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Mamaskatch : a Cree coming of age

Formats disponibles :

  • Temps de fonctionnement: 09:31 hrs
    Voix de: Multiple Readers
    Publisher:
    Crane Library, 2018
  • Publisher:
    Douglas & McIntyre, 2018
    Note: This book was purchased with support from the Government of Canada's Social Development Partnerships Program - Disability Component.
  • Hardcopy Braille format available.
    Publisher:
    Hilda Van Haren, 2019
    Note: You can request this braille book through your public library. Public libraries anywhere in Canada may borrow this book by contacting the Red Deer Public Library in Red Deer, Alberta. This book was purchased with support from the Government of Canada's Social Development Partnerships Program - Disability Component.

Details:

  • Author: McLeod, Darrel
    Date:
    Created
    2018
    Summary:

    A powerful story of resilience-a must-read for all Canadians. Growing up in the tiny village of Smith, Alberta, Darrel J. McLeod was surrounded by his Cree family's history. In shifting and unpredictable stories, his mother, Bertha, shared narratives of their culture, their family and the cruelty that she and her sisters endured in residential school. Darrel was comforted by her presence and that of his many siblings and cousins, the smells of moose stew and wild peppermint tea, and his deep love of the landscape. Bertha taught him to be fiercely proud of his heritage and to listen to the birds that would return to watch over and guide him at key junctures of his life. However, in a spiral of events, Darrel's mother turned wild and unstable, and their home life became chaotic. Sweet and innocent by nature, Darrel struggled to maintain his grades and pursue an interest in music while changing homes many times, witnessing violence, caring for his younger siblings and suffering abuse at the hands of his surrogate father. Meanwhile, his older brother's gender transition provoked Darrel to deeply question his own sexual identity. The fractured narrative of Mamaskatch mirrors Bertha's attempts to reckon with the trauma and abuse she faced in her own life, and captures an intensely moving portrait of a family of strong personalities, deep ties and the shared history that both binds and haunts them. Beautifully written, honest, and thought-provoking, Mamaskatch-named for the Cree word used as a response to dreams shared-is ultimately an uplifting account of overcoming personal and societal obstacles. In spite of the traumas of Darrel's childhood, deep and mysterious forces handed down by his mother helped him survive and thrive: her love and strength stay with him to build the foundation of what would come to be a very fulfilling and adventurous life.

    Original Publisher: Madeira Park, B.C., Douglas & McIntyre
    Language(s): English