National Network for Equitable Library Service

Myth of the Barrens is a true account of a young Metis woman's discovery of the land and ancient spirits of the Canadian North. Bren Kolson travels with a Dene elder in winter across the Barrens, entering a world in which the landscape is both physical and spiritual -- the sacred land of the ancestors. Kolson vividly describes the challenges that lead her to a deeper understanding of both the land and herself, as she discovers how to not only survive but to thrive in this seemingly inhospitable landscape. Amid the cold, isolation and demanding environment, Kolson explores the balance of life and death, of hunter and hunted, even as she awakens to the extreme beauty of the Barrens. Kolson's strong narrative is complemented by photography that underscores the physical wonders of the North and portrays a vanishing way of life for First Nations people.