The Night Watchman

Synopsis: Thomas Wazhashk is the night watchman at the jewel bearing plant, the first factory located near the Turtle Mountain Reservation in rural North Dakota. He is also a Chippewa council member leading the fight against the 1953 Indian termination bill. While representing itself as an ”emancipation” bill, the proposed legislation would dispossess the native tribes of their identity, their land, and any rights due to them from previous treaties. Intertwined with this tale are the stories of other members of the community including Patrice, a recent high school graduate trying to balance her obligation to family with her own dreams and aspirations.

Review: While this is presented as fiction, the novel is based on the extraordinary life of the author’s grandfather, and based on true events. The story is told in alternating chapters representing the POV of Thomas, and his niece Patrice. The looming threat of termination dominates Thomas’s story, while Patrice is largely concerned about supporting her family, helping to find her sister who has been lost to sex trafficking in Minneapolis, and keeping her alcoholic father at bay. While I enjoyed the entire book, Patrice had the story line that really got under my skin. She wanted to balance her native identity with greater ambitions, and I was rooting for her success the whole way. The characters were rich and complex, and even the minor characters were well done. There is a lot of history embedded in this tale, and I definitely learned something new. A novel worthy of the Pulitzer Prize!

Rating: 4/5

Recipe: The Chippewa diet was traditionally based on fish, game, wild rice, corn and an enormous variety of nuts, berries, greens and tubers. As a result of treaties, the US government paid for Chippewa lands with commodities which led to significant changes in the indigenous diet, a topic about which much has been written. The flour in this recipe would not be authentic, but for a family in 1953 it would be!

Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

2 carrots finely chopped

2 celery ribs finely chopped

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup all purpose flour

4 cups chicken or turkey broth

2 cups cooked wild rice

2 cups cubed turkey

2 cups half and half

chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1) In a dutch oven, melt butter over medium high heat. Saute carrots, celery and onion until tender.

2) Stir in flour until bubbly. Gradually add in broth. Bring to a boil and cook 1-2 minutes until thickened.

3) Stir in remaining ingredients, return to a boil. Reduce heat and and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes.