Article 11 – Book Review: Cree Narrative Memory: From Treaties to Comtemporary Times

​Storytelling is an important part of the Aboriginal peoples’ practice in oral history. Storytelling is one of the ways used by the Cree peoples to pass down knowledge to future generations. And storytelling is the footing of what Neal McLeod is trying to capture within his book Cree Narrative Memory: From Treaties to Contemporary Times. The focus in the book is to keep the memory of these stories alive in the Cree culture. Also, McLeod tributes this book to his grandparents and great grandparents by sharing the stories they passed down to McLeod. Seemingly, this is McLeod’s way of keeping the practice of storytelling through literature. So, the story will always be here in a written form. The stories and the oral culture will never be lost because this book is published.

Cree Narrative Memory: From Treaties and Contemporary Times indicates that these stories have been carried through memory and passed down from the generation of the treaties to the present generation. It is also alluding that Aboriginal people are still here along with their language, culture, and practices. The title Cree Narrative Memory: From Treaties to Contemporary Times indicates the timeline of what is covered in the book. In a broader view, oral history has a strong way of emerging into contemporary times from the historical times of Aboriginal culture because of the stories and practices that have been passed through each generation since pre-colonial contact.

In the preface, it is noticeable that the use of the word, “language,” is used quite often. When studying Aboriginal culture, there is relevance that language is embodied in everything they do and practice in their culture. For instance, when a person learns about the culture, he or she must understand that language is linked with everything of the Cree culture and people. A person is able to understand the Cree language, which is linked to everything opposed to only communication; however, he or she will understand what it takes to live a well-balanced life while learning the Cree language. Especially, how the Cree people once lived a life in balance and harmony. McLeod states, “the foundation of this book lies within the memories of my grandparents and great grandparents, whose life experiences reach into the memories of those who came before them, the Ancient Ones” (McLeod 7). This supports the fact that McLeod’s grandparents and great grandparents are the ones who pass the stories through telling by memory. Evidentially, it is why Aboriginal peoples have an orally rich culture like when McLeod states that “oral cultures are multi-layered, but so are written ones; there is constant play among different layers of understanding. These stories are embodied memory, and they profoundly influence how we live and understand our lives” (McLeod 72).

The book is organized in an interrelated manner. However, we are not going to go into each chapter chronologically because there are certain chapters that are more correlated than others. For example, the first chapter of the book is about kinship while correlating to narratives, collective memory, and spiritual history. Understanding how these correlates to one another requires us to understand our history to know where we are going. McLeod uses the concept of the knife in the ground when giving a talk to the young people in the Cree way. Within this conception, there are two components and a connection happening when an elder is telling his story to a young person:

The first component of this powerful symbolism is the relationship that the person speaking (i.e. the storyteller), has with those who are listening. The connection might be kinship or friendship, but there would be a relationship. The second component is the knife, a powerful symbol: if the younger person did not listen, it would be like a knife that would kill both the story and the storyteller. (McLeod 12)

The concept is interconnected with symbolism and an understanding of the symbolic meaning must be realized through our own lives.

Chapter two has a lot of deep cultural meaning; Indigenous people have a close connection with the land, which is referred to as our Mother Earth by Indigenous people because the Earth is like our mother, who nurtures us, teaches us and takes care of us. Mother Earth has many purposes to us as Cree people, and that is why we have a close connection to the land. The way in which McLeod connects himself to the land is revealed in his story:

One important place in the landscape of the Cree traditional territory in western Canada is a place at the western tip of the Qu’Appelle Valley … called mistasiniy. Many years ago, my father mentioned a stone there called mistasiniy. He related how people used to come there, leaving offerings, and pray … [it] became a place where people would gather and pray, to honour the buffalo who sustained them. (McLeod 20-21)

McLeod notes an abundance of important places throughout western Canada that he shares with his readers. This chapter gives an insight into Cree people’s powerful connection to the land by communicating with it. The way in which our people communicate with the land is through ceremony, prayer, and singing. All three of these aspects can connect the Cree people with their spiritual surroundings.

This book is a narrative of Indigenous peoples’ journey of their culture, offering a visual understanding of Indigenous peoples’ past, their language, their culture, their customs, their laws, their struggles, and their identity. There are also topics that related to Indigenous peoples’ resilience. They reveal their way of living in balance and harmony, which is a lifetime dedication to their language and culture. The book covers contemporary issues as well, such as the trauma of residential schools that has an everlasting effect on Indigenous people. All of these make the book so original to the reader. Meanwhile, it gives non-Indigenous readers an insightful understanding of why the Indigenous peoples are so broken, yet so resilient.

Work Cited

McLeod, Neal. Cree Narrative Memory: From Treaties to Contemporary Times. Vancouver: Purich Publishing Ltd., 2007

About the Author: Admarie J. Singh-Young is a young Cree woman from Opaskwayak Cree Nation. She is in her third year of the Bachelor of Arts 3-Year Program with a major in Aboriginal and Northern Studies and a minor in Sociology. In her post-secondary experience Admarie began to realize her desire to learn more about her culture and language. While in post-secondary, it gave her new perspectives on her culture which sparked her interest to learn more of her Cree language. She claims, “I am not fluent in speaking Cree; however, I am working towards being able to hold a conversation with my grandmothers in the future.” Admarie is on a journey in finding her own identity and her post-secondary experience has led her to begin taking steps in getting there. In her spare time, she likes to spend time with her friends, family and especially with her grandmothers. Also, she enjoys being outdoors, volunteering her time coaching at the local high-school (Oscar Lathlin Collegiate) and playing the sports that are in season.

Instructor’s Remarks: tānsi. As her instructor of First Nations Languages and Governance (ABS 1700), I find that Admarie Singh-Young is respectful to her language and culture. Her strength comes from the Elders she works with, absorbing their wisdom. The book review reflects on her understanding of the language and culture that passed on from generation to generation. I feel very privileged to have been one of her instructors. kinanāskomitin – Professor Eileen Thomas