In the six decades since he was born in a tent in the bush of northernmost Manitoba, Tomson Highway has traveled many paths and been called by many names. Residential school survivor, classical pianist, social worker and, since the 1980s, playwright, librettist, novelist and children's author.
He is fluent in French, English and his native Cree. In 1994 he was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada -- the first Aboriginal writer to receive that honour. In 2000, Maclean's magazine named him one of the 100 most important people in Canadian history.
to put it simply: this is one of the best texts i have ever read in my entire life. it is ended with a "thank you", on top of that; no, thank you for writing this and thank you to the universe because it made me read it at some point. i'm grateful.
I heard Tomson Highway give this lecture for an online program with my local library and its as fascinating to hear as to read. His end line: "And thereby hangs an enormous, and very long, story...of which more later" one is still hoping for that more later as presumably people waited in 2002 and now wait the same in 2021.