“Sometimes you risk everything for a life worth living, even if you’re not the one who’ll be alive to live it.”
The statement demonstrates the immense amount of courage and sacrifice that Indigenous people have had to make to keep their dreams alive. In the narrative, we can see how the government is trying to control and oppress them by locking up their dreamers in residential schools. Chi Boy acknowledges that the struggle for freedom can be a difficult and dangerous one, but that it is worth it, even if the individual is not able to live to see the outcome. His words speak to the strength of indigenous people in the face of harsh conditions and their willingness to sacrifice to ensure that their future generations will have a better life. This sentiment is echoed as Miig and his family risk everything to save Frenchie from the residential school. The novel highlights the resilience of indigenous people and the power of their collective action.
“That isn't our border. That's an imaginary line drawn by politicians and land prospectors. The only thing we have to worry about is who the original people are so we can honor the lands we are on, and if we do that and remember to keep doing that, they don't win. They never win when we remember.”
In the excerpt, Miig is discussing the notion of borders and the concept of land ownership. He acknowledges that the borders drawn by politicians and prospectors are imaginary and that the only thing that matters is to recognize and honor the original people of the land. He emphasizes that when we remember this, the politicians and oppressors do not win. By honoring the natives, their suffering and struggles are not in vain. The oppressors never win when indigenous people are remembered and acknowledged. It is a powerful statement of resilience and hope in the face of ongoing struggle. Thus, it illustrates that indigenous people have the power to resist and overcome oppression and that they do not have to accept the false boundaries imposed upon them.
“For so long, we as a species were violent. Our violence was neglect; our violence was arrogance. The wasp sting of capitalism was left to grow malignant without proper care. And wasps can keep on stinging once they begin. They don’t die like bees, so they don’t have to be as committed to the damage.”
In the passage, Miig is reflecting on the violence inflicted on indigenous people by capitalism and colonialism. He speaks of how capitalists, like wasps, can keep on stinging without needing to be committed to the damage, as wasps do not die like bees. This is a metaphor for how capitalism has been used to oppress indigenous people, and how its effects continue today. The narrative follows the family as they try to rescue Frenchie from the school where Native people’s bone marrow is harvested to treat the dreamless settlers. This grim reality highlights the ongoing struggle of indigenous people to survive and reclaim their land and culture. The quote serves to emphasize the need to be aware of the violence inflicted upon the natives and to take responsibility for our role in it.
