Medicine Walk

Richard Wagamese’s Medicine Walk (2014) follows 16-year-old Franklin Starlight on his journey to find the perfect burial site for his terminally ill father, Eldon Starlight, a member of the Ojibway tribe of Indigenous peoples. Frank carries Eldon on horseback into the wilderness where Eldon wishes to die in the traditional manner of Ojibway warriors—facing East so that he can see the last sunrise of his last day on earth.

Eldon abandoned Franklin, who goes by Frank, as an infant. Bunky, a white man, raised Frank from infancy according to the ways of the wilderness. As the only Indigenous boy at school, Frank’s life hasn’t been easy. The other kids shun and distrust him because of his heritage. Bunky teaches Frank what he can about Indigenous customs, but Frank grows up disconnected from his Indigenous community. Though Frank loves Bunky dearly, Frank resents not having had a traditional upbringing.

Frank has only met Eldon a couple of times in his life, and their meetings never end well. Eldon makes promises that he can’t keep because he succumbs to alcohol, and Frank is tired of giving Eldon more chances. However, now that Eldon has only days left to live, he wants to make peace with Frank.

Frank and Eldon set off into the woods so that Frank can give Eldon a “warrior’s burial.” Frank doesn’t want the responsibility, but he knows it’s the right thing to do. Frank gives Eldon his own horse to ride because Eldon is not strong enough to walk.

As they travel through the woods, Eldon tells Frank about his life. Eldon grew up impoverished in the Canadian mountains where he struggled to support his poor family and prayed for a better life. He enlisted as a soldier in the Canadian Army and fought in Korea. The horrors Eldon endured scarred him for life, and he never fit in back home. Eldon had a brief relationship with Frank’s mother, but it ended tragically when she died giving birth to Frank. Eldon blames himself for what happened.

Sharing these stories, Eldon admits that he craves Frank’s forgiveness. Eldon cannot die in peace until he tells Frank how much he loves him. Eldon wishes that things had been different and can only beg for Frank’s mercy. Frank realizes that Eldon has many sides to him and wishes they had more time to spend getting to know each other.

During the journey, Eldon’s health deteriorates. Frank employs all the skills he has learned to keep them safe: He defends them against wild animals and shelters them against the elements. Eldon is proud of Frank and relieved that Bunky respected Frank’s heritage and taught his son authentic Indigenous skills. Frank and Eldon come to understand and forgive each other, and Eldon passes away in peace.