Chapters 2–3 – Story & Culture Vocabulary

Characters & Relationships

• Nadonis “Donis” Fontaine - The story’s narrator, a nearly 6-foot-tall Anishinaabe/White teenager navigating her post-high school life.

  • She possesses a pale complexion, which earns her nicknames like “Ghost” and “Bubble,” highlighting her mixed heritage and appearance.

  • Donis is grappling with significant internal conflict regarding her future, specifically her decision to stay home and attend Lake Superior State University (LSSU) instead of pursuing her initial dream of attending the University of Michigan (U-M), which represents a departure from her family responsibilities.

  • She is the older sister of Levi Firekeeper Jr., a gifted hockey player, and the daughter of Grace Fontaine and Levi Firekeeper Sr.

• Lily Firekeeper - Donis’s closest friend since 6th grade. She is petite and characterized by her dark, distinctive style, often dressing in all black with glossy black lipstick.

  • She has reddish-brown skin and moved in with her great-grandmother, Granny June, to escape the colorism she experienced from her White father.

  • Lily’s relationship with her ex-boyfriend, Travis Flint, is tumultuous, marked by frequent reconciliations and break-ups.

  • She often uses the celebratory Ojibwe trill (“lililili”) and attempts, often unsuccessfully, to teach Donis how to perform it.

• Granny June (June Firekeeper) - Lily’s sharp-tongued and opinionated great-grandmother, an elder who is deeply involved in local affairs, particularly senior-center lunch menus and tribal politics.

  • She serves as a significant source of comic relief with her blunt remarks, such as wanting elected officials as “pallbearers so council can let me down one last time,” sarcastic jabs at politicians.

  • Granny June hints at a complex past, admitting to “skeletons in the closet,” specifically mentioning “too many of their men … and our felonies,” suggesting a history of both personal relationships with non-Natives and legal troubles.

• Teddy “Auntie” Firekeeper - Donis and Levi’s aunt and a highly respected figure in the community, serving as the Tribal Health Director.

  • She is known for her integrity and refusal to engage in tribal council politics, valuing telling hard truths over seeking power.

• Levi Firekeeper Jr. - Donis’s younger brother, who captains the elite Junior-A hockey team, the Sault Ste. Marie Superiors (the “Sous”).

  • He is depicted as a charismatic “hockey god,” having inherited his father’s exceptional talent and charm.

• Jamie Johnson - A new and exceptionally attractive Native (Cherokee) recruit for the Sous.

  • He has a distinctive hypertrophic facial scar extending from his brow to his jaw.

  • His flawless lifting technique on ice implies a past background in figure skating, despite now playing hockey.

• Travis Flint - Lily’s on-again/off-again boyfriend. He was once a funny, handsome class clown but is now gaunt and visibly struggling with substance abuse.

  • He desperately attempts to reconcile with Lily, appealing to her by claiming to use a “love medicine,” which raises concerns due to its manipulative connotations.

Setting & Context

• The primary locale for the story is Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan (locally pronounced “Soo”), and the nearby Sugar Island, which is the ancestral homeland of the Sugar Island Ojibwe Tribe.

• The story unfolds during the summer after high-school graduation, with the specific date being Friday the 13^{ ext{th}}, adding an ominous undertone.

• The socio-cultural backdrop is rich with tribal politics and community dynamics:

  • It is Tribal council election day, with two distinct polling sites: the Chi-Mukwa Arena located on the Mainland and the Nokomis/Michomis Elder Center situated on Sugar Island.

  • There are ongoing, intense debates surrounding tribal independence, known as “Operation Secede.”

  • Enrollment politics are a crucial aspect of identity: Donis and Lily are categorized as “descendants” rather than officially enrolled tribal members due to strict blood-quantum requirements and complex paperwork barriers, highlighting issues of belonging and exclusion.

Plot Points—Chapter 2

• Morning Pick-Up: The chapter begins with Lily, dressed in her characteristic all-black attire, and Granny June, wearing a head-scarf, picking up Donis. Donis, despite her nearly 6-foot frame, awkwardly squeezes into the back seat, subtly defying Granny’s expectation of elder respect by not sitting in the front.

• LSSU Decision: Donis formally declines her acceptance to the University of Michigan (U-M), confirming her decision to attend the local Lake Superior State University (LSSU) instead. This choice underscores her internal conflict between personal aspirations and family obligations.

• Graffitied Billboard: They encounter an election sign that has been humorously altered from “TRIBAL ELECTION” to “TRIBAL ERECTION,” a crude but amusing defacement that elicits Granny’s bawdy approval and adds a touch of irreverence.

• Political Cynicism: Granny June voices her deep-seated cynicism about elected officials, asserting they “serve themselves” rather than the community. Her dark humor continues as she wishes for them to be her “pallbearers to let me down one last time,” expressing a profound lack of trust in their commitment to the people.

