Indigenous People’s of the World Lit
Literature featuring indigenous authors from the Americas and Pacific. Fiction from across all genres by First Nations of Canada and the US, Māori, Aboriginal Australian, Samoan, Hawaiian, Papua New Guinean and other Pacific Island indigenous peoples. Any and all recommendations are more than welcome! Thank you 💜
created by jess_the_reader
last updated September, 2026
Comments
Thank you so much for compiling this list! I am so excited to start working through these. What a treasure.
You’re very welcome! I’m really excited to finally put it all together
Please consider Legendary Frybread Drive-In by Cynthia Leitich Smith. It is a supernatural modern indigenous multi-strand tale that I loved!
I’ll definitely add it! It looks perfect! Thank you! 😊
I submitted this wonderful list for consideration as a Quest.
Oh my! Thank you!! 🥹
Could also add To shape a dragons breath by Moniquill Blackgoose!
Thank you! 😊 Will do!
I have two lists that might be useful for you! Both are lists of books by Indigenous Australian authors.
Blak Perspectives https://pagebound.co/lists/75c319ab-14fb-4104-a728-c85ea724e621
Invasion Day https://pagebound.co/lists/8fe81eed-a509-4d38-b794-06ae483fe9ba
Thank you both for your curation of these lists!!!
This is so incredibly thoughtful!! 🥰 Thank you so so much! I’m definitely going to go through these both!
this is a great list, thanks so much for sharing! if you are looking for a fantasy rec, A Broken Blade by Melissa Blair! she is Anishinaabe-kwe and i thought the indigenous identity lens told through the fae characters/storyline was well done :)
Absolutely! Thank you so much! I’ll definitely add it 😊
Any recommendations for a Māori or indigenous Pacific book? I trying to be a little more intentional about approaching this massively awesomely massive list.
Yes! The Bone People (Māori) is pretty much a classic, it’s pretty heavy though. Sharks in the Time of Saviors (Hawaiian) is a speculative fiction that I liked a lot Black Marks on the White Page (Māori) is a collection of short stories that I’m not sure if you’re into but is a great intro to many authors. Sleeps Standing (Māori) is also heavy, it’s a war novel pretty much I can go through the list for more lol hopefully one of those works!
Mahalo nui loa! Those sounds amazing. I will look for them in Libby.
Hopefully they have them all!!
One hold. One available. I’m going to have to do some searching for the others. Ideally in New Zealand. 😏
Yessss!!!! It’s so beautiful and fun!!!
For Māori recs: Once Were Warriors by Alan Duff The Mires by Tina Makareti Rangatira by Paula Morris
Amazing. I am excited to travel the Pacific upon these tales. Mahalo!
I’m not exactly sure why I didn’t put Once We’re Warriors on my list. I think maybe I let my personal feelings on it affect my choice? Anyway, thanks for making me think on it! 😊 I’m going add it and the other too if you don’t mind
Also, I thought it was you asking for the recs…didn’t realise it was someone else asking you 😅
Haha that’s ok! I love rec’s any way I can get them!
There is no denying that Once Were Warriors is a tough, tough read
Yes exactly! I have trouble recommending those kinds of reads even when they’re important.
Here's me learning it's a book! I've only seen the movie. My dad is from Aotearoa so I watched the movie as a teenager to try and connect with him more and yeah, perhaps I should have read the synopsis or some reviews to prepare 👀👀
I also saw the movie first! I’m thinking it’s not that uncommon? But yeah lol it’s a heavy heavy one 😅
Tayi Tibble’s Poukahangatus: Poems, and Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia by Anita Heiss. I’ve read them both and enjoyed them enough to recommend for your list.
These are perfect! Thank you! 😊 I’ll add them
Oh, and of all of Linda Hogans books my favorite is The Woman Who Watches Over the World.
Oh wow, it looks powerful!! What of her fiction would you recommend?
Probably her most recent novel that touches on climate change- Solar Storms!
Perfect!
Fantastic list! Can’t wait to read more of these! Can I recommend adding Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger and Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley? (Edited to add - I think Màgòdiz by Gabe Calderón might also work for this list!)
Thank you! 😊 Yes! I’ll definitely add them. Thank you so much for the recommendations!
I may come back with more, as I have some research & lists somewhere on this I've done for projects. BUT - I'll start with: I'm not seeing Billy-Ray Belcourt! I believe A Minor Corus and Coexistence would apply.
I have no idea how I missed A Minor Chorus!!! Thank you so much for bringing these to my attention!! 💜 And yes definitely recommend more! I’m trying to get more Polynesian and Pacific Islander rec’s too if you have any.
I specifically dove into Native American and First Nation for my big lists/project(s) I mentioned, but indigenous came up in general too so I'll let you know what I find!
