Moment for Dialogue Approaches
Growin' Up, the Métis Way:
What's the deal with being an adult? That's a question that's been plaguing Richard, a young chap from Manitoba, after his great-uncle Alfred - whom he sees as more like a grandpa - kicks the bucket.
With his memories now crystal clear, Richard finds himself behind the wheel of Uncle Alfred's ol' pump truck, cleaning up septic messes across the countryside. He ponders why he can't seem to break free from this land he loves so fiercely, even as the one he adores moves off to the big city for school.
The ghost of Uncle Alfred starts making house calls, and with them come fragments of family history that Richard never bothered to mull over. His folks, displaced in a French-speaking Catholic enclave along the Red River near old Saint-Boniface, hid their language and culture, facing intimidation, ostracism, and things that his grandpa dared not utter aloud.
Written in a seamless blend of French, Franglais, and Michif (the Métis lingo), with help from translator Luba Markovskaia, we follow Richard's journey as he grapples with defining his Métis identity.
Enter Hold Your Tongue, a captivating debut novel from Matthew Tétreault. As a professor of Native Studies at the University of Manitoba, Tétreault draws from his own experiences growing up in Sainte-Anne-des-Chênes to weave a tale that steers clear of well-trodden paths. This book offers what literature does best: a platform for the voiceless.
If you're into stories that dredge up the past, confront the present, and peer into the future - all while shining a light on the struggles of the Métis people - this one's for you.
Hold Your Tongue
Matthew Tétreault (translated by Luba Markovskaia)
La Peuplade
440 pages
7.5/10
Insights:
- The novel Hold Your Tongue by Matthew Tétreault is a personal and collective examination of Métis identity, focusing on identity, heritage, and belonging within the Métis community in Manitoba.
- The novel delves into the challenges faced by Métis people in Manitoba, including the struggles to maintain and define Métis identity, the impact of historical and social pressures, and the process of reclaiming and understanding Métis identity in contemporary society.
- By portraying a family's experiences, Hold Your Tongue addresses broader issues of cultural survival and the ways in which historical legacies shape present-day realities for Métis people in Manitoba.
- Hold Your Tongue serves as a poignant meditation on Métis identity through both personal and community lenses.
- Intrigued by family history and his Métis roots, Richard delves into the realms of fashion-and-beauty, arts, and lifestyle, seeking ways to express and honor his heritage.
- Traveling the countryside, Richard discovers local home-and-garden crafts and recipes that hold tales of the Métis way of life, encouraging him to preserve them.
- As Richard navigates his relationships, he wonders about his role as a partner and his responsibilities towards his community, a quandary that mirrors the complexities of the Métis experience.
- Hoping to turn the page on his past, Richard dreams of buying a vintage car, a symbol of freedom and personal expressiveness, as he forges his new path as a proud Métis adult.
