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Pages 183 - 219, Chapters 20 - 24
Ochek, Arik, Morgan, and Eli descend the mountain and arrive in the Green Time. Despite there being berries and sweetgrass, there are no animals. It appears that the man has depleted the animals, and the four suspect that he will move elsewhere to continue taking resources. This makes their task of freeing the summer birds important not just for Misewa but for all of Askí, for the entire land needs to gain back its process of renewal.
Crossing the lake, they arrive at the man’s cabin and find him inside the cabin. He is sleeping, Tahtakiw perched by him and the summer birds held in a sack. They enter the cabin and grab the sack of birds, all while Tahtakiw flies away. The four escape the island on the man’s canoe, planning to release the birds as close to Misewa as possible. This will bring about the Green Time where it is most needed.
The man awakens while they are fleeing, and shoots arrows as they canoe away. One arrow strikes Ochek’s shoulder. Believing that the man has no way to leave the island without his canoe, the four set up camp to dress Ochek’s wounds. However, he catches up with them and renews his arrow attack.
Realizing the grave danger to Askí if the man gets the summer birds back, Ochek climbs the giant sequoia tree and successfully releases them. However, being high up on the tree takes him an easy target for the man, who lethally strikes Ochek with an arrow. Before Ochek’s body can drop to the ground, a mysterious force picks him up and plants his body in the sky, creating a new constellation.
Just as the man corners Arik, Eli, and Morgan, the wolf returns. The man demands that the wolf kill the three, but he hesitates. Unable to rely on the wolf, the man raises his bow to shoot an arrow at Eli. The wolf jumps on the man and pushes him down a canyon. In the scuffle, the wolf also slips into the canyon. He hangs onto the sides for a short while, but falls despite Arik, Eli, and Morgan’s efforts to save him.
Teacher Background Information: Indigenous Self-Government
As Arik, Eli, Morgan, and Ochek’s journey comes to a close in The Barren Grounds, the four bring about a wish of Misewa’s governing Council. In Chapter 15 the Council permits the four to set out to release the Summer Birds. Muskwa, the Council’s head, tells the four that “Perhaps it’s time we found life.” The Council’s decision ultimately led to the restoration of Askí’s seasonal cycle.
The meeting where this took place followed protocols unique to Misewa. The decision was Council’s alone to make. In other words, Misewa’s Council was engaged in acts of self-governance.
Like Misewa, the Indigenous Peoples of the land we now call Canada also have the right to self-government. While Courts in Canada have not ruled on this right, the federal government has recognized that Indigenous Peoples have an inherent right to self-government that is protectedby the Constitution. This includes the right to govern their internal affairs, and the right to be part of other decision-making that affects their communities.
Indigenous communities have the ability to set a path of self-government in motion. The process begins when an Indigenous community engages the federal government in a negotiation to create something known as either a Self-Government Agreement or a Self-Government Treaty.
Self-Government Agreements and Self-Government Treaties set out how the Indigenous group will exercise their Inherent Right to self-government, including:
• the structure of the Indigenous government
• how the Indigenous government will be accountable to members of the community
• how the Indigenous government will be elected
• how laws will be made
• who will manage programs and deliver services in areas such as health, social services and education for the community
Self-government does not mean that other Canadian laws (both federal and provincial) such as the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Criminal Code, or human rights codes no longer apply. When Indigenous laws are put into place, they will operate in tandem with federal and provincial laws. One exception is that Indigenous laws meant to protect language and culture will take priority. As well, the Indian Act as a whole will no longer apply.
To date, almost 30 Self-Government Agreements and Self-Government Treaties have been made, and over 50 more are currently under negotiation. This includes Whitecap Dakota First Nation, south of Saskatoon. They began negotiations in 2009 and came to a final agreement with the federal government in 2023.
As Chief Darcy Bear of Whitecap Dakota First Nation said upon the signing of his nation’s Self-Government Treaty, “It’s about time as Indigenous people we make our own decisions….
It was an inherent right that the Creator gave us. We’re just taking that back.”
CLASS DISCUSSION
Reading Reflection
1. In what ways was the journey an example of how the people of Misewa manage and govern their traditional lands?
Looking Forward
Morgan, Eli, and Arik return to Misewa’s governing council following their journey. As youread forward to this moment in The Barren Grounds, look at what happens in the Council Hut.
• What does the Council offer to Arik? What does the Council offer to Morgan and Eli?
• How have they earned these honours?
