ninitohtênân = We Listen

Verbally, linguistically, and ideologically impressive,We Listen is an irresistible picture book resonant of Mary Louise Pratt’s (1992)* notion of transculturation. It is a term she employs to “refer to interpenetration of Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures in what she terms the “contact zone”, a sociocultural space where “disparate cultures/[races] meet, clash and grapple with each other (Bradford, 2007, p. 19-20)*. There is no clashing or grappling here; only rich symmetrical, transcultural engagement/interaction where children’s interracial and intercultural friendships engender learning about, from, and together in the contact zone of 21st century Canada.

This is evident from the book’s beautiful and dramatic cover. It features two girls, one Indigenous and one Black, on an outing with nôhkom, the former’s grandmother. The book, beautifully bilingual, is written in Cree using “Roman orthography”, Cree syllabics, and English. The “We” of the title signifies positive inter-relationality in a “contact zone” enfleshed by girls who listen attentively to, and learn from and with, the narrator’s Kokum, leader/matriarch/mentor/teacher. Recounted by the Cree girl, this honour story centers female kinship, knowledge, leadership, power, relationality, demonstration, and modelling of important, land-based sociocultural practices to a younger generation of girls in the contemporary “contact zone.”

Beginning with this structure, Nôhkom gets ready” and the rejoinder, “We get ready”, readers/viewers follow the Cree girl and her friend on a day of knowledge sharing, demonstrations, induction, and modelling of important sociocultural practices that will likely be internalized and carried forward as precious cultural heritage, assets/resources. Nôhkom leads, and the girls follow.

The focalizer tells us: when “Nôhkom walks.” We walk.” When “Nôhkom listens. We listen”, and this becomes the eponymous title of the book, beckoning all to “listen”. And when “Nôhkom prays”, “We pray.”

Each of these scenarios of cultural apprenticeship is skillfully illustrated in paintings that vividly illustrate the context-based tutelage of the girls. Compelling examples of these are the granular images of Nôhkom picking tea leaves with the girls. In close proximity to each other, the children and their elder are depicted in boreal forest settings of varying shades of green (e.g. olive, emerald, mint), tan and brown. Nôhkom first demonstrates and then watches/encourages the efforts of the girls as they pick leaves in authentic, natural contexts: nôhkom môsâhkinam. “Nôhkom picks.” nimosahkinenan. “We pick”. The children listen, watch, learn and execute together.

Other notable scenarios/images are those set on the edge of a lake where the child-narrator observes that, when “Nôhkom rests. Mom rests”, thereby signaling her awareness that Nôhkom also models and demonstrates social practice that is taken-up by adults, for instance, her mother. This highlights the girls’ consciousness of, and respect for, Nôhkom’s role as family knowledge keeper, leader, care-giver, in a word, matriarch. This is a role to which the girls can aspire later in life. And through such lived events in richly embedded physical and social contexts, cultural practices associated with the feminine can be carried forward. An important one is Nôhkom’s tea-making, using the Labrador leaves harvested together.

The experiences featured in ninitohtênân = We Listen make it an important ontological and epistemological text for furthering the goals of Indigenous resurgence where children and adults engage in sociocultural practices via collaboration (e.g., harvesting tea leaves from the land, making, and sharing tea).

In addition, this important literary text is an example of Indigenous-authored textuality in which the representation of inter-racial friendships/relations between a Black girl (guest) and an Indigenous girl and her family (hosts) in the “contact zone” is authorized by Indigenous creators, author and illustrator. The Black girl learns about the featured ways of being and knowing of her friend’s Cree family by being with them. The Indigenous creators control their own representation, thus making this book an anti-colonial one. The story ends with these words: “We listen…” and talk.” The girls listen and learn from adults and, to and from, each other. The final image shows the two girls, seated side by side in the back of a vehicle, smiling and talking to each other contentedly. This image is an excellent example of Indigenous-led invitation and generosity/hospitality into their world, and worldviews.

ninitohtênân = We Listen is a ‘not-to-be missed’ example of contemporary realism in a picture book. Part of the much-lauded “Nôhkom” series, it features memorable characters, relatable contexts, important ideas that are explored with subtlety, and informative backmatter/notes. These are conveyed via vivid and engaging illustrations that are expressionistic, realistic, and effective in the use of colour to convey meaning. And, ninitohtênân = We Listen is an excellent example of efforts undertaken to support Cree language revitalization and resurgence!