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A Stranger at Home

by Christy Jordan-Fenton, Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, Liz Amini-Holmes (Illustrator)

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 39 ratings · 12 reviews

"The powerful memoir of an Inuvialuit girl searching for her true self when she returns from residential school."

Traveling to be reunited with her family in the Arctic, 10-year-old Margaret Pokiak can hardly contain her excitement. It's been two years since her parents delivered her to the school run by the dark-cloaked nuns and brothers.

Coming ashore, Margaret spots her f...more

Paperback, 124 pages

Published July 14th 2011 by Annick Press

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Feb 09, 2012 Louise rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoirs

Story Description:

The powerful memoir of an Inuvialuit girl searching for her true self when she returns from residential school.
Traveling to be reunited with her family in the Arctic, 10-year-old Margaret Pokiak can hardly contain her excitement. It's been two years since her parents delivered her to the school run by the dark-cloaked nuns and brothers.
Coming ashore, Margaret spots her family, but her mother barely recognizes her, screaming, "Not my girl." Margaret realizes she is now marked as...more Story Description:

The powerful memoir of an Inuvialuit girl searching for her true self when she returns from residential school.
Traveling to be reunited with her family in the Arctic, 10-year-old Margaret Pokiak can hardly contain her excitement. It's been two years since her parents delivered her to the school run by the dark-cloaked nuns and brothers.
Coming ashore, Margaret spots her family, but her mother barely recognizes her, screaming, "Not my girl." Margaret realizes she is now marked as an outsider.
And Margaret is an outsider: she has forgotten the language and stories of her people, and she can't even stomach the food her mother prepares.
However, Margaret gradually relearns her language and her family's way of living. Along the way, she discovers how important it is to remain true to the ways of her people -- and to herself.
Highlighted by archival photos and striking artwork, this first-person account of a young girl's struggle to find her place will inspire young readers to ask what it means to belong.

My Review:

Olemaun Pokiak was named for a stone that sharpens a knife and it is an Inuit name.

In Tuktoyaktuk Olemaun is looking for her family who she hadn’t seen for a long time. As she disembarks from the boat she recognized her mother’ voice and looked up. She saw her two-year-old brother, Ernest, strapped to her mother’s back and her sisters, Mabel age 7, and Elizabeth age 8. Her father wasn’t with them. Her mother didn’t recognize Olemaun and refused to come toward her, she hadn’t seen her for two years.

Olemaun and her family lived on Banks Island in the Arctic. Olemaun has been away at school in Aklavik. She was desperate for her mother to recognize her and stared at her but her mother kept repeating: “Not my girl. Not my girl.” Olemaun blamed the brothers, priests and nun at the school she was attending for her mother’s non-recognition for they had turned her from a: “…plump, round-faced girl her mother knew into a skinny gaunt creature” through the chores she did and the type of food she had to eat. They had also cut her long hair short. Olemaun was now ten-years-old and taller than when she left. Suddenly her father showed up in the crowd, recognized her, and hugged her tight. Her father called her Olemaun, it was the first time she’d heard her name in two years as the teachers at the school called her Margaret.

Once home in their tent Olemaun realizes she is no longer “Olemaun” but “Margaret” the English speaking girl from the school. She has forgotten her mother language and doesn’t seem to fit in with her family anymore. She can’t communicate with them, can’t eat the food she grew up with, no longer has any friends, and struggles to regain all that she has lost.

This is a wonderful memoir for children. They will learn a lot about the people of the North. Even in my 50’s I learned a lot and thoroughly enjoyed the book. At only 126 pages it was a quick read complete with illustrations and about ten pages of actual photographs at the end of the book.
(less)

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Jan 23, 2012 Clare Cannon rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 08-12yrs

I know this is a story that needs to be told: the effect of taking Indigenous children away from their parents to educate them during colonisation, but this telling is quite bitter. No doubt some of the situations faced were bitter, but here the bitterness is turned towards making all of the nuns and brothers who undertook this education quite evil: ruthless with punishment, cruel and lacking affection, and down-right scary with their shaved heads underneath their habits. Their faith seems to ha...more

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Jul 18, 2011 Betty rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: inuit, catholic, residential-school, displaced, eskimo, language, customs, dogsled, government-interference, children, aboriginal

Artwork by Liz Amini-Holmes
Published by Annick Press

This book is the life of author, Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, the sequel to "Fatty Legs" by the same authors. It is also the life of Canada's shame, the story of how the government took the children away from all aboriginal nations and sent them to Catholic residential schools. "A Stranger at Home" tells the true story of Margaret's return to her parents in Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories and how she was snubbed by family, friends, and townspeopl...more Artwork by Liz Amini-Holmes
Published by Annick Press

This book is the life of author, Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, the sequel to "Fatty Legs" by the same authors. It is also the life of Canada's shame, the story of how the government took the children away from all aboriginal nations and sent them to Catholic residential schools. "A Stranger at Home" tells the true story of Margaret's return to her parents in Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories and how she was snubbed by family, friends, and townspeople. I have not read "Fatty Legs", but must because it will take me into her years in school.

