As-tum

Hi everybody! Have you been thinking about Spivak? Well, today's post in going to be devoted to the eighth character in The Rez Sisters. Now, you must be wondering, “What is this person talking about? What eighth character? Did I get the right edition?”. Yes guys, you got the right edition, probably, and yes, there is an eighth character, Nanabush!

Nanabush is the trickster in Ojibway mythology and Weesagechack in Cree. The trickster is the central figure in Native culture, but that has been, as well as all other aspects, colonized. At the beginning of the play, Nanabush is somewhere in the reserve, but none of the women can see him, since “the old stories, the old language. Almost all gone … was a time Nanabush and Windigo and everyone here could rattle away in Indian” (5)

Even though at the beginning he is not there, later on he appears to accompany the women in their journey as they all grow stronger. Indeed it is Nanabush to whom Zhaboonigan confesses her rape, and it is him as well, who takes Marie-Adele in his arms when she passes away.

Nanabush (in general terms, the trickster), celebrates traditional native culture and religion by itself but also opposing Euro-Christian tradition; about this, Highway states that his play is not a tragedy in that Euro-Christian tradition, but transforming Native adversity into “humor and love and optimism, plus the positive values taught by Indian mythology.” He also says that while European mythology says we are here to suffer, “our mythology says we're here to have a good time.”

Regarding Nanabush, the key concept in its understanding is the fact that it has never been made flesh, so it can change his shape. Nanabush can be any human form or animal figure, male or female, or both. Unlike Christian tradition it cannot be classified.

Nanabush is yet another example of the gender differences between native and white culture. The trickster appears as a sexual complement, it is a man in The Rez Sisters and a woman in Dry Lips Ougtha move to Kapuskasing. Highway then, shows a culture that is free from the “European male-female-neuter hierarchy”.

Another interesting aspect about Nanabush is that only those who can speak Cree can see him. Language and Nanabush establish a connection with the Native culture, just as happens with Kyoti in Jeannette Armstrong's “This is a story”. The tradition, embodied here by the trickster, can only be revealed through language. Because of it, despite being near him (sometimes as a person, for example the bingo master, or as the nice seagull that choses Marie-Adele's fence to empty its stomach), most of the characters are unable to see his true nature.

So, Nanabush is the only figure that is always there, but it's not the centre of the play, but rather the way in which other characters relate to him. For example, Pelajia is always thinking of “our Nanabush”, Zhaboonigan calls him “nice white birdie”, he scares Marie-Adele on the jorney to Toronto, bothers her and then takes her with him. At the end of the play we can see “Nanabush, back once more in his disguise as the seagull, “lands” on the roof behind the unaware and unseeing Pelajia Patchnose. He dances to the beat of the hammer, merrily and triumphantly.” (118)

In his note about Nanabush, Highway writes this, “Some say that “nanabush” left this continent when the whiteman came. We believe he is still here among us – albeit a little the worse for wear and tear – having assumed other guises. Without him – and without the spiritual health of this figure - the core of Indian culture would be gone forever.” (XII)

Other rumors have it, that Nanabush will come back after the seventh generation after Columbus and now it is that seventh generation.

What do you think the differences between the Native and the European relegious believes affect the ways is which stories are told? When do you think Nanabush will come back?