Review of Tomson Highway’s “Permanent Astonishment”

Perhaps the words, “permanent astonishment,” are the best words to describe Tomson Highway because what most people perceive as obstacles, Highway sees as joyful opportunities. She remains a child in the state of perfect wonder even as he grows older.

Highway, a true polyglot, starts his book with a look at the tangled tongues of Dene, Inuit, Cree and later, English, all blended into a strange linguistic ménage in the tiny isolated village of Brochet. He provides comic insights into the misuse of words that came to name people, things, places and other oddities. Her lighthearted approach to what could be misinterpreted as language barriers, illustrates why she is so astonishing.

Life for many northern native children consisted of being taken to residential school at an early age. While most children were terrified to leave for residential school, Highway and her father understood his leaving as an opportunity to learn and perhaps have an easier life. As a “boy/girl of six” he is flown into Saskatchewan to attend residential school. “Marvels, marvels marvels … he is going down there to accomplish marvels.” Whisked by the breeze to far keeweet’ nook (the North), the echo tapers (106). “Yes—the voice inside me climbs that echo and rides it, rides it, rides. I am travelling south to dance with marvels. Dad hears it clearly, I know, he feels it’s vibration inside his blood—keetha kichi, paapaa (for you father)” (106).

He spent nine years in residential school along with his dearest brother and friend for the last seven of those years. As a small, two spirit, Cree boy, she was fringe in many ways. Like most others before and after him, experienced the unpleasant side of life under the care of the school but instead of dwelling on the pain, he dedicated the smallest chapter of his book to that topic. She focuses instead on the joyful world of friendship. This does not erase her pain, it simply redirects her attention, a technique that he used to cope with his brother’s early passing and other life tragedies. “When disaster strikes, you don’t take fright, you don’t panic. You just lie down and take the most beautiful nap the world has known. And when you wake up four hours, two years, or three decades later, you will find yourself at your destination” (106-107).

His birth in a snowbank is anything but cold. Her parents are the stock of the far north, hardy, capable, and bonded with the land. Hard physical labour, loss and love, the full gambit of emotional latitude taken in stride, no time for pity or self-pity, is the world view of the Highway family. Highway is born of the northern tundra. In the book frontispiece, Highway quotes his brother; “Don’t mourn me, be joyful.” That sums up Tomson Highway. Not unlike the aurora borealis of his homeland, she is a ray of light that dances across the tundra. His book is a delightful and joyful read.

Note: Highway is a two spirit Cree with he/she pronouns as reflected above.