Blue Bear Woman

Blue Bear Woman / Virginia Pesemapeo Bordeleau;
trans. from the French by Susan Ouriou & Christelle Morelli
TO: Inanna, c2019, 2007.
157 p.

Bordeleau's novel was first published in 2007 in French, as the first novel by an Indigenous woman to be published in Quebec. 

It hints at memoir; the main character Victoria is also part Cree and part Quebecoise, and the book is about a lengthy road trip that she and her partner are taking along the roads around James Bay, searching for family history. 

This area of Northern Quebec is remote; the land is traditional Cree and Inuit territory, but from the 1970s to the early 2000s, it was taken and flooded as part of the James Bay Hydroelectric project. This dam and its effects on Cree life in the area is one of the themes of the novel, alongside the uncovering of the very particular family history that Victoria is revisiting. She stops in small towns along the way, running into cousins and aunties and more, all eager to relate stories and expand her memories and knowledge of her mother's family. 

The book moves back and forth between the contemporary storyline and the 1960s, where we learn about Victoria's family from her grandmother's perspective. Victoria is also having vivid dreams of her Uncle George, a hunter who disappeared in the woods over 20 years before -- it seems he wants her to find his remains and give him a proper sendoff. 

Most of the book is slower moving; it's an actual road trip, meandering here and there, finding out little details or re-engaging with distant relatives. Victoria recalls elements of her own personal past, and starts feeling closer to her Cree heritage, mentioning in passing that she's not sure her partner Daniel is really all that comfortable with her spiritual side. 

So the book seems like an historical quest, lots of information about Cree life in the recent past, and the small settlements that exist now. But then about 3/4 of the way through, Victoria's spiritual quest toward shamanism bursts to the forefront and takes over her focus. They meet up with elders and a middle-aged couple who become her spiritual guides. She knows that this development will also help her find her Uncle George. 

However, in order to develop this way, there is a certain plot point near the end that I wasn't convinced was necessary, and also found a little cold in the way it's presented. While I understood why it was there, it took me out of the story a bit. 

Overall, I found this a good read -- really evocative of a time and place, and a strong sense of family connection added to the appeal. The writing was sometimes abrupt, especially in the break between chapters/time frames, and there were a few elements that didn't really work for me. But, it was an unusual focus and a compelling one for the most part. The setting is very strong and carries a lot of the narrative. So definitely one worth checking out.