Fly Away Snow Goose, by Juliet Waldron and John Wisdomkdeeper
BUY LINKS
Yaotl and Sascho splashed along the shores of the behchà, spears hefted, watching for the flash of fin to rise to the surface and sparkle in the sunlight. Tender feelings, barely discovered, flushed their faces. Waving their spears they laughed and teased one another with sprays of newly melted ice water.
In the distance, the warning about the kw'ahtıı sounds, but on this fatal day it goes unheard; Yaotl and Sascho fall into the hands of the Indian Agents. Transport to Fort Providence residential school is only the beginning of their ordeal, for the teachers believe it is their sworn duty to “kill the Indian inside.”
All attempts at escape are severely punished, but Yaotl and Sascho, along with two others, will try, beginning a journey of 900 Kilometers along the Mackenzie River. Like wild geese, brave hearts together, they are homeward bound.
Review from Ann Birch
I have read many books about the Indian residential schools, but this one is undoubtedly one of the best. Its main character is a spirited young girl named Yaot’l Snow Goose who lives a happy life in the forests and lakes of the Canadian North West until, on a visit with her family to Yellowknife to trade furs, she is seized by force and taken far away to Fort Providence to the Sacred Heart Residential School. At the same time, her boyfriend Sascho Lynx is also captured. The novel depicts their journey from innocence to despair to hope and happiness as they manage to escape from the horrors of the school and find their way back to their families and freedom. Though the plot may sound familiar to readers, this one contains a number of surprises. Its authors, Juliet Waldron and John Wisdomkeeper, present their extensive research within vivid scenes that will linger forever in readers’ minds. For example, I cannot think of any other book that shows the cruelty of these schools better than the writers’ depiction of the hair-cutting that takes place as soon as the Indian children enter the institution. Yaot’l waits, watching the youngsters’ hair being ruthlessly chopped off and knowing that when her turn comes, she must stand up to the enemy. When she bites one of the nuns, she is put into solitary confinement for weeks, a punishment that Waldron and Wisdomkeeper describe in harrowing detail. As Yaot’l looks out of the tiny window of her prison she sees a flock of snow geese flying south. “My own feathered family,” she thinks, “strong and free.” And then she collapses, thinking that she may never again be part of this happy band. Her ensuing life at the school contains other horrors as well. But along with their description of the usual physical and sexual abuses, the writers offer some surprises. Many of the Indians from warring bands learn to forget their battles as they confront the priests and nuns. Not everyone associated with the institution is a monster—in fact it’s a Métis trader who uses his affiliation with the school to help Yaot’l and Sascho escape—and some of the worst bullying that Yaot’l endures comes not from the nuns but from a small coterie of Indian girls who seek praise for their cruelty from the Catholic hierarchy. The most memorable scenes in the novel are perhaps those describing the escape of Yaot’l, Sascho, and two younger children and the suspenseful events of their long trek back to their families. As she huddles under tarpaulin in the escape boat, Yaot’l, whose name translates to Warrior, acknowledges her terror and wonders if she is no longer a warrior but merely a rabbit. Gradually, however, she regains her courage. The trader who helps the children escape returns to Yaot’l the precious knife on which her brother Charlie has carved a snow goose. At about the same time, she sees a flock of snow geese returning to their northern habitat and she knows for certain then that she will succeed in her struggles. The trader tells her and her friends, “You four are Indians again.” It’s a lovely book from start to finish. I learned so much about the culture of these North-Western First Nation bands: their religion, their stories, their connection with the land. Most of all, I travelled with Yaot’l and Sascho on their metaphysical journey through the conflicts of life. It’s the very archetype of the journey that many of us must take in order to survive in a difficult world.
Gifts from the Grandmothers: Traditional Recipes
Traditional recipes gathered from the Grandmothers of all cultures as I traveled the Canadian Prairies and listened to the stories and shared the food of elders.
Most of these recipes have been passed down by word of mouth, like the talking stories of First Nations culture. A grandmother, Lillian Mack, assisted me in testing and working with the recipes, adding hints and updating some of the ingredients so they could be used in modern kitchens where some of the traditional ingredients might not be readily available.
The herbal remedies are shared with the cautionary note that they should never be prepared or used for medicinal purposes without the guidance and instruction of a medicine teacher or a herbalist.
Most of these recipes have been passed down by word of mouth, like the talking stories of First Nations culture. A grandmother, Lillian Mack, assisted me in testing and working with the recipes, adding hints and updating some of the ingredients so they could be used in modern kitchens where some of the traditional ingredients might not be readily available.
The herbal remedies are shared with the cautionary note that they should never be prepared or used for medicinal purposes without the guidance and instruction of a medicine teacher or a herbalist.
Healing Spirits, Bad Medicine by Jude Pittman and John Wisdomkeeper
BUY LINKS: books2read.com/Healing-Spirits
When the body of a young Native girl is found murdered in Vancouver's world famous Stanley Park, homicide detective Mark Hanson is desperate to solve the crime before racial tension divides the community. Native Support Worker Jesse Dancer is called in as a liaison between the detectives and his community, and he knows just where to turn for help.
Beautiful Martine LaChance has intrigued him since she joined the support staff at the Vancouver Friendship Centre. Together, the pair call on Spirit Water, a reclusive Shaman who takes them on a quest into the spirit world where they get a glimpse of a merciless killer who isn`t going to stop killing until they stop him.
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