Van Camp K. Mateus

The graphic novel is available in selected Indigenous languages.

three feathers_cover.indd 1 2015-02-18 4:15 PMSC 210938-2 CC2014.indd 1 2015-02-19 8:56 AM

three feathers - ThreeFeathers - Portage & Main Press

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