85 pages • 2 hours read
The Birchbark House
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Themes
Anishinabe Culture and White Settlement
Anishinabe is the name for a group of culturally-related Indigenous peoples of the American Midwest and Canada, and it is the name most commonly used for Omakayas’s people in this book. Anishinabe culture features prominently throughout The Birchbark House, but it is most powerfully expressed through the language and the clothing of the book’s characters.
While the book is written in English, the characters often use Anishinabe words and phrases in conversation, and a glossary is provided at the end of the novel. Often, these words express concepts that English translations can’t adequately capture. For example, makazins are mentioned frequently but are never referred to as "shoes" or "moccasins." Makazins are a type of Anishinabe footwear, made of tanned leather and trimmed with beads or fur, and the author’s choice to use Anishinabe words for concepts such as this helps to illustrate the unique and endangered qualities of Anishinabe culture.
The characters often use Anishinabe language to express loving or respectful sentiments. When Old Tallow is first introduced, Omakayas says, “Ahneen [greetings], my auntie...mino aya sana [I wish you good health]” (23). In two powerful moments of bonding between Plus, gain access to 8,650+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
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By Louise Erdrich
