Setting

Discussion Questions

Q1: What clan are Saul's people from?

A: The fish clan of the northern Ojibway (or Anishinabeg)

Q2: Who are Saul's parents?

A: Mary Mandamin and John Indian Horse

Q3: How did they react to the loss of their children Rachel and Benjamin?

A: Mary collapsed on the floor, no one could move her. John tried to stay by her side but he couldn't reach her, so he left. John and his brother travelled downriver with berries and came back with what Saul's grandmother Naomi called bad spirits, what we know as alcohol.

Q4: Were Mary and John's reactions justified? How would you have reacted  if you were in their situation?

A: In my opinion John's reaction was justified because despite the loss of two children John did his best to stay by Mary's side. He too was facing loss and stayed with Mary as long as he could before resorting to drinking bad spirits.

       Mary's reaction was not justified, she was being selfish. She completely blocked out her whole family when they were all suffering the loss of recently departed Benjamin. Yes she losses a second child but she still had another, one she needed to protect. 

       Had it been me in that situation I feel I would have acted similarly to Mary for the first little while. However I would eventually snap out of it and over protect my last remaining child.

Q5: "Our people have rituals and ceremonies meant to bring us vision. I have never participated in any of them, but I have seen things. I have been lifted up and out of this physical world into a place where time and space have a different rhythm. I always remained within the borders of this world, yet I had the eyes of one born to a different plane. Our medicine people would call me a seer. But I was in the thrall of a power I never understood. It left me years ago, and the loss of that gift has been my greatest sorrow. Sometimes it feels as though I have spent my entire life on a trek to rediscover it." When Saul describes these visions do you believe him? If not what do you think happened?
A: I believe Saul saw what he saw but I feel that these visions were more dreams or feelings that Saul gets. Perhaps remaining effects of a traumatic childhood. I believe these visions are more from the belief that it could happen subconsciously effecting what Saul saw.

Q6: How do you think Saul's grandmother Naomi helped him get through the loss of his brother? How do you think things would have been if Naomi wasn't there to support Saul?
A: Naomi guided Saul and taught him as he grew up. She shared story's of her people and helped hide Saul with the approaching white men.
     Naomi became a parent to Saul because his parents became drunks who couldn't be reached emotionally. Without Naomi Saul would have been taken to the residential school right away. In my opinion without Naomi Saul would have had no one looking after him.

Q7: What school was Saul eventually taken to?

A: St. Jerome's Indian Residential School.

Setting Questions

Q8: What was St. Jerome's like?

A: Also called St. Germs, Saul saw kids die of tuberculosis, influenza, pneumonia, and broken hearts. It's a very harsh environment.

Q9: Where did Saul's people make their home (specific landmarks)?

A: In the territories along the Winnipeg river.

Q10: Where did the social workers from the hospital send Saul?

A: The New Dawn Treatment Facility.

Q11: Saul said "our land existed as an untamed thing" what examples does Saul give/ how does he explain?

A:  Lakes, rivers, bogs and marches surrounded by citadels of bush and rock and the labyrinth weave of country.