Indian Horse Chapter 3

Summary

The narrator reflects on their childhood in a remote Ojibwe community, living with their grandmother Naomi, who fiercely protected them from the outside world. Their family, haunted by traumatic memories of a residential school, lived in fear of white men. The narrator recalls the abduction of their sister Rachel and brother Benjamin, both taken by force. This loss broke their mother, who became distant, and the community turned to alcohol to cope. The narrator finds solace in the stories and wisdom of their grandmother, who keeps the old ways alive amidst the sorrow.

Takeaways

• 👵 The narrator's grandmother, Naomi, was the matriarch of their small band and shielded the family from strangers, reflecting their isolated lifestyle in the bush.
• ❄️ In the winter of 1961, a significant loss of connection to their Indigenous roots is felt, linked to the residential schools and colonial influence.
• 👧 The narrator's mother was deeply affected by her time in a residential school, leading her to retreat inward and lose touch with the outside world.
• 😔 Naomi witnessed the sorrow in the adults who returned from the schools, hoping a return to Ojibwe life might heal their trauma.
• 😭 The narrator's sister Rachel was taken by white men when she was six, a traumatic event remembered through the sound of water slapping against rocks.
• 🚁 The narrator's brother Benjamin was forcibly taken by white men at gunpoint in 1957, leading to deep grief and emotional withdrawal in their mother.
• 💔 The family experienced profound grief and loss, particularly through the disappearances of Rachel and Benjamin, which left lasting scars.
• 🍂 The spirits of colonialism and alcohol brought further destruction, disrupting the family with drunkenness and distorted behavior.
• 🌠 The narrator found solace in Naomi's Ojibwe stories and the natural world, with tales of their grandfather and the medicine ways offering comfort.
• 🦉 The script reflects the devastating impact of residential schools and the attempt to preserve Indigenous culture and identity amidst trauma and loss.

Q & A

What significant event occurred in the winter of 1961 for the narrator?

In the winter of 1961, when the narrator was eight years old, their knowledge of their Indian heritage seemed to die as their grandmother Naomi, who was the matriarch of their small band, grew very old.

How did the narrator's family live and what was their contact with outsiders?

The narrator's family lived a bush life with little contact with outsiders, except for the jonagosh at the northern store in manaki where they sold furs and berries, and occasionally wandering Indians.

Why did the family hide when strangers approached their camp?

The family hid when strangers approached because they were afraid, especially of the white men, and their grandmother would hurry the children into the bush for safety.

What was the 'specter' that seemed to affect the adults in the narrator's family?

The 'specter' was a dark presence or shadow that the narrator could see in the lines of their mother's face and that affected the adults, indicating a deep sorrow or trauma that they carried.

What was the significance of the word 'school' in the context of the story?

The word 'school' was whispered by the narrator's mother and represented a place that Naomi, the grandmother, hid from and that had a profound negative impact on the mother, turning her inward.

What happened to the narrator's sister Rachel?

Rachel, the narrator's sister, disappeared when she was six years old. She was taken away by men in a boat with a motor while the family was at their summer camp near one man Lake.

How did the narrator learn English and Ojibwe?

The narrator learned English and Ojibwe simultaneously. Their father taught them to read from books, using his finger to guide them through the formation of the letters and sounds.

Why was Naomi, the grandmother, against learning from the white man's books?

Naomi was against learning from the white man's books because she believed that their talk and stories could sneak you away as quickly as their boats, fearing the influence of the white man's culture.

What event in 1957 had a significant impact on the narrator's family?

In 1957, when the narrator was four, their brother Benjamin was taken away at gunpoint by men from a plane while setting Gill Nets with the men of the family.

How did the narrator's mother react to Benjamin's disappearance?

The narrator's mother collapsed and lay on a long flat rock for days, unable to be moved. She became gaunt and drained from days of weeping, and was lost to the narrator, ceaselessly whispering 'the school'.

What did the narrator's father and uncle bring back with them after Benjamin's disappearance?

After Benjamin's disappearance, the narrator's father and uncle brought back 'white man' in brown bottles, which were spirits or alcohol that Naomi referred to as bad spirits.