Like hundreds of thousands of native Canadians before him, young Migizi
is forced to leave his parents and attend state residential schools
to be divested of his culture, language and indigenous name. At
the institution, he is given the European moniker David Bass by the
Catholic clergy, who do far more harm than good in the name of the
faith they profess. David/Migizi is subjected to exploitation and abuse in the process of becoming ‘civilised’.
His sole consolation is his friendship with Geezis/Matthew, a
charismatic and street-wise classmate who takes him under his wing.
However, circumstances are soon to rob Migizi of this solace.
On leaving school Migizi discovers that, for a native, life is one
long rude awakening to systemic injustice; whether as a day labourer,
father, husband or decorated Second World War veteran.
‘Concentration Camps of Canada’ might sound like an unwisely sensationalist book title, yet it’s not entirely
unwarranted. Portentously-named author, Baron Alexander Deschauer, seeks to highlight the country’s
historically sinister treatment of its indigenous people. Canada shares a dark past with its ex- British colony cousins. The stories of native-American genocide are far
better documented compared to its supposedly friendlier northern
neighbour. And yet the last of the residential schools in which an
estimated 150,000 native Canadians were detained in order to be inculcated with western mores, closed as recently as 1996. Many children suffered abuse at the hands
of their teachers; others lost their lives to disease. Having had
their children snatched from them in what was effectively
state-sanctioned abduction, indigenous parents were left bereaved and
denied answers. Outside in the real world Native Canadians were
herded into reservations. They suffered the indignity of a pass
system (not unlike that of Apartheid) in order to move around the
land of their ancestors. Even after official apologies by premiers and Truth and Reconciliation reports that acknowledged egregious government policy, thelives of native Canadians have not always been treated by the
state as having equal value with their European counterparts.
It should therefore be welcomed that Deschauer’s novel attempts to inform the wider world of another
distressing chapter of North American history. Unfortunately, the
author’s handling of the topic is clumsy.
It’s not clear, for a start, what the novel’s target age group is. The childlike perspective and tone, whilst engaging and authentically innocent at first, never matures past the callow. The slimline novel has the feel of an introductory volume aimed at adolescents. Even if this were the case, it doesn’t esteem the reader’s intelligence highly enough, skimming the surface at best. Characters are casually introduced before disappearing without further explanation. ‘Concentration Camps...’ can at once be carelessly elliptical whilst unsubtly signalling predictable plot developments.
Deschauer’s protagonist is an indigenous everyman. He could be anyone who came up through a heartless system; an amalgam of thousands of sorrowful stories. This works better in theory than Deschauer's practice. He rushes through major events of Migizi’s life-marriage, children, war, PTSD-as if more interested in ticking trauma boxes than deeper exposition. The women in Migizi’s life are little more than cyphers. It’s evident that Deschauer wants to provide the reader some insight into Migizi’s state of mind but doesn't go beyond the superficial.
It’s not clear, for a start, what the novel’s target age group is. The childlike perspective and tone, whilst engaging and authentically innocent at first, never matures past the callow. The slimline novel has the feel of an introductory volume aimed at adolescents. Even if this were the case, it doesn’t esteem the reader’s intelligence highly enough, skimming the surface at best. Characters are casually introduced before disappearing without further explanation. ‘Concentration Camps...’ can at once be carelessly elliptical whilst unsubtly signalling predictable plot developments.
Deschauer’s protagonist is an indigenous everyman. He could be anyone who came up through a heartless system; an amalgam of thousands of sorrowful stories. This works better in theory than Deschauer's practice. He rushes through major events of Migizi’s life-marriage, children, war, PTSD-as if more interested in ticking trauma boxes than deeper exposition. The women in Migizi’s life are little more than cyphers. It’s evident that Deschauer wants to provide the reader some insight into Migizi’s state of mind but doesn't go beyond the superficial.
Perhaps the author assumed that the obvious travesty would evoke sufficient empathy from the reader. On the contrary, the oppression of native Canadians by the settlers and their
descendants, deserves to be recounted more skilfully if it is to do
their stories justice. Nevertheless, despite its shortcomings, if
Deschauer’s book helps spark conversation on an international level about an overlooked
atrocity, this would still be a worthy
achievement.
'Concentration Camps of Canada' (2017, Friessen Press: US)- out now.
An edited version of this review appears on The-Latest.com.
An edited version of this review appears on The-Latest.com.
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