Black Water by David A. Robertson

"Let us go on that journey of discovery in our own way, in our own time. And that begs the question: What is Indigenous identity?"

Black Water: Family, Legacy and Blood Memory by David A. Robertson is a beautiful read. It is a memoir full of reflection, education, and deep questions.

Let me preface this by saying I was already a huge fan of David A. Robertson. His young adult superhero series Strangers caught my attention when I started creating novel study resources, and I have his picture books sitting in my amazon cart as future gifts for my daughter.

David A. Robertson is a writer, father, podcaster, and member of the Norway House Cree Nation. His memoir is written as an experience. It takes you through different times in his life and weaves them together with his ever-evolving understanding of identity and history. He is vulnerable about his own discovery of self, and that vulnerability is powerful.

Titled Black Water after the trapline where his father spent much of his childhood, this memoir represents the importance of family, community, and land. It is not only his story, of course, it is the story of his family - past and present.

The idea that we are connected to our family and the land is not only shown in the stories he shares of his parents and relatives, but also in the way he chooses to structure the book. As the reader, you are taken on a journey that is not at all chronological. You are taken on a journey of understanding, of connecting new knowledge with past bias, of uncovering truths. These are never chronological experiences, and the feeling of travelling through this book slowly uncovering new pieces of understanding is a gift. His vulnerability in sharing his own history inevitably challenges you to consider your own.

The book heavily relies on his connection with his father ( a Cree man from Norway House Cree Nation) and the history shared about their ancestral territory.

Robertson writes about identity, blood memory, forgiveness and belonging in an authentic and explorative way.

To be honest, this book took me forever to read - I started it before getting covid, adapting to some big changes in my family structure, and just being generally busy at work. I picked it up often and read for short bursts. With some books, you just can't do that without feeling frustrated or losing your connection to this book. With Black Water, every time you pick it up you are pulled right back into the story being shared. It all comes together, but it is also a beautiful collage of memory, experience, story, reflection, and education.

I highly recommend this book if you enjoy memoirs. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy stories about family and ancestral healing. I highly recommend this book if you are looking to learn a little more about Indigenous communities and some of the stereotypes and structural barriers still faced in Canada. I highly recommend this book if you are learning about identity, or discovering your own.

It is a rich memoir that is crafted with love.

Have you read it? I would love to hear your thoughts! Leave a comment below.