First Nations 101 - by Lynda Gray (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The essential guide to Indigenous peoples in Canada

Canada's history cannot be understood without understanding Indigenous peoples--and too often, that history has been misrepresented, simplified, or ignored. In First Nations 101, Lynda Gray, a member of the Gisbutwada (Killerwhale) Clan of the Ts'msyen Nation and the community of Lax Kw'alaams, offers a comprehensive and culturally grounded guide to the complex history shaping Indigenous peoples and Canada today.
Building on the success of earlier editions, this updated volume explores Indigenous cultures, governance systems, and worldviews alongside the colonial laws and policies that sought to erase them. Gray examines traditional community structures, holistic approaches to health and wellness, and the impact of legislation such as the Indian Act, as well as the intergenerational social, political, and cultural challenges that many Indigenous people face today as a direct result of colonization and forced assimilation. The third edition expands the conversation, tracing how colonial interventions shaped--and continue to shape--Indigenous communities, while centering Indigenous voices, resilience, and experience.
Grounded in lived knowledge and careful research, Lynda Gray's First Nations 101 gives readers the context, language, and insight needed to engage more thoughtfully with Indigenous peoples and the ongoing work of reconciliation, making it a critical resource for educators, students, and Indigenous people--anyone seeking to build understanding and contribute to meaningful change.

Please note, $1 from each book sold will be donated to the Ts'msyen Revolution Fund to help support Ts'msyen language and culture revitalization in laxyuubm Ts'msyen (Ts'msyen territory).

About the Author

Lynda Gray is a member of the Gisbutwada (Killerwhale) Clan of the Ts'msyen Nation and the community of Lax Kw'alaams on the Northwest Coast of British Columbia. Born in Prince Rupert, she spent most of her life in East Vancouver. Gray's work is grounded in community development, youth empowerment, and culture as therapy. She has a bachelor's degree in social work from the University of British Columbia, was the executive director of the Urban Native Youth Association, conducts workshops and training, and serves on community boards. She and her children, Northwest Coast artist Phil Gray and Associate Professor Dr. Robin Gray, have learned much about their Ts'msyen culture and community from participating in the Kxeen Ts'msyen Dance Group, attending traditional feasts in Lax Kw'alaams, and actively learning their ancestral language, Sm'algyax. In 2013, Gray bought a home in Prince Rupert so she and her children could reconnect to their Nation, family, homelands, and culture.