Introduction to Issue 41 • Indigenous Futurisms

Pjila’si (Welcome) to Eye to the Telescope #41!

Indigenous Futurism, a term brought forward by Anishinaabe scholar and author Dr. Grace Dillon, describes a movement where Indigenous perspectives on the past, present, and future find expression in science fiction and other genres. Indigenous Futurism is a resistance to the myth of Indigenous peoples’ absence, not only in the past and present, but also in the fields of genre fiction and genre poetry. It is an assertion of our continued presence and an expression of our hopes, fears, and other imaginings of what the future may contain.

The poems in this issue speak to each other. As Indigenous Futurism plays with temporality and relationality, so too do the poems that are woven together in this issue. The result is a vibrant tapestry of varying perspectives, an overlap of the past, present, and future, and a multiplicity of perspectives from Indigenous poets around the world.

I deeply appreciate all who have contributed to this issue’s creation. Wela’lioq (Thank you) for being here. Enjoy!