Event: Connecting through comics

Tomorrow, the University of Manitoba will unveil the Mazinbiige Indigenous Graphic Novel Collection.

The roughly 200 titles will provide students with an unconventional way to explore Indigenous stories and combat stereotypes. Among the first such collections available at a Canadian university, the books use the comic format to tackle issues such as bullying, suicide, AIDS and residential schools.

Mazinbiige is an Anishinabe word meaning beautiful images and writing. The graphic novel genre combines sequential art with words, its origins dating back some 50,000 years to the pictographic writings of Indigenous peoples on rock faces, in the sand or carved in birch bark. Through graphic novels, Indigenous authors are gaining control over their stories and images.

The Mazinbiige collection compliments an Indigenous graphic novels course developed by U of M assistant Prof. Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair.

What: Mazinbiige Indigenous Graphic Novel Collection launch
When: Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2013, 2 p.m.
Where: Elizabeth Dafoe Library., Fort Garry Campus

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For more information contact Camille Callison, University of Manitoba, 204-480-1054 or Camille.Callison@umanitoba.ca