Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes
Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes | by Wab Kinew | illustrated by Joe Morse
Celebrating the stories of Indigenous people throughout time, Wab Kinew has created a powerful rap song, the lyrics of which are the basis for the text in this beautiful picture book, illustrated by the acclaimed Joe Morse. Including figures such as Crazy Horse, Net-no-kwa, former NASA astronaut John Herrington and Canadian NHL goalie Carey Price, Go Show the World showcases a diverse group of Indigenous people in the US and Canada [who] empower the reader with this message: “We are people who matter, yes, it’s true; now let’s show the world what people who matter can do.”
Distinctions: Finalist, Governor General Literary Award (2020); Silver Birch Nominee, OLA Forest of Reading (2020); OLA Best Bets List (2019)
Ideal for:
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation September 30
National Indigenous History Month June
National Indigenous Peoples Day June 21.
Go Show the World. Text © 2021 Wab Kinew Illustrations © 2021 Joe Morse. Reproduced by permission of Tundra Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers, a Penguin Random House Company, Toronto.
Go Show the World was written as a song to celebrate the courage and achievements of indigenous people, past and present. Each spread introduces a particular person and something about who they were and what they did. These vignettes tell little of the story—just enough to whet the appetite to know more.
The book begins with Sacagawea, then moves through historical figures like Olympian Jim Thorpe, physician Dr. Susan LaFlesche Picotte, soldier Francis Pegahmagabow, and leaders T-Wau-Zee, Tecumseh, and Crazy-Horse, to people of our own time, like author Beatrice Culleton Mosionier, physician and actor Dr. Evan Adams, astronaut John Herrington, Olympic athlete Waneek Horn-Miller, and goalie Carey Price. The back matter includes brief bibliographies to flesh out what is said in the main text.
In his author’s note, Wab Kinew explains that he was inspired by Barack Obama’s book Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters, which features some of his own heroes, as well as the song “Take a Minute” in which K’naan praises people who have influenced him, including Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi. Aware that indigenous people all over the world have often been treated as if they don’t matter, Kinew decided to create his own gallery of heroes to inspire indigenous young people. “You are people who matter,” runs the refrain, “Now go and show the world what people who matter can do.”
This idea of a gallery of heroes is reminiscent of the hall of faith or cloud of witnesses in the biblical letter to the Hebrews. The whole of chapter eleven consists of a long litany of people who have lived their lives in faith, which is “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The people in this gallery of faith are not all perfect by any stretch of the imagination; but they all had confidence and trust that the promises of God would be fulfilled, despite lack of evidence.
Like Wab Kinew’s ancestors, the people reading the letter to the Hebrews had experienced suffering, persecution, and loss. But they have stayed strong and endured, determined to keep hoping and living for a better future.
Biblical Themes: faith, hope, inspiration, resilience, courage, repentance, repair, celebrating with and learning from indigenous communities
Making Connections:
Gallery of Heroes: As part of a community event, set up tables and an assortment of art materials. Invite participants to consider these questions: Think about people—past and present—who have inspired you. Who has give you courage? Who has shown you kindness? Who has shone the light and love of God in your life? Using the art materials provided, everyone can make portraits(s) of their own heroes and write a brief description of who they are and what their influence has been. Display all the portraits in a gallery so the whole community can see them.
Get to know a hero: As individuals or groups, choose one of the people from Wab Kinew’s book and learn more about them. Put what you learn in the form of a story and share it with the rest of the community so they can get to know the person too.
Memorial Table: Invite the congregation in advance to bring photos of loved ones or other people who have inspired them (past or present), or small objects representing those people, and set them up before worship on a large table. Supply a basket of tealights or votive candles. Read Hebrews 11 then invite people to come forward and light a candle in honour of someone in whom they have seen the light of God. Anyone can light a candle, whether or not they have brought a photo or object.
Learn more about The Presbyterian Church in Canada’s history with indigenous people at https://presbyterian.ca/justice/social-action/indigenous-justice/
