METLAKATLA

Tomilson presents a historical novel about European/Canadian contact in the 19th century.

Gugweelaks is a member of the Tsimshian tribe. His early life in the 1800s in what is modern day Canada is based around hunting, fishing, and adhering to traditional rules of conduct. As an Elder in the Eagle Clan (the youngest elder, at 15), Gugweelaks knows much about the stories of his people, and when he is inducted into a group called the Cannibal Dancers, he is greatly honored. With the advent of European traders, the area undergoes upheaval. The Whites (as Gugweelaks refers to them) introduce two major problems: guns and alcohol. The former allows deadly power to be abused by whoever happens to have such a weapon in their hands. The latter causes great harm to the Indigenous people that consume it. Christianity, by way of Anglican missionaries, also heralds changes. Gugweelaks befriends a kindly missionary named William Duncan, who learns the Tsimshian language. Duncan in turn teaches Gugweelaks to write and speak English, and even has Gugweelaks baptized as “Jack.” Eventually, Duncan seeks to build a peaceful, morally upright village in a location called Metlakatla; over time, Duncan and Gugweelak’s relationship deteriorates. With several characters based on real people, the story deftly details the clash of cultures: Duncan is outraged when Gugweelaks interprets a biblical story as being akin to an Indigenous myth; Gugweelaks’ comparison is completely understandable, though Duncan is so upset he gestures as if “he was shaking seaweed off his arms after a swim.” While such moments illuminate the time period, other scenes grow protracted with little payoff. Gugweelaks, as the narrator, tends to overshare: At one point, when he overhears others, he tells the reader his “peace changed to loneliness as I listened to their laughter.” Such statements make for some dense passages. Nevertheless, the text captures the essence of a bizarre and frightening time of change.

The lives of the characters provide a lengthy and in-depth (yet inviting) look at a collision of worlds.