On a journey to uncover her family’s story, Spotted Fawn travels through time and space to reclaim connection to ancestors, language, and the land in this essential graphic novel.

In the dreamworld, she bears witness to a mountain of buffalo skulls, a ghostly monument to the slaughter of the buffalo—a key tactic to starve and contain the Indigenous People onto reservations.

Spotted Fawn must travel through her own family history to confront the harsh realities of the past and reignite her connection to her people and the land. Her darkroom becomes a portal, allowing her glimpses into the lives of her relatives. Guided by her ancestors, Spotted Fawn’s travels through the past allow her to come into full face—like the moon itself.

Adapted from the acclaimed stop-motion animated film of the same name, also by Strong, Four Faces of the Moon brings the history of the Michif, Cree, Nakoda, and Anishinaabe Peoples alive on the page.

Backmatter by Dr. Sherry Farrell Racette (Michif), an associate professor of Native Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of Manitoba, provides information on Michif culture and history.

Amanda Strong is a Michif, Indigenous filmmaker, media artist, and stop motion director currently based out of the unceded Coast Salish territory also known as Vancouver, British Columbia. She has exhibited work and screened films worldwide, including at the Cannes Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival, and the Ottawa International Animation Festival.
www.spottedfawnproductions.com

Amanda Strong's profile page

Sherry Farrell Racette (Métis/Algonquin/Irish) is an interdisciplinary scholar with an active artistic and curatorial practice. She was born in Manitoba and is a member of Timiskaming First Nation in Quebec (unceded Algonquin territory). Prior to her doctoral studies, she had an extensive career in Indigenous education. Her work as a cultural historian is grounded in archival research and object-based study in museum collections with an emphasis on retrieving women’s voices and recovering aesthetic knowledge.In addition to her painting, beading and textile work, she has illustrated eight children's books, collaborating with some of Canada's most noted Indigenous authors. Farrell Racette is currently teaching in the Department of Visual Arts, Faculty of Media, Art and Performance at the University of Regina. 

Dr Sherry Farrell Racette's profile page

“Worthwhile . . . and offers interesting perspectives on the search for Indigenous identity.”

CM Reviews, 03/05/21

“Moving and intense . . . the graphic novel effectively portrays how Indigenous youth can reconnect to their ancestors through art, language, and cultural knowledge.”

School Library Journal, 04/30/21