Tomson Highway is a well-known Canadian Cree artist. I first came into contact with
his work years ago at a production of The Rez Sisters. If you haven't yet
experienced it, go see it or read the play. Highway is flat out brilliant. He
is an author of plays, novels and picture books. He's a musician and
songwriter. Go click that link above and read his biography. I'll still be here when you get back.
Caribou
Song is the first in a trilogy of picture books that pay homage to Highway's early
life. Both artists reveal the land and the people's connection to it, albeit in different ways.
Two
young boys, Joe and Cody, travel with their mama, papa, and a black dog named
Ootsie as they follow the migrating caribou. They live in the far north where
there are few trees. It's a land often covered with snow. Joe spends his days
playing the accordion, the kitoochigan, and singing to the caribou. Meanwhile,
Cody dances.
 |
| Brian Deines |
 |
| John Rombaugh |
While
camping on an island, the boys find an open area and begin to sing and dance
for the Caribou. They are so busy they aren't aware of the rumbling of a herd
who stampede through the meadow. Cody falls in the middle of it, but Joe
makes his way to him and they manage to climb to safety on a rock.
 |
| Brian Deines |
 |
| John Rombaugh |
The
story is laced with magic. It's there in the voice of the spirit of the herd
speaking to the boys. It's there in the rescue of Cody. It's there in the land
itself. It's embodied in the diverse styles of both these illustrators. It's threaded through Highway's words as this quote about the boys shows:
Joe played the accordion, the kitoochigan. From morning to night he played and sang, "Ateek, ateek! Astum, astum! Yo-ah, ho-ho! Caribou, caribou! Come, come! Yo-ah, ho-ho!"
And from morning to night Cody danced. He danced on the rocks, he danced on the ice, he even danced under the full silver moon.
The
original version of this story is written in both English and a formal version
of Cree. Brian Deines' realistic illustrations are just gorgeous. These classic
oil paintings reveal both the beauty of the land and the intimate relationship
of the brothers and their family. These two images show Joe rescuing Cody.
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| John Rombaugh |
 |
| Brian Deines |
This
new version uses Highway's original English text, but the Cree is translated
into the dialect of Highway's family thus making it more accessible for his
people to read. John Rombough, a Chipewyan Dene artist from
the Northwest Territories, illustrates this more recent book. The influence of members
of the Indigenous group of seven is seen in
Rombough's bright, dynamic images. I am particularly fond of his illustration showing the family on a sled against the backdrop of the land. It says something to me about the family's intimate place in the center of it.
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| John Rombaugh |
 |
| Brian Deines |
I
honestly don't think I could choose between these two versions of the story. I appreciate both, but the earlier version fostered a sense of intimacy with the characters that I missed in the second version. I struggled
to figure out if this might be because of
my eurocentric bias about art. Perhaps it's just because I read it first, but then,
maybe if I had grown up in the north, I would connect more intimately to
Rombough's images.
I
showed these to my partner because both are drop dead gorgeous. He said
if he was purchasing a copy for himself, he would take the second book, but if
he were reading it to a group of children, he would probably choose the first. We both agree that we would love to own a piece of Rombaugh's art to hang on our wall.
If I could afford to, I'd get both. I can imagine these books fostering many interesting classroom conversations. I highly recommend schools and libraries purchase a copy of each.
Next up I'm looking forward to reading both the original of DragonFly Kites, and the newer version illustrated by Julie Flett.
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