• Discussion of Teddy: Lily suggests that Aunt Teddy would be an excellent candidate to “clean up” tribal politics. However, Granny and Donis explain that Teddy’s directness and uncompromising honesty make her far more effective and respected in her current role as Health Director than she would be in the potentially corrupt political arena.

• Historical Gossip Montage: A segment rehashes the long-standing scandal involving Donis’s parents: her father, Levi Sr., a promising star hockey player, impregnated the wealthy Grace Fontaine. This led to a car crash that prematurely ended his hockey career. Grace was subsequently sent to Montreal, returning later with Donis while Levi Sr. was already married to another woman, a situation that continues to haunt the family.

• Arrival at Senior Center: Upon arriving at the senior center, Granny June casually reveals a shocking detail: both she and Teddy have “felonies” in their past. This revelation stuns Lily and Donis, adding a layer of unexpected complexity to their elders’ lives before they drop Granny off.

• Party Planning: The girls privately confirm their plans to host a celebration later for Donis’s college decision, signifying a desire for normal teenage festivities amidst their complex lives.

• Chi-Mukwa Arrival: The scene shifts to the Chi-Mukwa Arena, characterized by chaotic parking and a subtle but pervasive incident of “cookie-table discrimination,” where individuals are subtly judged or excluded based on their “not enrolled” status, highlighting ongoing issues of tribal identity and social hierarchy.

• Work Split: Both young women proceed to their summer recreation jobs as part of the “Knee-Baiting Program,” a youth program where they work with younger children.

Plot Points—Chapter 3

• Open-Skate Language Lesson: Donis is seen teaching Ojibwe vocabulary to 9- and 10-year-olds during an open skate session, highlighting her connection to culture even while preparing for her recreational duties.

• Rink Dynamics:

  • The narrative establishes a Friday ritual where the Sous hockey team members skate alongside kids from the program.

  • Donis affectionately drags her 6-year-old twin cousins, Perry and Pauline, across the ice using her long scarf, a tender detail established as a family tradition.

  • Levi, along with the “New Guy” (Jamie Johnson), actively assists the younger group, showcasing their roles as mentors and community figures.

• Jamie Introduction: Donis executes a precise hockey stop, spraying ice that momentarily shocks Jamie. Their formal introduction follows, during which Jamie is noticeably mesmerized by Donis’s presence and her interaction with the twins.

• College Revelation Re-aired: Donis reiterates her plan to attend LSSU, prompting an exuberant response from Levi, who immediately declares a house party to celebrate her decision.

• Grief Trigger: A sensitive topic arises as Jamie reveals his uncle will teach science at Su-High, replacing Donis’s late Uncle David. This news triggers unresolved anger and grief in Donis, as Uncle David had died after a relapse into substance abuse, a deep-seated trauma for her.

• Owl T-Shirt Crisis: Aunt Teddy faces a logistical problem: she must reorder 300 immunization-fair shirts because the original design featured owls. This is problematic because owls symbolize death and misfortune for the Ojibwe, making them an unwise mascot choice for a public health campaign with the slogan “Be Wise, Immunize.”

• Cultural Misunderstanding: Jamie, who has Cherokee heritage but was raised away from his culture, is unaware of the Ojibwe teaching about owls. This detail subtly underscores the diversity and potential misunderstandings among different Indigenous cultures.

• Lily’s Rule Debate: Lily critiques what she calls Donis’s self-imposed “Moan Hockey World Rules,” which are strict boundaries separating her “hockey world” (associated with the Firekeeper family) from her “regular world” (associated with her Fontaine, White side). Donis defends these clear boundaries as a coping mechanism.

• Collision Theory Metaphor: The friends use a chemistry metaphor, likening the clashing of Donis’s compartmentalized worlds to “collision theory,” where “reaction occurs if kinetic energy high enough,” hinting at impending chaos if her worlds converge.

• Travis Confrontation: Travis, uninvited and not wearing skates, attempts to speak to Lily. Donis immediately intercedes, blocking him like a hockey “goon,” demonstrating her fierce protective instincts.

  • Travis insists he is “clean” and states his intention to attend a ceremony and use traditional medicine to improve himself.

  • Donis, however, urges him to achieve sobriety for his own sake, not just for Lily, sensing a deep desperation and potential danger in his demeanor.

Key Themes & Concepts

• Identity & Belonging: This theme explores multifaceted aspects of self and community connection:

  • The skin-tone continuum within the Anishinaabe community is explored, along with the pervasive issue of colorism emanating from both Indigenous and White perspectives.

  • The distinction between enrollment status and descendant status is crucial, highlighting the legalistic