Black Water (memoir) facts for kids
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| Author | David Robertson (writer) |
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| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Memoir |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
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Publication date
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September 22, 2020 |
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Black Water: Family, Legacy, and Blood Memory is a true story, also known as a memoir. It was written by David A. Robertson and came out on September 22, 2020. The book was published by HarperCollins. In Black Water, Robertson shares his personal journey of discovering his family's past and connecting with his Cree heritage.
Contents
Discovering Family History
This book tells the story of David Robertson's journey to understand his family's roots. He explores his connection to the Cree people.
David's Father's Early Life
David's father, Don, was Cree, and his mother, Beverly, was not Indigenous. Don grew up near Norway House, Manitoba. He learned many traditional Cree ways of life.
In 1945, a new law called the Family Allowance Act changed things. This law offered money to Indigenous families who had a permanent home. Because of this, Don's family could no longer live fully off the land.
Soon after, Don went to public school. He slowly forgot his native Swampy Cree language.
A Family Secret
Later, Don became a pastor. He met and married Beverly. They had three sons, including David. Don and Beverly decided not to tell their sons about their Indigenous background.
They worried that knowing about their Swampy Cree roots would be a "burden" for them. The family lived in Winnipeg and did not connect with other Cree people. After his parents divorced, David spent less time with his family for about ten years.
Reconnecting with Heritage
David eventually got back in touch with his father. This is when he learned about his family's Cree heritage. David and his father, Don, traveled to Norway House many times.
These trips helped David connect with his family's history and culture. The book is built around David's journey to connect with his heritage, the land, and his father.
Main Ideas of the Book
Black Water also explores David's own feelings about his Indigenous identity. He shares how he grew and dealt with his worries. The main ideas of the book are in its subtitle: family, legacy, and blood memory.
Robertson also writes about other topics. These include dealing with anxiety and the importance of lost languages. He also talks about how the Family Allowance Act affected his father's family.
It is important that Robertson explains his experience is just one story. He notes that other Indigenous people may have very different experiences.
How the Book Was Written
David Robertson was finishing the book when his father passed away. He thought about adding his father's death to the story. However, he decided not to.
He felt that adding this detail would mean rewriting the whole book. The main focus of the book was the renewed relationship with his father.
Writing Style
Even though Black Water is a memoir, Robertson wanted it to feel like an exciting story. He wanted it to be as engaging as a good fiction book. To do this, he mixed different parts of the story together.
He wove in memories and thoughts with visits to the trapline with his father. This way of writing is not common for memoirs.
