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A sweat lodge filled with steam by pouring water over hot rocks. Niska’s mother teaches Niska to construct a matatosowin, and Niska in turn teaches Xavier. Both Niska and Xavier build matatosowins to conduct sweat lodge ceremonies, a widely practiced ceremony in Anishnabe culture that purifies the soul and restores balance between the physical and spiritual. Niska builds matatosowins to induce visions and “divine” fertile hunting grounds, and Xavier builds one to help guide him through tough decisions during the war. At the end of the novel, Xavier finds acceptance and forgiveness during a sweat lodge ceremony for his role in Elijah’s death, and when Xavier leaves the matatosowin, his crippling Morphine withdrawal is all but resolved. Xavier is purified by the matatsowin and is restored both physically and spiritually.
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Matatosowin Term Timeline in Three Day Road
The timeline below shows where the term Matatosowin appears in Three Day Road. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Shakocihew: Seducing
Niska’s mother taught Niska to build a matatosowin, or sweat lodge, and showed her which plants have healing powers. She showed Niska which...
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...first came across the wemistikoshiw trapper in the days following her first “fit” in the matatosowin. She “played tricks on him,” putting marten and fox legs in his traps so he...
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Mamishihiwewin: Betrayal
...the moment she reached her lodge, and when she woke, she began to construct a matatosowin. She crawled into the steam and “prayed to the four direction and to the earth,...
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Masinahikan: The Letter
Xavier’s unit is sent for rest, and Xavier takes the time to construct a matatosowin. He climbs in the steam and prays but nothing comes. Xavier sits and thinks of...
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Ntashiihkewin: Home
It is nearly night as Niska heats the stones and carries them into the matatosowin. She helps Xavier to the river and takes off his wemistikoshiw clothes. Niska washes him...
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Niska helps Xavier out of the matatosowin to cool before going in again. She pours water on the rocks to make it...
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Niska again carries Xavier out of the matatosowin to cool. “Just one more round, Nephew,” she says. “it will not feel as painful...
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When Niska and Xavier crawl out of the matatosowin it is dark. Niska doesn’t bother to make camp. She brings blankets from the canoe...
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