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A review by macham17
Memory Serves: Oratories by Lee Maracle
4.0
I have to admit I have not previously read any Lee Maracle, but I plan on rectifying that ASAP. Memory Serves is a revelation. Moving, thought-provoking, and immensely vivid, Maracle's written oratories had me questioning my role and privilege in society. Not only that, but I'd finish a chapter where Maracle delves into her vision of the future, and have to sit there for twenty minutes to muse on her points - debating the future of Canada and wondering at whether it can even be a possibility.
"Canada says it seeks to emancipate its 'Native Nations.' It does so from the position of total access and control over space and time. It does so from the position of having military dominance. Indigenous people wish to wrest control of the terms of union from Canada, but many Canadians fear the terms we might establish. It is a conundrum. Fairness and inclusion on our terms are required in order for sharing to take place. And Canadians must desire to include us. But we have not the time to determine what our terms are, so this dream is far from its realization. We are all severely damaged goods: on the one hand, Canadians are damaged by their history of plunder, the constant rationalization of their preponderant super-sized entitlement over space, and their control of time; on the other, Indigenous people are damaged by the absence of entitlement, so damaged that sorting this out will be a nightmare. But do it we must."
By the middle of the book, you find yourself thinking, "well this is just too depressing of a thought, Canada can't possibly get to a place of complete understanding and reconciliation the likes of which Maracle hopes for," only to find yourself swept away in her stories once again as she calmly explains her rationale and motivation for moving forward. And by the end, when she goes into detail about her storytelling and oratory methods, you understand the reason each word was specifically chosen in the book; Maracle's ability to carry her readers alongside her comes full circle.
"Canada says it seeks to emancipate its 'Native Nations.' It does so from the position of total access and control over space and time. It does so from the position of having military dominance. Indigenous people wish to wrest control of the terms of union from Canada, but many Canadians fear the terms we might establish. It is a conundrum. Fairness and inclusion on our terms are required in order for sharing to take place. And Canadians must desire to include us. But we have not the time to determine what our terms are, so this dream is far from its realization. We are all severely damaged goods: on the one hand, Canadians are damaged by their history of plunder, the constant rationalization of their preponderant super-sized entitlement over space, and their control of time; on the other, Indigenous people are damaged by the absence of entitlement, so damaged that sorting this out will be a nightmare. But do it we must."
By the middle of the book, you find yourself thinking, "well this is just too depressing of a thought, Canada can't possibly get to a place of complete understanding and reconciliation the likes of which Maracle hopes for," only to find yourself swept away in her stories once again as she calmly explains her rationale and motivation for moving forward. And by the end, when she goes into detail about her storytelling and oratory methods, you understand the reason each word was specifically chosen in the book; Maracle's ability to carry her readers alongside her comes full circle.