The book begins with my first memory of residential schools, the door slamming and taking me by surprise. My family was gone and I was left alone with nothing but the suitcase my grandmother so lovingly packed with a traditional red dress she had sewn for me, a pair of moccasins, a hairbrush and a doll that was meant to comfort me. Within minutes, my case was taken never to be seen again. I waited years for my name to be called so that I could return home. But when I did, I was never the same again.
"My Suitcase: Nii Sookayis" is a story of triumph and celebration in how far I have come with my healing. It reminds the reader to take the values and lessons that mean the most to them everywhere they go and to always share their gifts with the world because there is no one quite like them.