Spotlight: Joseph Boyden’s new novel is an epic story of blood and butchery in early Canada
Through a weird twist of cultural fate, Canada’s best-known native writer is a white guy from Willowdale. Joseph Boyden, who was born into a huge Catholic family with distant Métis ancestry, has spent his life bouncing between worlds. He hung out on reserves as a kid, went to punk shows as an angry teen, taught Cree students in Northern Ontario as a young man and finally ended up in New Orleans, where he wrote Three Day Road and Through Black Spruce, the novels that have made him a literary star. Boyden’s bloody and brick-thick new novel, The Orenda, is a historical epic about an idealistic missionary caught between warring tribes, hundreds of years before Confederation. (The title refers to the Iroquois belief in a pervasive, all-powerful spiritual energy; basically, the First Nations equivalent of the Force.) Full of head-bludgeoning and throat-cutting scenes set in the wilds of what is now Ontario, the novel feels like a hybrid of Pierre Berton and Cormac McCarthy: perfect for readers who like a little arterial spray with their history.
The Orenda
by Joseph Boyden
Available Sept. 10
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/culture/spotlight-joseph-boyden-the-orenda/&title=Spotlight: Joseph Boyden’s new novel is an epic story of blood and butchery in early Canada&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/spotlight-joseph-boyden-624x395.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_230590" align="aligncenter" width="656"] (Image: Norman Wong)[/caption]
Through a weird twist of cultural fate, Canada’s best-known native writer is a white guy from Willowdale. Joseph Boyden, who was born into a huge Catholic family with distant Métis ancestry, has spent his life bouncing between worlds. He hung out on reserves as a kid, went to punk shows as an angry teen, taught Cree students in Northern Ontario as a young man and finally ended up in New Orleans, where he wrote Three Day Road and Through Black Spruce, the novels that have made him a literary star. Boyden’s bloody and brick-thick new novel, The Orenda, is a historical epic about an idealistic missionary caught between warring tribes, hundreds of years before Confederation. (The title refers to the Iroquois belief in a pervasive, all-powerful spiritual energy; basically, the First Nations equivalent of the Force.) Full of head-bludgeoning and throat-cutting scenes set in the wilds of what is now Ontario, the novel feels like a hybrid of Pierre Berton and Cormac McCarthy: perfect for readers who like a little arterial spray with their history.
BOOKS
The Orenda
by Joseph Boyden
Available Sept. 10){kind=link}
wow – finally, somebody telling it all like it was – today’s 1st nations regurgitating that mantra of living in peace and harmony as one with nature actually prevents them truly understanding themselves – nature is in fact a very brutal ecosystem as were they back in those days – and the rest of us too – they are no different in basic fundamental ways than the rest of us – and imagine how different canadian and north american history might have been if only they had all united against we europeans
I find this brief write up incredibly ethno-centric. Joseph Boyden is
not “a white guy” because you think he looks white. He is a profoundly
important Indigenous voice whose blood speaks to him – whose ancestors
speak through him – for our greater gain. He has the right to identify
as he does without commentary from a non First Nations writer, which I
presume you are. If you have ever read his incomparable prose, you will
know that his Métis heritage is as near to him as your nose would seem to
be to your navel. Further, “Iroquois” is an extremely outdated term. You
have a platform of some importance. Do your research and try having a
conversation with an Elder sometime. It will improve your work.
Congratulations to
Toronto Life, the only publications who is willing to tell it like it is
about this writer!! I suppose by telling the truth Toronto Life has burst
the bubble. YES,
Joseph Boyden IS a WHITE GUY. This is not an
insult, it is a fact. I too am Metis (my great grandmother was
half Native) however I would never identify as a “native writer” even
though now I realize I apparently could. (BTW my dad and thousands of
others were educated in Jesuit schools-what is the point of this fact in
Joseph Boyden’s bio). Unfortunately if one is raised in Willowdale (which sounds dreadful) with WHITE parents
(sorry, one is Metis) living a WHITE LIFE, rather than with Aboriginal parents
immersed in the language, culture and traditions, they are not a native
writer, nor can they authentically recreate a voice they have NO knowledge of. Joseph Boyden is a very
good Canadian writer and STORY TELLER,
told from the perspective of a white guy from Willowdale who has one Aborginal ancestor somewhere in his history (don’t we all) but he himself should speak out
and tell the world he is NOT a native writer and disavowal himself of this
label and correct people every chance he gets and be honest, rather than
use this lie to sell books. I do realize many Native people, including
myself it seems, enjoy his writing. But, there is no way this is an
authentic “Native” voice. For every Wab Kinew supporting him, there a 1000 other Native people who offer a real Native
critique of his work. Toronto
Life got it right, enjoy his books, but don’t
fool yourself that this is an Aboriginal voice.
My Dearest Métis Sister, Tara,
No, sorry you’re wrong. He is using this so-called status as marketing tool.
With love from your Métis Sister, Kate.
This book is fiction.