The Impact Of Individuals In Firekeeper's Daughter '

The Detrimental Impact of Individuals on Daunis Fontaine's Identity
There is undoubtedly a connection between the identity of an individual and the social environment in which that person is embedded in, as personality traits, beliefs, and behaviours, can all be shaped accordingly. The people that surround an individual, including friends, family, and acquaintances, have a significant impact on that individual’s identity. Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley is about a bi-racial female named Daunis Fontaine, in which the novel portrays her identity, family life, ongoing issues in her community, and the importance of fighting for justice, from an Indigenous perspective. The actions of the individuals in Daunis’s life negatively influence

For instance, her GrandMary disheartens her Ojibwe background. Daunis is telling a story of when her grandmother (GrandMary), was explaining how Catholic Indians converted to Catholics, and how individuals who converted were less than “original” Catholics. Being both Indigenous and white, Daunis asks her GrandMary where she fits into this hierarchy. GrandMary affirms, “Don’t be obstinate, Daunis Lorenza. You’re a Fontaine, not one of them” (Boulley 288). This quote proves how Daunis’s Grandma is ignorant of the Ojibwe side of her identity. Implying that Daunis shouldn’t associate herself as being Indigenous is extremely harmful. This causes deep struggles within Daunis’s cultural identity as her grandma does not accept her for who she is. She is essentially discouraging Daunis’s Indigenous roots, where she came from, and her only sense of connection to her late father, as he is no longer present in Daunis’s life. Her grandma’s perspective negatively impacts her identity, because she has a negative view of Indigenous individuals by telling Daunis she is not one of them. Her prejudice harms their relationship and how Daunis views herself culturally, inducing toxicity to Daunis’s nature. Additionally, Daunis’s Aunt Teddy disheartens Daunis’s half-French background. Daunis and her aunt are having a conversation. Her aunt says that it makes her mad and scared how Daunis has privileges that her Black and Ojibwe daughters do not have, referring to Daunis’s skin colour and last name. Daunis expresses, “She's right. All the things I’ve been uncomfortable with, advantages I’ve done nothing to earn, they are privileges” (Boulley 79). This quote highlights how Daunis’s Aunt makes her feel discouraged due to her skin colour and her last name because she feels it has given her certain privileges. This is evident through Daunis saying she has done nothing to earn her