"I close my eyes and picture the trapline.
The trees, the water and all the land and
little islands. Chopping wood and picking
berries …. Sleeping in a tent with family
to stay warm. Standing by the lake."
What a perfect pairing of artists to tell this intergenerational story of a grandfather (Moshom) and his grandson. David Robertson writes with emotion in spare, telling text to describe a visit to Moshom's trapline. The boy has never been, and his grandfather has not been since he was very young. Julie Flett's signature artwork uses an ideal color palette and allows space for thinking and acknowledging the many memories of a happy, fulfilling childhood in the north. This is their second collaboration, following When We Were Alone, HighWater Press, 2016.
It is a long journey. Undertaken to introduce his grandson to his childhood and the trapline that provided for the family, they also visit the house that became the family home when they left a life of trapping. They walk to the school the children attended.
“Most of the kids only spoke Cree, but at the school all of us had to talk and learn in English.”
The boy wonders what it was like to move from the trapline to a new place with a school. Quietly, and after careful thought, Moshom has an answer.
"I learned in both places,’ he says. ‘I just learned different things.
Pahkan means ‘different.
Taking a small boat, they travel toward an island that makes Moshom's eyes shine. It brings back clear memories of the work the family did to ensure a good life, and to provide money for buying what they could not get from the trapline. There are many beautifully shared moments between the two. The child asks, Moshom answers. The child clearly recognizes in his grandfather's demeanor the importance of his memories.
Back matter includes a note from both author and illustrator, as well as a list of Swampy Cree words which are presented in context at the bottom of many of the book's pages. Pronunciation is also provided.
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