A Two-Spirit Journey: The Autobiography of a Lesbian Ojibwa-Cree Elder by Ma-Nee Chacaby with Mary Louisa Plummer
Review by Caitlin Stratton
If the title of Canada Reads winning book this year doesn’t hook you, let me tell you more about why I think it’s well worth your time.
The winning selection for Canada Reads 2025 was decided on March 20th after three days of strong debates. Shayla Stonechild, an Indigenous Canadian activist and model, championed Ma-Nee Chacaby’s autobiography to its eventual win. In the end, Stonechild successfully argued that this book was best suited to the theme of this year’s competition: “one book to change the narrative.”
A Two-Spirit Journey follows the life of Ma-Nee Chacaby, beginning with her traumatic upbringing in a remote Ojibwa community in Ontario. Her story is told chronologically as it confronts difficult experiences with addiction, abuse, racism, and disability. The book, originally published in May 2016, does not hold back on the harrowing details of these misfortunes. But it is not only about the bad, as many positive stories are shared about her activism, self-understanding, and love that make for a well-rounded exploration of Ma-Nee’s stories and reflections.
The writing style is immersive, allowing me to instantly feel that the story I was reading was natural and authentic. The language, developed by Mary Lousia Plummer from many meetings and interviews with Chacaby, was very conversational. Plummer and Chacaby devoted many hours of intensive work to ensure that Chacaby’s life remained authentic on the page, and they ultimately decided to tell the story from a first-person point of view for its raw sincerity. Due to Chacaby’s visual impairment, Plummer took on the role of recording the stories but reiterates in the afterword how she wanted these words to remain Chacaby’s own. The flow of the language felt as if someone were telling it to me around a fire, or a cup of tea in their living room. It is delicately intimate, unveiling Chacaby’s highs and lows without restraint. The insights into Ma-Nee’s obstacles with her disability are particularly immersive as her language created a feeling inside of me akin to what she must have felt during those moments.
Another engaging part about the book was the choice to follow chronologically through the events. The book begins with Chacaby’s earliest memories and continues on from there through it all. I am glad they decided to use this method of organization, as it felt more like someone’s life story and less like a book that wanted to preach about key themes. By telling things in order, sometimes the themes disappear into the background just as one’s memory might, only to reappear later and draw on the earlier feelings for a more resounding impact in the reflections. I found it easy to follow along when I paused my reading for a time (though I rarely did as I completed this book in under 48 hours – I was hooked!).
The 2025 Canada Reads topic of “one book to change the narrative” certainly fits Chacaby’s book. She changes the narrative on many things through these pages, but especially on providing insight to her unique experiences as a two-spirit individual, an Indigenous person, a lesbian, and someone who is visually impaired. The intersectionality of her experiences was impactful as it opened my eyes to many new worlds, but also did not inform me about those worlds beyond her own story. By sharing her story from a first-person perspective, she does not take claim over any other Indigenous, two-spirit, lesbian, or other stories; her book is her own and serves to preserve who she is so that readers can intimately witness her.
While the writing style may feel disjointed at times through its casual, stream-of-consciousness tone, I believe this style only supports its raw authenticity. Chacaby wanted to share her own story as truthfully as she could, and through the dedication and assistance of Plummer, this book made it possible for the world to know her life as closely as they will come to knowing her memories. Some parts of the book are emotionally heavy to read through as well. But the resounding impact of understanding the hardships she faced in our country is well worth the discomforting excerpts. However, I do recommend checking for any triggers you may have before picking this up.
Ultimately, A Two-Spirit Journey is an eye-opening, honest exploration of identity. As a Canadian who has heard many general stories about the marginalized communities around me, it was refreshing to become so closely oriented with Chacaby’s cultural insights. As Mary Louisa Plummer shares in the afterword, “We are fortunate that she has shared it with us.” It is a beautiful thing to receive someone’s story in such an intimate way. This book deserves to be read – not just for its Canada Reads win, but for its invitation to bear witness.
A Two-Spirit Journey: The Autobiography of a Lesbian Ojibwa-Cree Elder
by Ma-Nee Chacaby with Mary Louisa Plummer
Published by the University of Manitoba Press
website
Paper: ISBN 9780887558122 $24.95
EPUB: ISBN 9780887555039, $25.00
PDF: ISBN 9780887555053, $25.00
also available on kindle and as an audio book on audible
