Gathering, edited by Durre Shahwar & Nasia Sarwar-Skuse
The latest from indie publishers 404 Ink, Gathering is a remarkable and ground-breaking collection about women of colour moving through nature
The latest anthology from Scottish indie innovators 404 Ink, Gathering is a breath of fresh air showcasing the broad church of experiences of moving through the natural world as a woman of colour. Co-edited by Durre Shahwar and Nasia Sarwar-Skuse, with illustrations by Haricha Abdaal, and writing from across Scotland and Wales, these essays are both fierce and meditative, covering the deep-rooted sanctity of trees, a meditation on punk, the colonial history of sugar, and bugs as queer icons.
It’s refreshing to hear about the lives of women from all walks of life and to have my own doubts echoed and soothed, about nature being full of a Certain Type of Person and carving out a place for yourself on your own terms, the tension of feeling like you belong nowhere and everywhere as an immigrant, mixed heritage, or diaspora creator. Some of these women find solace in nature later in life, initially sharing the suspicion that there could be any enjoyment in climbing a hill or foraging for berries.
These are stories of encountering nature from the intimate and quotidian through to the vast and adventurous, finding connection in unexpected places, dreaming of home across oceans, and reclaiming spaces as brown and Black women. Gathering shows us the natural world is for and reflects everyone and it’s a welcome and necessary addition to the nature-writing canon.