Three Day Road

Three Day Road

by

Joseph Boyden

The Old Indian Woman Character Analysis

An old Indian woman who lives in Moose Factory. When Niska goes to Moose Factory to find the wemistikoshiw trapper, the people stare at her in disgust. Women call away their children and men bless themselves and close their doors. Only the old Indian woman is kind to Niska and invites her in. She feeds Niska and gives her brightly colored wemistikoshiw (European) clothes to conceal Niska’s awawatuk (Indigenous hunter) identity. “You must watch yourself around here,” the old woman says. “Or the same that happened to your father will happen to you.” The wemistikoshiw in Moose Factory did not understand Niska’s father’s role as the clan’s windigo killer, and he was arrested as a murderer. Niska too is a windigo killer, and, according to the old woman, Niska isn’t safe in Moose Factory.
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The Old Indian Woman Character Timeline in Three Day Road

The timeline below shows where the character The Old Indian Woman appears in Three Day Road. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Mamishihiwewin: Betrayal
Racism and Assimilation Theme Icon
“Ashtum,” whispered an old Indian woman from her door. “Come here.” Niska entered and the woman closed the door. “You are... (full context)
Isolation vs. Community Theme Icon
Racism and Assimilation Theme Icon
The old Indian woman offered Niska some food. “There is talk that a certain wemistikoshiw trapper was fucking you,”... (full context)
Isolation vs. Community Theme Icon
Racism and Assimilation Theme Icon
...through the wemistikoshiw part of town, but no one stared at her dressed in the old woman ’s clothes. She walked into a pub and saw the wemistikoshiw trapper at a table.... (full context)