Azya Edris ENG3U1 Mr. Houston May 10, 2023 The Reclamation of Cultural Identity in Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese The novel Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese portrays the reclamation of cultural identity as a means of healing and empowerment, exploring the devastating legacy of residential schools, the significance of cultural traditions, and the power of storytelling in fostering resilience and identity formation. Through the development of resilience and self-discovery, reconciliation with cultural identity, and overcoming addiction to find redemption, …show more content…
However, these hardships ultimately serve as catalysts for his development of resilience and self-discovery. Saul's unwavering determination to preserve his identity is evident when he states, "But they wouldn’t let me be just a hockey player. I always had to be the Indian.” (Wagamese 164) This quote demonstrates Saul's resilience as he embraces hockey as a means to transcend the trauma and reclaim his sense of self. Furthermore, Saul's encounters with compassionate individuals, such as Father Leboutilier, play a crucial role in his journey toward self-discovery. As Saul recounts, "Father Leboutilier was my ally. When the nuns and priests got too hard on me, he was there to mediate and defend me." (Wagamese 63). Father Leboutilier serves as a crucial ally to Saul Indian Horse, providing mediation and defence against the harsh treatment of nuns and priests in the residential school. His support fosters Saul's development of resilience, allowing him to endure the challenges he faces. Through their relationship, Saul discovers his worth and reclaims his indigenous identity, embarking on a journey of …show more content…
Despite the school's attempts to rob Saul of his cultural heritage, he begins to reclaim it through encounters with indigenous spirituality and traditions. In one instance, Saul reflects, "We never gave a thought to being Indian. Different. We only thought of the game and the brotherhood that bound us together off" (Wagamese 113). The quote portrays Saul and his teammates initially being immersed in the world of hockey, overlooking their Indigenous identity. However, as they navigate their journey together, they begin to recognize the significance of their cultural heritage. Through shared experiences and reflections, they eventually come to appreciate their Indigenous roots and form a sense of brotherhood that encompasses both their love for the game and their cultural identity. As Saul experiences the sweat lodge, he narrates, "I began to skate with the deliberate intention of shoving my skill up the noses of those who belittled me, made me feel ashamed of my skin." (Wagamese 164). Saul's deliberate intention to excel in skating despite the belittlement and shame tied to his Indigenous heritage signifies his resolve to reconcile with his cultural identity. By using his skills to defy and challenge those who oppressed him, Saul asserts his pride and worth, finding empowerment through his passion. Skating becomes a powerful tool for
Indian Horse reveals how moral injury can stem from trauma such as bullying, witness of abuse, and grief. From the moment Saul was introduced to hockey, he was enamored. Every aspect of his life became hockey; he woke early every morning to clear the rink and practice, then stayed up late
Indian Horse In the book Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, Saul gains relationships through community. The Kellys provide Saul a place to call his home and they create a bond beyond just the billet family. Secondly, The land around Saul gives him a sense of family, the land is full of life to encourage Saul to not give up and he's not alone. Lastly, hockey offers Saul love and a feeling of worthiness that he is lacking while being at St. Jerome's Indian Residential School.
and i feel stuck and defeated. Antwone Fisher lived a life of nights like these but he still grew up to be someone. Fisher’s story is a reminder that it’s possible to rise above the circumstances. It helped me to realize that no matter the circumstances, as long as they work hard, anyone has the chance to do something
Being the first Inuit hockey player was tough, he played more aggressively than everyone else, everyone would always be looking at him and judging him and he felt eyes were always on him. Players on other hockey teams would always center him out and make him feel uncomfortable. Jordin deals with discrimination due to his Iniut heritage, however, he does not let what others say define him, he is proud of who he is and uses their hurtful words as motivation to show his worth on the ice and as a person. This is a consistent struggle for him, therefore in order to move beyond this, he chooses to carry on in disregards to further comments and refuses to let this undermine him and define who he
The indigenous condition in Canada was a malleable asset in most of its history in the eyes of upper-class Canadians, stripping away from their past and their culture, to later incorporate into mainstream Canadiana, through violent and destructive means. For protagonist Saul Indian Horse, it’s no different. From cover to cover, he faces the power of white supremacy breaking him down, with his passion for hockey providing resilience in the bigotry. Despite that, his relationship with the sport recedes with age, following in tandem with the depths of his negative emotions, soon separating himself from hockey. Indian Horse's account of experiences on and off the rink emphasizes the motif of hockey, his relations regarding it ebbing and flowing,
As an Indigenous hockey player, Saul faces numerous obstacles and prejudice. Saul experienced a hard time in hockey when he played for the White River Midget hockey team but was later kicked off the team for his ethnicity and he experienced this type of unfair behavior towards him in many other areas as well. However, he discovers a channel for personal redemption and empowerment through his passion for the sport. Reflecting on the redemptive power of hockey, Saul states, "I had found the joy of the game, the release, the letting go. Hockey became my sanctuary" (Saul, Wagamese, p. 215).
