Keeper'n Me

Keeper is also a central character and narrator in the story. He is an elder Ojibwe man and Garnet’s guide, and his narration complements Garnet’s journey. Keeper explains The Impact of Colonialism on Indigenous Tradition and passes on Ojibwe history and culture. Keeper’s character demonstrates the significance of the elders in Indigenous communities as healers and guardians of tradition and cultural heritage. Keeper is the keeper of the drum, granted to him by Harold. The drum is a big responsibility as it represents the soul of the nation.

Keeper is connected to the Raven family. Garnet’s grandfather was his teacher and guide as a young man. He and Garnet’s mother are friends and attended residential school together. Keeper is a contemporary elder. He was also impacted by colonial policies and at times lost touch with the Ojibwe tradition. He developed an alcohol addiction that troubled him for years, and he felt guilty for distancing himself from Harold’s traditional teachings. However, this knowledge and his love for Harold always remained inside him.

Keeper’s and Garnet’s paths cross despite being from different generations. Both men must fight against colonial trauma that distorted their consciousness and reclaim their Ojibwe identity. Keeper got tired of “bein’ drunk [and] sick” and decided to attend rehab (103). Garnet’s mother encouraged him. Keeper sees his own self in Garnet: “Watched you tryin’ to move around here. Tryin’ to find yourself. Saw you tryin’ real hard to be Indyun. Kinda reminded me of me” (103). The presence of Garnet reinforces Keeper’s determination to overcome his addiction and heal himself, meaning that their relationship reflects the balance that pervades the text. Seeing Garnet returning to the reserve, longing for a sense of home and identity, Keeper realizes his responsibility to help the young man and pass on his knowledge of the Ojibwe tradition. Garnet is also a “guide” for Keeper, because he helps him remember the old teachings. Their relationship resembles the one that Keeper had with Harold, a thread that suggesting continuation and survival, and is crucial for the preservation of the Ojibwe culture.

Keeper helps Garnet to heal his traumas and find a sense of self through the stories and ceremonies of the Ojibwe culture. He initiates Garnet into traditional rituals and ceremonies that help him to reconnect with his inner self. Through Keeper, Garner understands the Ojibwe worldview and the importance of nature and land; by having Keeper teach Garner, Richard Wagamese also teaches readers who are not knowledgeable about Ojibwe culture.

Alice Raven is Garnet’s mother. Even though their relationship is a subplot, it underlies the whole novel and is key in Garnet’s feeling of home. Garnet does not even remember her name but feels safe in her embrace. Their reunion is an emotional scene and indicates Garnet’s immediate connection to her. Alice is a courageous and patient woman who grew up in a traditional Ojibwe way. She and her husband, John, had a traditional Ojibwe wedding. Alice saw her family collapsing due to colonial policies as her children were abducted by the authorities of the foster care system. She and John could not forgive themselves: “We jus’ thought we failed you all” (81). She and John also became addicted to alcohol due to their pain. Alice decided to overcome her addiction after Jane found her again. Garnet’s father, though, could not overcome the hurt.

Alice is afraid that Garnet might consider her responsible for his abduction. However, Garnet does not blame his mother. Alice always remembered her lost son and believed that he would return home, emphasizing the novel’s wider idea that, although colonialism can cause trauma, it cannot completely destroy peoples or ideas. She refused to remarry for fear that Garnet might lose his tribal rights. She is the first to talk to him about the Anishinaabe culture, and about the “[magic] born of the land” (11). She encourages him to listen to Keeper, believing that Garnet has things to learn from the elder man. She was also the one who prompted Keeper to rehab. With her behavior, Alice exemplifies love, patience, and perseverance as an Anishinaabe woman. Despite the years of loss and colonial trauma, her children return to her.