Hey Monias!: The Story of Raphael Ironstand

Ronald R. Henry is director of the School of Translators and
Interpreters at Laurentian University.

When he looked for the first time in a mirror in the priest’s
bathroom, Raphael Ironstand saw his green eyes, his white-blond hair,
and his white skin. “Monias!: White man!” The Cree boys at the
residential school hurled their hatred at him. He was Métis, and his
genes had played a dirty trick on him. He had been brought up on the
reserve by an Ojibway stepfather walled in silence and a mother who hit
first and (sometimes) asked questions later. Yet he knew that he was
Anishnawbe. He also believed that there was a place where he could be
free from hunger; in his innocence, he chose to go to the residential
school.

This tale of so-called Christian schooling is preceded by a tale of
childhood poverty and followed by an account of Ironstand’s unhappy
stint in the army. A personal history of survival among mean, generous,
sad, and funny people, the book also reveals a part of the motley
Canadian mosaic and our colonial heritage.

There comes a time in a person’s life when events must be reviewed
and old wounds healed. Ironstand’s notes, which are the basis of
Stewart Dickson’s book, are part of this reckoning. The healing
involves coming to terms with personal and social identity. Wardens,
preachers, teachers, and others who read this story will gain much
insight into the process.