Fort Chipewyan Homecoming: A Journey to Native Canada

John Steckley teaches in the Human Studies Program at Humber College in
Toronto.

In this book a Chipewyan woman, Mercredi, writes about taking her
12-year-old son, Matthew, back to the northern Alberta reserve on which
she was raised. Mercredi speaks of Matthew’s experiencing such
traditional Chipewyan crafts as bannock and moccasin making, netfishing,
and the scaling, smoking, and drying of fish. Rather than idealizing her
son, she represents his emotional reactions honestly (e.g., his
initially missing his Sega Game Gear and his initial frustration with
trying to learn how to do the crafts).

The reading level is appropriate for students in Grades 4 to 6. The
pictures are excellent, clearly illustrating what is discussed in the
text. Fort Chipewyan Homecoming provides some valuable insights into
what life is like on a northern reserve. Recommended.