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A review by ljrinaldi
What Was Said to Me: The Life of Sti'tum'atul'wut, a Cowichan Woman by Ruby Peter
5.0
Oral Histories tend to ramble, because that is the nature of what they are. Oral histories are not all nicely tied up with a bow. The authors of this book wrote down the oral history of Ruby Peter, and this is rather like sitting down to talk to an old friend. The story rambles, goes back on itself, and continues forward in great strides.
If you are thinking that you are going to be reading a book about an elder of the Cowichan people, you are, but it will not be like most biographies you have read. It is not polished. It is the way the story is told, and that is it. The authors said they felt that was the best way to present it.
Ruby is a Thi'tha, the equivalent of a shaman, but her story of how she got there is, as she said, was by listening to her elders.
She talks about how residential school destroyed so many native peoples. She tells how she was lucky enough to go to day school, so was not separated from her culture the way the others were.
She does not go into detail of how her magic works, which is just as well. Why should we be allowed to know something scared. What she does go into detail is how important it is to listen. That the elders have much to say. She relates a cautionary tale, akin to Little Red Riding hood, about how you should not talk to strangers.
Very easy to read. Very conversational. Very interesting. Highly recommend it.
Thanks to Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review.
If you are thinking that you are going to be reading a book about an elder of the Cowichan people, you are, but it will not be like most biographies you have read. It is not polished. It is the way the story is told, and that is it. The authors said they felt that was the best way to present it.
Ruby is a Thi'tha, the equivalent of a shaman, but her story of how she got there is, as she said, was by listening to her elders.
She talks about how residential school destroyed so many native peoples. She tells how she was lucky enough to go to day school, so was not separated from her culture the way the others were.
She does not go into detail of how her magic works, which is just as well. Why should we be allowed to know something scared. What she does go into detail is how important it is to listen. That the elders have much to say. She relates a cautionary tale, akin to Little Red Riding hood, about how you should not talk to strangers.
Very easy to read. Very conversational. Very interesting. Highly recommend it.
Thanks to Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review.