Northern Light: Power, Land, and the Memory of Water

Kazim Ali's memoir, "The Right to Be Here: A Memoir of Exile and Homecoming," was named the winner of the 2022 Banff Mountain Book Award for Environmental Literature. The book explores Ali's connection to Jenpeg, a community in Manitoba that was evicted from a hydroelectric dam on the Nelson River. Ali travels to Jenpeg to understand his place in the story and learns about the politics of the dam from Chief Cathy Merrick. Through building relationships with his former neighbors, Ali explores questions of land and power and finds a home he might belong to.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 21 April 2022
Publisher: Milkweed Editions

Winner of the 2022 Banff Mountain Book Award for Environmental Literature, Kazim Ali's book explores the concept of place and belonging. Born in London to South Asian migrants, Ali experienced a sense of displacement throughout his life, never feeling like he truly belonged to any one place. However, one day, he finds himself thinking of Jenpeg, a community in Manitoba where he once lived as a child. As he sets out to discover if Jenpeg still exists and if the hydroelectric dam on the Nelson River is still operational, Ali discovers the local Pimicikamak community, facing environmental destruction and broken promises from the Canadian government.

Troubled by this discovery, Ali returns to the north, eager to understand his place in this story and to listen to the voices of the community. Over the course of a week, he participates in community life, speaks with Elders and community members, and learns about the politics of the dam from Chief Cathy Merrick. He drinks tea with activists, eats corned beef hash with the Chief, and learns about the history of the dam, built on land that was never ceded, and Jenpeg, a town that now exists mostly in his memory.

Through his interactions with his former neighbors, Ali explores questions of land and power, and the ways in which they shape the lives of individuals and communities. He reflects on the importance of recognizing and respecting the land that we live on, and the ways in which our actions can have negative impacts on the environment and the people who live in it.

Overall, "The Land We Live On" is a powerful and thought-provoking book that offers a unique perspective on the concept of place and belonging. It is a must-read for anyone who is interested in environmental issues, indigenous rights, and the politics of power.

Dimension: 215 x 139 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781571311757