About the Author

Ma-Nee Chacaby is a Two-Spirit, Ojibwa/Cree Elder. She was raised by her Cree grandmother in a remote Ojibwa community near Lake Nipigon, Ontario.

Mary Louisa Plummer is a social scientist and a long-time friend of Ma-Nee. Much of her professional work has focused on public health and children's rights.

Reviews

"A memoir of great scope and beauty, exploring with gender and sexuality, her Ojibwa-Cree cultural heritage, colonialism, and resilience."--Sarah Neilson "L.A. Review of Books"

"A Two-Spirit Journey is a raw and emotional story that doesn't just show readers the author's scars. Chacaby bares all in an honest telling of her life that includes flaws, like her struggles with substance abuse and a sometimes rocky path to sobriety. Despite the turmoil, the autobiography does have its uplifting moments and characters. Heartwarming stories of childhood friendships, and most importantly a powerful relationship between the author and her grandmother, weave feelings of optimism and hope into a life that is oftentimes surrounded by darkness."--Scott Paradis "tbnewswatch.com"

"An extraordinary account of an extraordinary life and very highly recommended for community and academic library Contemporary Biography, LGBT, and Native American Studies collections."-- "Midwest Book Review"

"Leveraging the storytelling traditions that she learned as a young girl in Ombabika, Ont., this autobiography is rich in detail and reads like taking tea with a wise and dear grandmother. Plummer's role is evident in the way the book is organized, but she is otherwise unobtrusive, facilitating rather than obfuscating Chacaby's narration."-- "Publishers Weekly"

"The entire narrative is delivered in a voice so authentic that it feels more like listening to someone telling a story at a kitchen table than reading a memoir alone in bed."--Rachel Carlson

"Activist, survivor, mother, counsellor, Ma-Nee Chacaby recounts her sometimes harrowing life with a calm and steady voice, infused with resilience and compassion. Effectively designed and edited to appeal to both the general public and those engaged in Indigenous studies, A Two-Spirit Journey presents an important story, powerfully told."--Nik Burton, Rick Walker, and Carolyn Wood, Judges "2017 Manitoba Book Awards"

"An excellent memoir that gives readers, whether Indigenous or not, a direct connection to the past and to a personal story about gender, sexuality, overcoming adversity, and becoming a leader, an activist, a healer, and an inspiration to two-spirit individuals everywhere."--Robert Bittner "The Canadian Journal of Native Studies"

"From groundbreaking and controversial AIDS awareness programs in the 1990s to the work she continues to do today, both with her own family and her extended reserve family, her life and this memoir ultimately serve as handbook of hope."--Lara Rae "Winnipeg Free Press"

"The story that Chacaby and Plummer recount is truly an extraordinary one, but it is also one that will resonate with many people whose stories have not been often told. The perspective of a lesbian Ojibwa-Cree elder is invaluable for LGBT Native youth and will be an enriching experience for many others, particularly those who have experienced abuse, disability, poverty, or the effects of colonization."--Kai Pyle "Studies in American Indian Literatures"

"This book comes at a critical time in Canada's history, and is an educational text crucial to understanding some of the issues that First Nations communities confront today."--Emily Rivas "This Magazine"