For all my sisters around here...

Hello again my loyal readers! Today I have some good news to share with you, here it goes … we are finally done with the sad things! Yes, yes, I know you can't hear me now over all the cheering, but we are going to talk about the conclusion to The Rez Sisters and how come that despite all that happens, you still feel good at the end. The answer, as cheesy as it might sound, is hope.

Still, it is important to keep in mind that Highway does not want to ignore or minimize the tragedies he depicts, but wants to focus on the good aspects of Native tradition.

Hope and sisterhood are key concepts in the understanding of this play, as well as native culture in general (change sisterhood for sense of community and you have it).

Who wouldn't like to do their shopping here?

These women start a journey not just to Toronto, but also to a new life, but they couldn't have done it without the others, they find empowerment through their relationship (actually they all are family, either sisters, half-sisters, sisters-in-law, and a daughter).

It is also in their sisterhood that they find dignity in all the tragedies that have happened to them and that happen during the narration. It is worth mentioning that none of these women are passive in their lives, instead of staying and conforming, they decide to start this adventure, together.

Author Oswald Yuan-Chin Chang writes in his article “Tomson Higway's “The Rez” Plays: Theater as the (E)erging of Native Ritual through Postmodernist Displacement” (Long right? Bad thing that blogs don't have footnotes), states that,

“While Euro-American plays most often reflect “the negativism, nihilism and spiritual void of Western postmodern society...”, a play such as “The Rez Sisters”, in spite of the similarity of its dramatic matrix, reflects the essential humanism, life-affirming and hopeful world view of Native peoples. Ironically, while the vast majority of Euro-American postmodern plays have given up on the idea of a humanistic society, Native playwrights such as Highway have embraced it, and have actually gone on to re-enforce it.”

Because all of this, they represent the new Native woman. One of the things by which you'll see the new woman is quite an obvious one, the clothes. In the very first page of the play we can see Pelajia (who else could it be?) in the roof her house, and this is the description we get, “ (… ) is alone on the roof of her house, nailing shingles on. She wears faded blue demin men's cover-alls and a baseball cap to shade her eyes from the sun.” (1)

Later on, Annie tells her, “(...) don't let those pants you are wearing go to your head” .(41)

The other character that shares this man-like attitude is Emily, and this is how she is described, “She is one tough lady, wearing cowboy boots, tight blue jeans, a black leather jacket – all three items worn to the seams – and she sports one black eye.” (37)

In the play we can see an evolution in them, and they become more assertive, they know what they want and how to get it. They go for determination and hope for the future. That is, for example, the case of Philomena, as we have seen already, when she decides that she is going to get a lawyer to find her lost child. Or Annie, who seems as a light character, someone to balance all the drama, but who shows her real self while talking to Emily,

“Annie: I'm singing back-up for Fritz weekends. 25 bucks a gig. That's something, eh?

(…)

Annie: I love him, Emily.” (108)

All of the women finally find and bring hope into their lives and the lives of those around them. Indeed the last thing we get from them are the very images of hope. That is the case of Emily and Zhaboonigan, from whom we get this extremely cute conversation,

“Emily: Gazelle Nataways'll see fit to kill... but I'm gonna have a baby. (…)

And the last we see of them is Zhaboonigan playfully poking Emily in the belly and Emily slapping Zhaboonigan's had away.” (110)

Marie-Adele, after her death (sorry about the spoiler, but you deserve it if you haven't read the play by now), has been able to find the peace she wanted, indeed her passing away in the arms of Nanabush is amazingly calm. Marie-Adele, whose only worry was the welfare of her family after her death, has gifted her fourteen children as the future of the reserve.

Veronique, Zhaboonigan's mother, as finally found her place taking care of Eugene and the kids. She is unable to have children of her own, but loves taking care of others. Actually with the money from the jackpot she wanted a new stove to cook for all the children in the reserve, but by now, she seems fine just the Marie-Adele's bunch,

“At Eugene Starblancket's house. Veronique St. Pierre is sitting on the steps, glowing with happiness, looking at the sky as though looking for seagulls.” (110)

Pelajia also decides to challenge the old chief, promising that had she been the chief they would have had some nice new roads.

So far you might have noticed, and I'm sure you have, you are really observant people, that most of what they do regards their reserve, their community. Now, of you remember, some posts ago I mentioned the fact that there is not a single protagonist, but that rather we have a choral work.

About this, in the already mentioned article,Change writes that “Native writers are also quick to stress that the use of “I” under these circumstances should not be taken in the same way as the “I” in Western cultures. It is not an individual “I” bur rather a communal one, once again reflecting a bringing together, a sense of union.”

Well, so, what do you think about these women's attitude? And how despite all the adversity there is not a glimpse but a big ray of hope? How different do you think this is from European literary tradition?