The Berry Pickers

“The white folks at the store where we got our supplies said that Indians made such good berry pickers because something sour in our blood kept the blackflies away. But even as a boy of six, I knew that wasn’t true.”

This passage speaks to the theme of anti-Indigenous racism. During many moments of this text, white people engage in small acts of racism. It often takes the form of dismissive or offensive language, or the kind of stereotyping seen here. Although not as insidious as violence, these small acts create a culture of anti-Indigenous bias that allows white people to engage in larger acts of racism, such as stealing Ruthie from her family. In this way, small acts of prejudice do lead to not only larger acts of racism, but also to violence, highlighting the theme of The Impact of Anti-Indigenous Racism.

“My mother, through no fault of her own, has come to love the church, the elaborate ceremonies replacing the ones torn from her heart during a childhood she rarely mentioned.”

This passage speaks to the theme of Assimilationist Policy and Loss of Culture. Part of Canada’s assimilationist policy was to make sure that young Indigenous people were exposed to Catholicism from an early age. This separated them from the cultural beliefs of their parents and made assimilation easier. Joe’s mother fell victim to this practice and, as an adult, embraces Catholicism as her faith.

“I think I’ve always known that something was out of place. But when I was young, I understood it was me.”

This passage speaks to Norma’s characterization and to the devastating lie that is at the core of her family. Although she has no proof that she does not belong and is not even sure what she should suspect her parents of having done, she knows that something about their family is not right.