The boat bringing home the children is arriving in Tuktoyaktuk, or Tuk as they call it. Parents and siblings are waiting for the arrival, but when Margaret approaches her mother, she says "Not my daughter!" Margaret's hair has been cut, she is in clothing supplied by the school, and all tradition is gone. She can not even remember how to speak her language, Invialuktun. She is unable to understand her mother and her mother does not understand her. Her siblings look at Margaret as though she were an alien. She is now an "outsider" and is devastated. The book is well named because Margaret is indeed "a stranger at home". Her father does speak English, fortunately, and he is her only strength.

Margaret can no longer eat the food her mother prepares. She can't eat and loses weight. Even the food at the Hudson Bay store doesn't appeal to her. She is horrified when the family eats without saying grace, and is terrified that her family will go to Hell. This is what she has been taught, and that it is her responsibility to convert her family. Margaret's best friend Agnes can no longer play with or see her, because she only knows English. Agnes kept her language by telling herself stories in her mind and occasionally naming things in her room, but she is punished when she is caught. Margaret's only happiness is playing with the dogs and reading. She particularly likes "Gulliver's Travels", relating to it in a way.

Through her father's attention and help, and her mother trying to find communication, Margaret finally finds a way to be a part of her family again. She is once again Olemaun Pokiak, her Inuvialuit, or Inuit name. She is able to eat the food her mother prepares. She remembers how to skin caribou, and she is able to drive a team and sled. But still she misses her home on Banks Island where she was so happy growing up. Tuktoyaktuk still seems like a stopover, and soon it will prove to be just that when the government people come and tell them that the children must go to the school, and that includes Margaret's siblings.

This is a book everyone should read. It is written for school-age, but I feel it should be read and explained by adults who can remember this time, or who understand this time, so the children and young adults will understand what happened, how it affected the families, and how so many languages almost went extinct.

Kudos to those who have worked hard to restore the languages, beliefs and teach their children of the old ways. That is not the whole story, though. Through the efforts of people like Margaret, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the aboriginal renewal has been underway for the past several years and now many languages have been retrieved and spoken, old customs have been returned, although now updated.(less)

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Mar 06, 2013 Daniela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography, canadian, childrens, historical, native

Authors:
Christy Jordan-Fenton & Margaret Pokiak-Fenton

Sequel to:
Fatty Legs

Genre:
Non-Fiction, Biography, Canadian, Historical, Native

Summary:
After a harrowing two years spent at a residential boarding school, ten-year-old Margaret is finally reunited with her family. She almost can’t contain her excitement.

But Margaret’s enthusiasm is soon squashed when her mother shouts: “Not my girl. Not my girl!” Startled, Margaret looks in the crowd for her father who draws her into his loving embrace.

Adj...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Ubalstecha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Margaret is home from residential school and is finding it hard to fit in with her family. Unable to speak her own language nor eat the traditional foods her mother has made for her, Margaret realizes that she has been more changed by her experience at residential school than she realized. Can she find a way to navigate her life with her family? Especially given what is coming.

Another painful memoir from Margaret Pokiak-Fenton that continues to explore the impact of residential schools on the ch...more

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Oct 01, 2012 Anne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, juvenile, memoir, psc-reviews

Sequel to “Fatty Legs”. This memoir continues the story of Olemaun, aka Margaret, an Alaskan Inuit girl who was sent away from her family to boarding school. Now she is rejoining her family but is having a difficult time readjusting; she has lost her taste for once familiar foods and has lost much of her native tongue after being forced to speak English only at school. Interspersed with colorful illustrations plus actual family photographs at the end of the book, this is a candid look at what In...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Mallory rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography, canadian, golden-oak-2012

In the sequel to “Fatty legs”, Margaret continues her story after two terrible years at the Catholic boarding school when she is finally able to go home to her family. Because she wasn’t allowed to speak anything other than English at school she actually forgot how to speak to her family. Only her father knows English and she works very hard to get herself back. She finds that she is not the same Olemaun as she was when she left home – even her mother doesn’t recognize her with her short outside...more

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Apr 25, 2013 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-teen, nonfiction

This is a powerful book about the immediate impact of residential schooling. Upon returning home, Olemaun feels like a stranger and is treated like an outsider. It was difficult for me to read about her struggles and difficulties with daily life. I think this is a must read for anyone who works with Native children, especially those in the arctic. Many teachers would benefit from reading this and gaining a stronger understanding of the dark history of “education” in Native communities.

