Indian Horse PT1

Where is Saul at the beginning of the novel?

He was at The New Dawn Centre, a centre that helps those with addictions overcome them.

Why are the participants asked to form a sharing circle?

They were told to form a sharing circle to share their stories, deal with trauma, and confront their past

Why is it important to tell our stories?

We share stories in order to live in peace with ourselves.

What is Saul’s greatest sorrow?

His greatest sorrow was the loss of the gift, ability to view and perceive things differently

Where does Shabogessick, Saul’s great grandfather, get the horse and what does he say it was used for?

It was a Percheron (draught horse), got it from whites, used to carry heavy loads and humans.

Why did Saul’s ancestors react so strongly to the horse? What does it symbolize to the Ojibway people? 

They reacted strongly because it was a big and new creature, they weren’t sure if it was safe to be with or not. This symbolizes the beginning of indigenous and white culture interactions.

Who are the Zhaunagush?

Whites

How does the name “Indian Horse” come into being? 

The zhaunagush called Shabogeesick Indian Horse when they came to sign a treaty.

Speaking of the origins of his family name, Saul says, “I heard the story so many times…that it became real to me.” What does this suggest about stories? How do stories shape who we are? 

This suggests stories play an important role in Indigenous communities, which in the story, allowed Saul to truly understand and experience the day the horse arrived. Stories allow us to remember past experiences while shaping personal and cultural understanding.

When does the death of what Saul knew as “Indian” occur?

Winter of 1961, beginning of Residential Schools.

What is “The Spectre” in their family’s camp?

Alcohol that made Saul’s parents drunk

What is that the “matriarch” Naomi is trying to prevent?

Naomi is trying to prevent Saul and his brother from being taken to Residential Schools by Indian Agents, as well as loss of culture.

What is Naomi’s fear of Saul learning English?

Her fear is that Saul will lose connection to his true culture before he fully understands his identity.

What happens to Rachel?

She got taken by Zhaunagush to residential schools.

What happens to Saul’s brother Benjamin, how does it affect his mother?

He got taken to a residential school, drastically changed her mental state and became alcoholic.

What do Saul’s uncle and father bring back from their trip downriver?

Brown bottles (liquor)

What is the “Zhaunagush drink”? and why do Saul’s parents begin to pursue it?

The drinks are alcohol, Saul’s parents began pursuing it because they needed a relief to the loss of Benjamin and Rachel.

How are Saul’s parents different after the loss of Benjamin?

His dad became more violent, while his mother became internally empty.

Why are there so few children in the camps? How might this chapter be a microcosm which illustrates the fate of many Indigenous cultures in North America?

Majority of the children were already taken to Residential schools. This chapter represents children being taken from their families, alcoholism, culture loss, Residential Schools.

Again, this chapter reflects on the concept of stories and storytelling. What ideas are presented about stories and storytelling?

Stories are also ways to teach and act as lessons to others.

After the winter of 1960 in Redditt, what surprise occurrence is there?

Benjamin escaped from his residential school and returned to his family.

How old is Benjamin this time, and what is he suffering from? 

He is now 12 and suffering from tuberculosis 

How is Gods Lake discovered? 

A group of hunters desperate for meat followed a creek and discovered the hidden lake.

What startling event happens to the hunters occurs at Gods Lake?

They heard voices in “Old Talk” even though the area was empty.

What might be some of the reasons Saul’s grandmothers suggest the family go to Gods Lake? 

Some reasons include, isolation, far from whites, fresher air which is better for Ben’s TB condition

What does Saul find notable at Gods Lake upon arrival?

Full of natural resources, fish, berries and game. 

What strange occurrence happens to Saul on the ridge of Gods Lake and what is the significance of this?

He enters a dream/vision where he meets his ancestors who spoke the Old Talk. The significance shows Saul’s ability to “see” things as well as his connection to the land.

What has apparently happened at the end of chapter 6?

His ancestors who died there were all killed by a rock slide

What does Saul understand about his family’s connection to Gods Lake?

He now understands why the lake belonged to his family, because a part of his family died there

What traditional chores and activities are taught to Saul and Benjamin? How might this contribute to their aboriginal identity?

They were taught to make braids out of red willow bark, wash rice, dig firepits, etc. This allows the two to truly experience and learn/understand their traditional culture, shaping their Indigenous identity

What advice is this chapter does Naomi offer to Saul’s aunt and mother about love? Write down exact quote, explain what it means.

