Seven Fallen Feathers

Seven Fallen Feathers

by

Tanya Talaga

Jordan Wabasse Character Analysis

Jordan Wabasse was the last of the titular “seven fallen feathers” who are the subjects of Tanya Talaga’s book. Jordan Wabasse disappeared in Thunder Bay, Ontario in February of 2011, but his body wasn’t recovered from the city’s Kam River until 92 days after he was last seen. There were many confusing and suspicious rumors surrounding Jordan’s death: one was that two white men had pushed him off a bridge. Two other Indigenous young men, Jordan Waboose and Kenny Wabasse (unrelated to Jordan Wabasse despite their similar names), had conversations online in which they feared that the Native Syndicate might have mistaken Jordan for someone with ties to the gang’s activity and killed him accidentally. But the Thunder Bay Police never followed up on any of these leads, immediately declaring that no foul play was involved in Jordan’s death.
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Jordan Wabasse Character Timeline in Seven Fallen Feathers

The timeline below shows where the character Jordan Wabasse appears in Seven Fallen Feathers. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1: Notes from a Blind Man
Colonialism, Cultural Genocide, and Racism Theme Icon
Indigenous Youth, Education Reform, and Support Networks Theme Icon
...doesn’t want to talk about voting—he wants to know why Talaga isn’t instead writing about Jordan Wabasse, a 15-year-old Indigenous boy who has been missing for 71 days. Stan tells Talaga... (full context)
Colonialism, Cultural Genocide, and Racism Theme Icon
Generational Trauma and Circular Suffering Theme Icon
Indigenous Youth, Education Reform, and Support Networks Theme Icon
Tradition, Prophecy, Spirituality, and Hope Theme Icon
...for the Ojibwe of Fort William First Nation. Stan tells Talaga that he believes that Jordan was chased into the river; searchers recently found one of Jordan’s running shoes at this... (full context)
Colonialism, Cultural Genocide, and Racism Theme Icon
Indigenous Youth, Education Reform, and Support Networks Theme Icon
Tradition, Prophecy, Spirituality, and Hope Theme Icon
After the search for Jordan first got under way, a blind Elder of the Webequie First Nation told—the leader of... (full context)
Indigenous Youth, Education Reform, and Support Networks Theme Icon
Jordan Wabasse arrived in Thunder Bay in September of 2010 to attend the Matawa Learning Centre.... (full context)
Indigenous Youth, Education Reform, and Support Networks Theme Icon
On the frigid morning of February 7, 2011, Jordan left home for school at his usual time. Jordan had been raised far away from... (full context)
Indigenous Youth, Education Reform, and Support Networks Theme Icon
Jordan was last seen alive getting off of a Thunder Bay Transit bus just a block... (full context)
Colonialism, Cultural Genocide, and Racism Theme Icon
Indigenous Youth, Education Reform, and Support Networks Theme Icon
Tradition, Prophecy, Spirituality, and Hope Theme Icon
Six days after Jordan’s disappearance, a search team turned up a ballcap that appeared to have belonged to Jordan,... (full context)
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Indigenous Youth, Education Reform, and Support Networks Theme Icon
Tradition, Prophecy, Spirituality, and Hope Theme Icon
On March 20, a team from Cat Lake First Nation found Jordan’s running shoe after following the map of the blind Elder’s vision. When the team notified... (full context)
Colonialism, Cultural Genocide, and Racism Theme Icon
Indigenous Youth, Education Reform, and Support Networks Theme Icon
The Indigenous search team continued to look for Jordan, combing the Kam riverbanks and passing out missing person flyers tirelessly. Rumors about Jordan’s connections... (full context)
Colonialism, Cultural Genocide, and Racism Theme Icon
Tradition, Prophecy, Spirituality, and Hope Theme Icon
...swing bridge—the location that the blind Elder had seen in his visions. After 92 days, Jordan’s body was pulled from the river; it was badly decomposed, but still clothed in the... (full context)
Colonialism, Cultural Genocide, and Racism Theme Icon
Indigenous Youth, Education Reform, and Support Networks Theme Icon
...tip from a residence for teenagers—one of the residents heard that two men had pushed Jordan off the bridge. But the resident didn’t want to talk to the police—she fled the... (full context)
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To this day, Jordan’s death has no explanation. It doesn’t make sense that Jordan would’ve wound up on the... (full context)
Chapter 2: Why Chanie Ran
Colonialism, Cultural Genocide, and Racism Theme Icon
Generational Trauma and Circular Suffering Theme Icon
Indigenous Youth, Education Reform, and Support Networks Theme Icon
...school in Thunder Bay—a book she’s wanted to write since joining the search team for Jordan Wabasse. At that time, Fiddler was traveling with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, or TRC—the... (full context)
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Generational Trauma and Circular Suffering Theme Icon
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When Fiddler heard of Jordan’s disappearance, he was sad and furious—in 2008, after another student named Reggie Bushie had been... (full context)
Chapter 9: Less Than Worthy Victims
Colonialism, Cultural Genocide, and Racism Theme Icon
Indigenous Youth, Education Reform, and Support Networks Theme Icon
Tradition, Prophecy, Spirituality, and Hope Theme Icon
...the inquest for many years. While the case was stalled, the NAN lost another student, Jordan Wabasse, in May of 2011. He was the seventh student to die and the fifth... (full context)