National Network for Equitable Library Service

Born in 1912, Mrs. Alice Ahenakew grew up in a traditional Cree community in north-central Saskatchewan. As a young woman, she married Andrew Ahenakew, a member of the prominent Saskatchewan family, who later became a well-known Anglican priest and Cree healer." "Mrs. Ahenakew's personal reminiscences include stories of her childhood, courtship and marriage, as well as an account of the 1918 influenza epidemic and encounters with a windigo. The centrepiece of this book is the fascinating account of the bear vision to which the Rev. Andrew Ahenakew owed his healing powers. Mrs. Ahenakew concludes with the story of an old woman's curse and its terrifying results." "This book presents Mrs. Ahenakew's original Cree text along with a full English translation. It also includes an introduction discussing the historical background of the narrative and its style and rhetorical structure, as well as a complete Cree-English glossary.