The End of Drum-Time

Content Warning: This section of the guide describes and discusses the novel’s treatment of cultural erasure and religious coercion. This section also contains references to abuse.

Pylväinen's The End of Drum-Time explores the themes of cultural identity and survival within the context of the Sámi people's experiences in Northern Scandinavia. Pylväinen delves into the tensions between cultural preservation and adaptation, highlighting the resilience of Indigenous identity in the face of encroaching colonialism and Christian missionaries. The novel’s exploration of these topics aligns with postcolonial themes of resistance, resilience, and the struggle for self-determination.

The novel elucidates how cultural identity is not a static set of traditions but a dynamic and resilient force that adapts and endures through adversity. Storytelling within the narrative, such as the sharing of legends and personal histories, is central to preserving cultural knowledge. This technique emphasizes the communal aspect of cultural survival, illustrating how identity is adapted through shared stories and collective memory. This process of storytelling embodies what Indigenous author Gerald Vizenor terms "survivance," a combination of survival and endurance with an active sense of resistance and presence. This concept is exemplified in the novel’s dialogue about the "Older Testament," where characters acknowledge the deep, ancient roots of their narratives: “‘Well, this story is much, much older than the Old Testament.