Motorcycles and Sweetgrass

The third novel I read in my popular Canadian literature class was Mortocycles & Sweetgrass by Drew Hayden Taylor. It was refreshing to read a novel based on a Native Reserve in Ontario, it really gave me a new perspective on a very important part of Canada's culture. He is able to pull off an effective story using comedy and mysticism.

Motorcycles & Sweetgrass – Drew Hayden Taylor (p 1-145)

I am really enjoying this book so far. I find it flows well which allows me to read large chunks of it at a time without getting bored. I think that the feud between John and the raccoons is amusing and I am intrigued as to who will win or whether they will set aside their differences. The descriptions of John’s motorcycle are quite amusing and add humour to the story. He also does an excellent job of describing the sweetgrass, so that the title of the book begins to make sense since you know that both John’s motorcycle and the sweetgrass are important to the plot. One representation of Canadian identity I have seen in the book is reserve life for aboriginals. The troubles faced by the residents on the reserve and the stigma they face from the surrounding towns are discussed in reference with Otter Lake having purchased additional acreage. Another is the residential schooling system in Canada from starting in the late 19^th century which is described at the beginning of the book when Lillian is sent to one. It is definitely a social criticism on how the schools deprived aboriginal children from learning their cultural heritage and how the schools caused Canada to lose some of its languages and customs because the next generation was prevented from being taught. I am not really sure if I can relate to the book although it does give me a familiar feeling when I read it, like I have experienced some of the same emotions as some of the characters etc. but I have not been in many of the same situations as the characters.

Motorcycles and Sweetgrass – Drew Hayden Taylor (p 146-345)

The second half was just as amusing to read as the first, I found myself unable to put the book down! I enjoyed the continuation of John’s feud with the racoons, particularly the incident where the racoons desecrate his motorcycle by defecating on it. A part of Canadian identity explored in this half of the book is that of Native folklore with Virgil and Wayne believing that John is Nanabush and exploring the trickster’s background. I like the exploration of Wayne’s character: his relationship with his siblings and mother, the fact that he is creating an Anishnawbe martial art is really cool, and his solitary existence on the island being one with nature. I can relate to Dakota and her crush on John in the text because when I was in middle school/high school I often had crushes on celebrities etc. that my guy friends/family members did not think were interesting or a good choice just like Virgil cannot stand Dakota’s infatuation with John. This book made me laugh a lot with all of Nanabush’s shenanigans. I also thought a lot more about how Canada has treated its Aboriginal population over the years and how there is still a lot of repair to be done in order to fix the damage that the residential schools caused to many people. It brought to light the extremely touchy subject of Native land claims as well and how bureaucratic the system is to process the claim and how critical the public is when a claim is granted. I would recommend Motorcycles and Sweetgrass to anyone looking for a quick, lighthearted read that also informs the reader about the rich cultural heritage of the Ojibway and Anisnawbe people in Canada.

Drew Hayden Taylor