A collection of words and imagery from diverse voices grounded in the land that explore community in relation to time. Filmmaker/writer, Darlene Naponse, curates a gathering of expression about time that has passed, time that is now and time that comes.

Darlene Naponse is an Anishinaabe from Atikameksheng Anishnawbek, Northern Ontario, where she was born and raised. She is a writer, independent film director, video artist, and community activist. She completed her MFA in Creative Writing at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe. Several of her short stories have been published in the Yellow Medicine Review, Along the 46th Anthology, and The Malahat Review. She is currently working on a book of short stories. She works from her studio on the Rez (Atikameksheng Anishnawbek).

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Before the Usual Time is a vibrantly eclectic anthology of strong Indigenous voices from right across Turtle Island. From poetry to creative non-fiction to speculative fiction and more, the writing from each spirited storyteller is rich with heartfelt narration that transcends nations. This collection effectively demonstrates the beautiful diversity of Indigenous voices and experiences throughout this land, and the common threads of strength and resilience that bind them through time. It is both a poignant look back and a promising look ahead.
- Waubgeshig Rice, author of Moon of the Crusted Snow