The Debwe (Richard Van Camp) Books in Order

The Debwe series is a collection of Indigenous writing from across Canada. Its name comes from an Anishinaabe idea connected with speaking the truth. Rather than following one cast of characters from book to book, the series brings together stories by different writers, often in forms that work well for teen readers and classroom discussion.

Richard Van Camp's contribution is Three Feathers, a short graphic novel illustrated by Krystal Mateus. It is the third title in the wider Debwe series, but it stands fully on its own. Readers can begin here without knowing any of the other books.

The story takes place in a northern Indigenous community in the Northwest Territories. Flinch, Bryce, and Rupert have vandalized their community and caused real harm. Instead of receiving a standard punishment alone, they are sent by the Elders to spend nine months living on the land through a circle-sentencing process. The sentence asks more of them than simply serving time. They must learn practical skills, face what they have done, and consider how they might repair the damage.

That is the heart of Three Feathers. The book is interested in accountability, but it also asks what accountability can look like when it is tied to culture, relationships, and a whole community. The young men need to change. The people they hurt also have to decide whether forgiveness is possible, and what it would take to rebuild trust.

It is a compact story with serious stakes. The graphic-novel format keeps the reading direct and accessible, while the art gives silence, memory, anger, and hope room to land. The book does not pretend that healing is quick or simple. It shows reconciliation as work that has to be done by individuals and by the people around them.

The land matters here. Time away from town is not presented as an easy fix, but as part of a process guided by Elders and shaped by cultural knowledge. The return home is just as important as the time away, because that is where the young men must live with the consequences of their actions.

For readers new to the Debwe series, Three Feathers is a strong place to start. It offers a focused, thoughtful story about harm, responsibility, and the difficult hope of being welcomed back into a community.