"Ode to Obscured Ancestors," speaks to the quiet endurance passed through generations and the ancestral voices that still sing through silence.
Author's Note: This story was written in consultation with a Sámi advisor (poet and activist Elise Maren) and includes elements of their spirituality. The Sámi are a Native tribe found in Norway, northern Sweden, Finland, and Russia's Kola Peninsula. Like all Native tribes, they faced colonization and genocide throughout their history. They continue to face discrimination to this day. For more information, visit https://www.samigeaidnu.com/ and read We Stopped Forgetting: Stories from Sámi Americans by Ellen Marie Jensen (can be found on the Everand site.)
Nathan Perrin is a published author and Anabaptist pastor in Chicagoland. He holds an MA in Quaker Studies, and is a doctoral student studying Christian Community Development at Northern Seminary. His doctorate work centers on creating a writing program for nonprofits and churches to use to help under-resourced communities process trauma. His work has been published in the Dillydoun Review, Bangalore Review, Collateral Journal, Esoterica Magazine, etc. His forthcoming novella Memories of Green Rivers will be released in winter 2026 by Running Wild Press. He is also a screenwriter for an unannounced indie comedy series. For more information, visit
www.nathanperrinwriter.com
Elise Maren is a medical student and proud Minnesotan residing in Chicago, IL. She contributes to Lavender Magazine, Minnesota's 2SLGBTQ+ magazine, and runs an advice column called Ask Elise. She is proud of her Sámi and Methodist traditions. When not doing science or art, Elise is a fervent environmentalist. Please check out decompose.org for more information about Elise and her nonprofit work.
You can read both of these works at https://www.kaidankaistories.com.
Other stories by Nathan Perrin
The Nunnery
Burn
Website: kaidankaistories.com
Please feel free to contact me through the website contact form.
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