Remember in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy clicked her ruby red heels and chanted, “There’s no place like home”? Suddenly, America’s sweetheart could pop back into her oppressive, domestic life in Kansas. It was so easy for dear Dorothy. However, the creators of Big Boots realize that the simple concept of home is non-existent for many women of colour and that they certainly don’t always get the happy ending. The Dis/placement issue is full of personal accounts, images, and poems regarding visible minority women who feel uprooted from their native homes and plopped into disheartening and often unsympathetic environments. The question they ask themselves is “where do I belong?” Many of the contributors show deep feelings of resentment and alienation towards North American society but also detachment from their native countries. Big Boots doesn’t offer any concrete answers but explores different feelings women of colour have towards their isolating situations. A particularly beautiful piece is the short story “Roots,” by Editor Una Lee, that eloquently describes the disgusting treatment and hardships of an immigrant girl. The layout also makes the zine easy on the eyes. Printed on off-white paper, there are chilling photographs such as a passport portrait and snapshots of a newly landed immigrant family. The subjects often stare directly at the camera, making you feel perversely invasive, but their faces also humanize each story further. This is a must-read for all those who are willing to challenge themselves beyond their own sex and colour. (Erin Kobayashi)
zine, 43 pages, Una Lee, $1.50, 91 Friuli Court Unit 22, Woodbridge ON, L4L 4G5, [email protected]