The Round House

by

Louise Erdrich

Akii, a character in the story Mooshum tells while asleep, is Nanapush’s mother and Mirage’s wife. Akii is very smart and she can read dreams, using them to help her husband hunt. When the hunt is scarce, Mirage convinces himself that Akii is a wiindigoo and he gathers together the rest of the village’s men to try to kill her. Akii manages to stay alive even after they try to drown her. While underwater, the fish teach her a buffalo song so she can find the buffalo again, and she teaches it to Nanapush. Later, Akii follows Nanapush’s song to save him from the buffalo carcass he is trapped in.
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Akii Character Timeline in The Round House

The timeline below shows where the character Akii appears in The Round House. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter Eight: Hide and Q
Chippewa Tradition vs. Catholicism Theme Icon
Storytelling, Formality, and Writing Theme Icon
Mooshum’s story is offset from the rest of the narrative by a title, “Akii.” The story begins by introducing Akiikwe (Akii), the Earth Woman, and her husband Mirage. Akii... (full context)
Women, Bigotry, and Sexual Violence Theme Icon
Chippewa Tradition vs. Catholicism Theme Icon
Land, the Judicial System, and Justice Theme Icon
In order to feed their children, Akii and Mirage went ice fishing. One day, however, a fish told them that the fish... (full context)
Women, Bigotry, and Sexual Violence Theme Icon
Chippewa Tradition vs. Catholicism Theme Icon
Land, the Judicial System, and Justice Theme Icon
The men tied Akii to a tree and left her to starve or freeze, but Akii got loose and... (full context)
Chippewa Tradition vs. Catholicism Theme Icon
Storytelling, Formality, and Writing Theme Icon
...good healer to whom Mooshum went for advice when he was young. Joe asks about Akii and Mooshum says he has no idea what he is talking about. Joe hopes that... (full context)
Chippewa Tradition vs. Catholicism Theme Icon
Parenthood, Foster Families, and Coming of Age Theme Icon
Land, the Judicial System, and Justice Theme Icon
...buffalo’s ribs and unable to move. He began to sing the buffalo song again. Meanwhile, Akii went out to find Nanapush. When Akii reached the buffalo, she heard Nanapush singing the... (full context)