TO WALK THE SKY

Buckley (Kahnawá:ke Mohawk) and Lewis (Lenni-Lenape) pay tribute to the courage and perseverance of Iroquois steelworkers.

Known as “skywalkers” for their ability to fearlessly balance on the beams of bridges under construction, the first of these laborers were Mohawks from the Caughnawaga reserve in eastern Canada. In the face of staggering economic oppression, skywalkers earned wages that enabled them to feed their families. Their achievements brought honor as well as heartbreak to their communities: first in 1907, when 33 Mohawk skywalkers were killed during the construction of a bridge across the St. Lawrence River in Quebec. Then, in 2001, skywalkers (whose ancestors famously built the Twin Towers in New York City) “volunteered to dismantle what their fathers and uncles built decades before” in the aftermath of 9/11. Today, Indigenous skywalkers—including women—continue this proud tradition of sky-high steel work. Lewis’ impressionist watercolors reverently depict skywalkers’ triumphs and tragedies; his dramatic, cinematic angles and perspectives will have readers gasping in wonder. By turns solemnly reverent and enthusiastic, Buckley’s elegant text will leave young people keenly aware of the historical and present-day significance of these groundbreaking workers, as well as their strength and resilience. Extensive backmatter speaks to Buckley’s own skywalking family and further explores Mohawk history.

Awe-inspiring.