Through the Medicine Wheel, we are reminded of our lifelong journey that is continuous upon birth and living through youth, adulthood and senior years. In Richard Wagamese’s Indian Horse, the protagonist Saul experiences many obstacles which shape and develop his character. Saul’s life can be divided into more than the four stages of life to better understand his journey. Saul’s Life with His Family The time Saul was able to spend with his family was very short due to the effects of the white men.
This quote affirms Jesse's Métis background and encourages him to safeguard it, despite any difficulties. Additionally, it emphasises the determination and pride of the Métis people, who have endured marginalisation and prejudice throughout history. His grandparents often taught him the customary Métis ways of trapping, fishing, and hunting. "I loved those moments with him, just like I loved learning to make traditional food with my grandmother" (Thistle 86). Jesse was able to connect with his culture through these activities and grow to be proud of who he is.
Although Saul does face discrimination and prejudice, this does not let it stop him as he continues to play the beautiful sport.
In his book the Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Sherman Alexie portrays a teenage boy, Arnold Spirit (junior) living in white man’s world, and he must struggle to overcome racism and stereotypes if he must achieve his dreams. In the book, Junior faces a myriad of misfortunes at his former school in ‘the rez’ (reservation), which occurs as he struggles to escape from racial and stereotypical expectations about Indians. For Junior he must weigh between accepting what is expected of him as an Indian or fight against those forces and proof his peers and teachers wrong. Therefore, from the time Junior is in school at reservation up to the time he decides to attend a neighboring school in Rearden, we see a teenager who is facing tough consequences for attempting to go against the racial stereotypes.
Initially, when Saul starts playing with his hockey reserve team, he experiences his first encounter with racism. While Saul is enjoying the game, he is suddenly kicked out of the team and remarks to Mr. Leboutiller the reason behind this is “‘because I am an Indian, isn’t it’ ‘yes’, he said” (Wagamese 91). At this moment, Saul is a victim of exclusion at a young age and recognises; not only in the residential school are Indians victims of discrimination due their appearance, culture and differences, but also outside of the residential school. Through his first encounter with exclusion, he slowly notices the segregation that surrounds him resulting in mental abuse because he becomes very cautious. After Saul leaves the residential school to live with the Kelly’s, he begins to play with the Moose.
Sherman Alexie states, "There are all kinds of addicts, I guess. We all have pain. And we all look for ways to make the pain go away." Everyone experiences pain at some point, but people look for different ways to escape it. In the novel "Indian Horse" by Richard Wagamese, the protagonist Saul Indian Horse, an Anishinaabeg boy, witnesses how his family got destroyed by white people.
Saul loses his sister Rachel first and this initiates the series of loses because Benjamin is also taken away and he is admitted into the residential school. Later, Saul loses Benjamin to death as a result of tuberculosis, and thereafter Saul loses his parents to alcohol because his father and uncle return home with, “the white man with them in brown bottles”
This quote perfectly describes hockey and demonstrates how it helps Saul forget what he went through. He says,"When I played, the rage and sadness inside me burned away like a white light and I was left with a feeling of peace and contentment. " This statement demonstrates how much impact hockey has on Saul's mental health and his ability to leave the chaos that's around him. meaning that Saul uses hockey as a means of emotional recovery. The "rage and sadness" that consumed Saul is gone, leaving behind a sense of peace and contentment.
When his second grade teacher calls him “indian, indian, indian,” Victor says, “Yes, I am. I am Indian. Indian, I am” (Alexei 173). The conversation portrays parallelism in that Victor’s repetition echoes the way his teacher repeats “Indian”. Alexei’s use of a capitalization change portrays Victor’s desire to identify as Indian while the white community tries to assimilate him.