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 Chapter Summary: In this chapter Dagoo and the hunters find
the two old women alive and healthy. After an initial tense confrontation, the
two old women lay down strict rules about how they will interact with The
People. The two old women share
their food with the men and promise to share with The People if they promise to
follow their demands.
How do you think the women felt when they first heard the
voice of Dagoo? (p. 108)
Points to consider:
- The women would have felt both fear and relief.
- Perhaps they felt they imagined hearing voices after
such a long period of time with silence.
Why did Ch’idzigyaak panic when she heard the voice? (p. 108)
Points to consider:
- She panics because she knows the voice means they
have been found.
- The voice also means a confrontation with her
daughter and grandson, if they are still alive.
Why did Sa’ and Ch’idzigyaak have spears? (p. 110)
Points to consider:
- The women are prepared to die in order to protect
their hard work.
- They want to show the men they are serious.
What does Ch’idzigyaak mean when she says, “Like he did last
time,” with regards to Dagoo’s promise of the chief protecting the two old
women. (p. 111)
Points to consider:
- In leaving them behind, the chief broke his
unofficial promise to protect the tribe, which included the two old women.
- She is being sarcastic here, and letting Dagoo know
they are bitter about being left behind. This is a barb at Dagoo, as well,
for he should have spoken up.
Why are the two old women in better shape than The
People? (p. 113)
Points to consider:
- They have a huge food supply as well as furs and
firewood.
- They are stronger mentally. They have never given up.
Why do you think Ch’idzigyaak doesn’t feel pity for the
starving hunters?
Points to consider:
- She is bitter and angry.
- She can’t allow herself to trust the people who left
her behind.
What do the women fear now that The People have found
them? (p. 115)
Points to consider:
- They fear having their cache raided.
- They fear being left behind again.
Why do you think Dagoo promises to protect the women? (p. 115)
Points to consider:
- Dagoo himself is older, and his promise to protect
them also means that he understands the vulnerable role of the elders in
the band, including himself.
- Dagoo admires the old women and he knows the band was
wrong in leaving them behind.
How does discovering the women make him feel about
himself? (p. 116)
Points to consider:
- After seeing the women survive, as frail and weak as
they had been, Dagoo knows he too could survive.
- He gains new hope in himself and his abilities.
Why do the two old women agree to return to The People?
What have they been missing? (p. 117)
Points to consider:
- They return out of a sense of obligation to share
their success.
- They also agree to return because they miss the band,
the children, and the sense of belonging.
What does Sa’ mean when she says, “If they do the same to
us again, we will survive.” (p. 118)
Points to consider:
- They know they have the tools and strength to survive
now.
- The women have changed. They are no longer helpless and
like “babies” as they once were.
How will the two old women always be a “reminder to them
in harder times ahead?” (p. 118)
Points to consider:
- They will be a living reminder of how survival is
always possible.
- The women will also remind The People of the wisdom the
elders possess.
Why did the two old women insist that The People would
eat sparingly from the food they would give them? (p. 121)
Points to consider:
- They understood the need to practice sustainability.
- They never wanted to face famine again and, by making
sure they always had enough, they would always be able to have the energy
to hunt and gather.
Why did the women sleep worry-free for the first night in
a long time? (p. 121)
Points to consider:
- They were no longer alone and didn’t have to worry
about wolves and other predators.
- The males gave them a sense of safety, something even
their struggle hadn’t quite given them, as they now knew they weren’t
alone and that someone would protect them.
Chapter Eight: A new beginning
Chapter Summary: In this final chapter The People and the
two old women reunite. Mother and
daughter and son are brought back together and the band learns a valuable
lesson about communication, respect for the elders, and themselves. The two old women are appointed to the
council to share the knowledge they possess.
Discussion Questions for Chapter
Eight:
This chapter is titled “A new beginning.” Why? (p. 123)
Points to consider:
- The People have a chance to start over with the two
old women.
- They also have a chance to rethink the choices they
made in the past and to start anew.
Why did the two old women only give small portions of
food? (p. 125)
Points to consider:
- They wanted to teach the band what they had learned
about how to use their resources.
- They understood the importance of making the little
that they had last as long as possible to avoid starvation.
Why do you think The People were forbidden from visiting
the camp of the two old women? (p. 126)
Points to consider:
- The women feared the reaction to their accumulation
of wealth (fur, wood, and food).
- They were still leery of The People and did not trust
them fully.
Why do you think Ch’idzigyaak was afraid to ask about the
fate of her family? (p. 129)
Points to consider:
- She was afraid they didn’t survive.
- She might have also been afraid to confront them. She
might not have known what to say to her.
Why was Ch’idzigyaak unsure her daughter would visit? (p. 130)
Points to consider:
- She may have thought her daughter would feel too
guilty about leaving her behind.
- She couldn’t be sure how her daughter felt about not
speaking out when the decision was made to leave the old women.
What do you think Ch’idzigyaak whispered in Ozhii Nelii’s
ear? (p. 134)
Points to consider:
- This is a great question to ask for discussion
because everyone will have a different answer.
- Perhaps the question might be this: What could she
say that would allow her daughter to no longer feel guilt?
- The question of why Wallis chose not to reveal this
whisper also makes for great discussion.
Explain the new roles in the band. (p. 135)
Points to consider:
- The women now had honorary positions and would be
allowed to share ideas and thoughts.
- The roles of gender might also be reconsidered.
How had the band changed? (p. 135)
Points to consider:
- The band learned to respect elders and to communicate
with each other.
- They also learned to respect the resources and to not
over-hunt an area and deplete the resources in that area.
How did The People know that more hard times were to
follow? (p. 135)
Points to consider:
- Hard times were a part of the land. There would always
be difficult winters and The People knew they must always be ready for
those times.
- Times of scarcity and difficulty would always play a
role in the Gwich’in lifestyle.
The People wanted to help the old women in any way that
they could. Why wouldn’t the two
old women allow much assistance? (p. 135)
Points to consider:
- The women feared they would allow themselves to get
lazy again.
- They also didn’t want to lose their value to the
tribe.
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