This comic book illustrator is giving voice to Native American history

What makes history real? Who gets to tell the story of what happened in the past? For too long, these questions have been answered by those in power. In the United States of America, the narrative of Native Americans was dictated by settlers and is still being inaccurately perpetuated. Weshoyot Alvitre is an indigenous Tongva illustrator, descended from the people of California’s Los Angeles Basin, redrawing history from her ancestors’ perspective. 

At school level, lessons exclude the vital importance of indigenous history. This has left large gaps in generations of children’s understanding. As a result of ongoing ignorance, Native American culture is sidelined, marginalised, and misunderstood. “The most common misconception about my people is that we are very primitive,” Alvitre says. She uses her skills as a comic book illustrator to rectify the stories of famous battles and historical events. In Ghost River: The Fall and Rise of the Conestoga, Alvitre depicts the Conestoga Massacre from the perspective of indigenous villagers. “We deserve to have our side of history explained,” she says.

By balancing representation, Alvitre amplifies the legacies of people who have been overlooked for too long, and restores agency to Native Americans. “With my comics, I hope to reclaim the stories of the past that embolden who we are today,” Alvitre says.