She told them “One who loves does not brandish fear or require it.” this means that god does not need to use the weapon of fear in order to remain loved by someone, which indicates the two women are too fearful of god, and are being controlled.

What realization does Saul have that is connected to the demise of his brother?

His realization was that residential school system is directly responsible for his brothers death, not some illness

In the New Testament, one verse says “There is no fear in love. But perfect love cast out fear” (1 John 4:18). How does this compare and contrast with the either women’s view of love?

The connects to Saul’s grandmother’s words, supporting that fear is never used in order to gain love. This contrasts to the mother’s belief of loving god due to fear.

Why do Saul’s mother and grandmother disagree about how to deal with Ben’s body? What is the root of their disagreement, and what does it suggest about their respective upbringing and experience?

The two disagreed with each other since Saul’s mother wanted to dispose of the body the White way while the grandmother wanted it to be the traditional way. The root of their disagreement is tradition vs present ways, this suggests a difference in their upbringing as they grew up differently due to residential schools and traditional environment.

What is Saul’s lasting impression?

His family was broken apart while he was unable to stop it even though he had a chance to.

Why do grandmother and Saul finally leave the lake?

Because his parents never returned and they were running out of food while winter arrived

In response to Saul’s question about where his parents have gone, what is grandmother’s reply and why does she say that?

She told him that they were too far to be seen, which hints that they may have passed, she said it this way to prevent Saul have an even more difficult time processing his losses

What is the name of the north wind and why was it named?

Keewatin, named because it was believed to be alive and turns the land deathly cold

Wagamese uses many powerful images and figures of speech in this chapter. FUnd and copy a vivid example of personification, metaphor, and simile. 

a) Personification-Keewatin like a person, grips the world in cold and harsh fingers (36) b) Simile-Trees with snow heavy in their branches looked like tired soldiers heading home from way (38) c) Metaphor- Empty drum of her chest (heartbeat as drums were silent now) (42)

What happes after they reach railroad depot?

After his grandmother died, he was discovered and “rescued” by someone

What does Saul mean when he says, “I was cast adrift on a strange new river.”?

It means that he is now travelling to a strange and new life helplessly

What is Saul's comparison of St. Jerome’s and a theory of the universe? How is this an effective metaphor?

A black hole in the galaxy, sucking out all light, this effectively shows the similarity of a blackhole and residential schools, sucking out all light (hope) from people

What are Saul’s dominant impressions of the school?

Regimented, strictly tidied and organized. 

How does Saul describe his new clothing?

uncomfortable, too tight and rough, restricted movement

Why is his name accepted?

Because the nuns believed it was biblical enough for the school, meaning it does not sound indigenous at all.

What is Lonnie Rabbit’s name changed to and why?

It was changed to Aaron because his original name represented the indigenous culture, which was prohibited and frowned upon

What does Lonnie have to say about the imposition of a new father and how does the nun respond?

he was against it which infuriated the nun. resulting in violent physical punishment

What is the goal of St Jerome’s and what does it mean?

The goal is to remove the indian in the child (cultural genocide) through violence and strictness 

What is Saul’s language and what are the consequences of speaking it? 

Students were punished through means such as washing mouth with soap, beaten or banished to a confinement room if caught speaking Ojiibway

Why do the school staff focus so much effort on denying language?

Because it will allow the students to have a connection to their cultural, which defeats their whole purpose, to assimilate Indian culture

What becomes Saul’s solace?

Reading english books

What is the Indian yard?

A graveyard for Indian students who were killed in the residential school

What is an acolyte and why would students treat Shelia Jack as one?

A person who helps out during rituals, they treated her as one because she was taught from her shaman grandmother

Who is ____ and what happened? 

1. Curtis White Fox -a 10 year old who choked on soap after speaking ojibway

2. Arden Little Light -a Oji-Cree with a runny nose condition who were punished for it, hang himself

3. Sheila Jack -12 year old granddaughter of a shaman, punished for unintentionally reminding students of home, developed mental issues

4. Shane Big Canoe -ran way, physically punished, locked in confinement, unable to sleep without light

Which of the above story has the most impact on you? Why?

Sheila had the most impact on me because it showed that even the most composed, calm person can eventually break after enough force against them, which indicates that no one is truly strong enough to endure such abuse from residential schools

Wagamese does not develop these characters or stories, why did he write it this way? What effect does it have on reader?

He wrote it this way to highlight the high degree of violence and abuse the students in residential schools can face in such a short amount of time, creating sympathy and shock to readers.