21FA-LS-5653 - Native American Literature: Peacemaker by Joseph Bruchac
"He could almost hear that song in his mind already, a song as sweet as the singing of the birds or the voice of the warm wind from the summer land melting away the snow of winter."
Bibliography:
Bruchac, Joseph. 2021. Peacemaker. New York: Dial Books. ISBN: 9781984815385
Okwaho is a twelve-year-old Onondagan boy who left his violent village with his parents and several other families seeking peace. Together the families formed the hidden village of Kanata, away from the vengeful great war chief of the Onondaga Nation. The five Iroquis tribes have been long at war, killing each other's men and capturing children and women for centuries. One day, Okwaho and his best friend, Tawis, are fishing outside of Kanata when Tawis is captured by another Iroquois tribe. Okwaho nearly escapes and runs home to warn the families and clans of Tawis' capture. As Okwaho angrily grieves for his friend and contemplates revenge, a messenger arrives in Kanata and shares stories of the Peacemaker, whose mission is to peacefully unite the five Iroquois tribes. Still fighting his need for vengeance, Okwaho is convinced that the Peacemaker is the vision who will bring peace amongst the tribes. When he finally meets the Peacemaker, Okwaho decides to follow the thousands of believers traveling with the Peacemaker to confront the great war chief of the Onondaga Nation, hoping to finally bring peace amongst the tribes and reunite with his long lost friend.
Critical Analysis:
Peacemaker by Joseph Bruchac is a historical fiction middle-grade novel about the creation of the Iroquois Confederacy. The story is set in North America, before the invasion of the European colonies, and accurately depicts the harsh environments that indigenous people endured fighting one another for land, resources, women, and children. The characters are well-rounded and represent authentic Indigenous tribes, especially Okwaho, Carries, and the Peacemaker. I enjoyed reading and listening to the story from Okwaho's perspective because the audience learns a lot about how children perceive the events in the book, like Tawis being captured and Okwaho hiding from the rival tribe. There are also many stories within the book about the Peacemaker traveling between the nations or the mythical story of creation, which provides a rich and clear reflection of cultural traditions and beliefs.
I highly recommend the audiobook version to hear pronunciations of the Indigenous words and songs. I read an eBook of Peacemaker while listening to the unabridged audiobook on OverDrive, and I had a better understanding of how words should be pronounced and what the songs are supposed to sound like when Okwaho sings. There are many names, tribes, and phrases mentioned throughout the story that the audiobook helps readers understand the proper pronunciation, such as Teharonhia:wako, Atatarho, and Haudenosaunee. The narrator, Shaun Taylor-Corbett, does an excellent job of distinguishing different characters in a clear voice at an acceptable volume. The narration is exciting and creates an easy listening experience. Children will especially like when Taylor-Corbett sings Okwaho's songs, such as "Corn, I thank you./ Corn, I thank you./ You and your two sisters/ Bring us life."
Joseph Bruchac is an exceptional writer who blends good and evil characters, historical settings, and cultural values. I thought at first that some of the Indigenous characters had stereotypical names, like Clouds Forming, but I realized that the names actually reflect realistic and accurate names of Native Americans from the historical time period. The story also reflects distinct cultural experiences that many tribes endured during the 15th century, although the specific timeline is not apparent from the book. I appreciated that Bruchac included cultural values and customs, such as asking nature's permission to indulge in its bounty, like thanking the trout for its nourishment when it is caught at the beginning of the book, "May your spirit continue to swim."
Overall, Peacemaker is a fantastic story that accurately depicts the creation of the Iroquois Confederacy — peace treaty, through the Indigenous characters and cultural experiences from circa the 1500s. Readers of all ages will enjoy reading or listening to this novel (or both!) and especially enjoy the songs in the book. I recommend that everyone study the map, The Land of the Five Nations, at the beginning of the book to clearly understand where all of the events in the story take place. I also must mention how gorgeous the book's cover is, and I think it illustrates the plot perfectly. Anyone looking for an accurate and authentic historical fiction middle-grade novel about Native Americans should definitely check out this novel.
Awards and Reviews:
From ALA Booklist, "The included stories allow Bruchac to share much about Iroquoian family life, culture, and worldviews, and should put to rest the numerous errors to be found in Longfellow's poem, "The Song of Hiawatha." Told with grace, this will be welcomed in history classes and those look for successful examples of nonviolent anti-bullying strategies."
From Publishers Weekly, "Bruchac brings a fresh point of view to this briskly told fictionalization of the Iroquois Confederacy's beginnings."
Connections:
Discussion: After reading the novel, invite patrons or students to discuss the events at the end of the story. How did they feel about Tawis' adoption by the other tribe? After the nations unite in peace, does anyone believe that Tawis will be allowed to return to his real family? Why or why not? Invite patrons or students to also talk about the different characters, like the Peacemaker. Are there any real-life connections they can make?
Activity: Copy a list of Indigenous words from the book and ask patrons or students to practice pronouncing the language. Once they think they know what the words sound like, find an audio version online for patrons or students to listen to the correct pronunciation.
Readers who enjoyed Peacemaker might also like the following middle-grade historical novels from Joseph Bruchac:
- 2021. Rez Dogs. ISBN: 9780593326213
- 2018. Two Roads. ISBN: 9780735228863
- 2016. Talking Leaves. ISBN: 9780803735088
- 2004. Hidden Roots. ISBN: 9780439353588
- 2004. The Winter People. ISBN: 9780142402290
- 2001. Sacajawea. ISBN: 9780439280686
- 2001. The Journal of Jesse Smoke: A Cherokee Boy, Trail of Tears, 1838. ISBN: 9780439121972