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Mar 24, 2012 Lynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: juvenile, native-american

One do the few sequel books that is as good as the first. A must read for anyone who wants to teach youngsters that there is more than one point of view for any historical event - in this case, the attempt of the government to de - Indianize North America's indigenous people.
Could be used with "My Name is Not Easy"

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Aug 12, 2012 Valerie Keith rated it 3 of 5 stars

A good sequeal to the first book Fatty Legs. Interesting perspective about the Inuit and residential schools written at a junior level.

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Mar 18, 2013 Jeffrey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Even better than Fatty Legs, the prequel to this moving story, because of the sense of disconnection that Olemaun aka Margaret feels from her family and her community as a result of her residential schooling in Canada's far north and Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton get that sense of numbing isolation just right - a brilliant book

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Feb 20, 2012 Raegan Rocco rated it 5 of 5 stars

After reading Fatty Legs, I was really looking forward to this story and I'm so glad I read it...it was so touching. A moving story about love, learning who we really are and honoring ourselves and our culture. I LOVED this book and would strongly recommend it, but read Fatty Legs First!

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May 14, 2013 Krista the Krazy Kataloguer marked it as to-read

Shelves: to-read-interloan-sd

May 07, 2013 Ruh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Apr 25, 2013 BSHS.book.Smith marked it as to-read

Apr 11, 2013 Ilaria Tomasini rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mar 24, 2013 Alexa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Mar 19, 2013 Paige Wilson added it

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Mar 08, 2013 Smittygritty is currently reading it · review of another edition

Feb 19, 2013 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Feb 03, 2013 Sara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jan 18, 2013 Jj marked it as to-read

Shelves: books-for-youth, nonfiction

Jan 16, 2013 Kari added it

Jan 11, 2013 Forestofreading 2013 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Dec 12, 2012 Colleen Bryant rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: aboriginal, canada, childrens, education, historical, memoir, must-read, thought-provoking, non-fiction

Nov 15, 2012 Shshank marked it as to-read

Nov 13, 2012 Padraig added it

Shelves: ng

Oct 10, 2012 Sarah Whitworth rated it 4 of 5 stars

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About Christy Jordan-Fenton

Christy Jordan-Fenton was born on a farm in rural Alberta. Her only dreams were to be a cowgirl, to dance with Gene Kelly and to write stories. As a youngster, she barrel-raced, rode on cattle drives, witnessed dozens of brandings, and often woke up on early spring mornings to find lambs, calves, and foals taking refuge in the bathroom.

Her parents divorced when she was seven, and she moved to town...more Christy Jordan-Fenton was born on a farm in rural Alberta. Her only dreams were to be a cowgirl, to dance with Gene Kelly and to write stories. As a youngster, she barrel-raced, rode on cattle drives, witnessed dozens of brandings, and often woke up on early spring mornings to find lambs, calves, and foals taking refuge in the bathroom.

Her parents divorced when she was seven, and she moved to town. She remembers the strange noise of the traffic at night and would describe the experience like moving to a foreign country. Luckily, she was blessed with a stepfather who loved the outdoors and often took her and her brother on day-long bike rides, and fishing and camping trips. From a young age, she was very aware of how his experiences as a Native affected both his life and the lives of her step-siblings. She has been passionate about Native rights ever since.

Christy attended a rural high school in Ontario with a population of 500 students collected from six different communities. She preferred a dance studio to the classroom and composed volumes of poetry during math classes. She also managed to read nearly every book by Mordecai Richler before graduating. Most of these were read by stealth during lectures.

Having had her head filled with too many lost generation romantic notions, she joined the infantry reserve and spent the next few years traveling from base to base. She was then accepted to Norwich University (VT) in the Corps of Cadets to study Peace, War and Diplomacy. While there, she was part of the Mountain Cold Weather Special Operations Company, played rugby, and often rode crazy carpets down the school’s ski hill.

She was awarded a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship and used it to study at the University of Queensland in Australia. She then returned to the United States where she worked developing a leadership challenge program for disadvantaged youth, and taught wilderness survival; however, unable to shake the travel bug, she left to spend a year in South Africa. Her fondest memories are of reading stories to street children at night.

Western Canada called her home and she traveled across the prairies working in the oil patch and riding bucking horses, before meeting her husband and settling down. They now live on a farm outside of Fort St. John, B.C., and have three small children, a handful of chickens, two rabbits, three dogs, a llama, and enough horses to outfit a small town.

A desire to raise her children with a healthy sense of self-esteem brought her back to her passion for Native issues. She is eternally grateful to her Inuvialuit mother-in-law for sharing her residential school experiences and was thrilled when the opportunity came for her to write about them in Fatty Legs (Fall 2010).

For Christy, dreams do come true. She is a student of natural horsemanship, is a performing cowgirl poet, and her work has appeared in Jones Ave., a quarterly devoted to poetry and reviews. She is currently working on several children’s stories, a novel for adults, and a short story collection. She has yet to dance with Gene Kelly. (less)

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