The Chief: Mistahimaskwa

Tales from Big Spirit

by David Alexander Robertson, Scott B. Henderson (Illustrator)

On her way to school one day, Sarah is relieved to find the book she d dropped the day before shortly after an encounter with a bear. But when she opens it, the story within, about the Cree chief Mistahimaskwa, comes alive. It takes Sarah back to the Saskatchewan Plains of 1832, where the young boy who would become the great chief first learns the ways of his people, to the final days of his life.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Indigenous, Nonfiction, Canada, Biography, Childrens, Biography Memoir

32 pages, Paperback

First published May 31, 2016

About the author

DAVID A. ROBERTSON is a two-time winner of the Governor General's Literary Award, has won the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, as well as the Writer's Union of Canada Freedom to Read award. He has received several other accolades for his work as a writer for children and adults, podcaster, public speaker, and social advocate. He was honoured with a Doctor of Letters by the University of Manitoba for outstanding contributions in the arts and distinguished achievements in 2023. He is a member of Norway House Cree Nation and lives in Winnipeg.

Reviews

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

'The Chief Mistahimaskwa' by David Alexander Roberson with art by Scott B. Henderson tells the story of a Cree chief of the Saskatchewan Plains in a graphic novel format. It succeeds and fails on a few different levels.

There is a framing story about a girl named Sarah who has lost a book after an encounter with a bear. She later finds it and is taken into a living history version of the story in the book. We learn about Mistahimaskwa from the time he is little, all the way to his death. It's a good story, if an all too typical one. Food sources and land taken by settlers. That's not to say this isn't a story that needs to be told. Just that it is a sad one. Sarah is whisked out of her book adventure to pass it along to someone else in the class that might benefit.

I do like that this was presented as a graphic novel, but it feels like an educational book, meaning the facts presented feel dry sometimes. The art is a good average. The whole thing feels a bit like the old Classics Illustrated books, and that's not a condemnation. I just wish this sort of material were able to somehow be elevated a bit. I appreciated learning about this historical figure, and hopefully retelling this story will cause reflection.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Portage & Main Press, Highwater Press, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing. I loved everything about it. From the artwork to the very history lessons. It was nice getting to learn about one of the many Indigenous figures from Canadian history. Not only was this very educational, the phenomenal artwork made it very engaging and entertaining as well. Would recommend for everyone especially the younger generation.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the history behind this one.

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ça fait longtemps que je n'avais pas lu de bd. Bien que cette collection soit destinée aux jeunes, les moins jeunes peuvent tout de même regarder et lire pour apprendre un condensé sur l'histoire des Cris des plaines de la Saskatchewan.

[Maggie Gordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Chief Mistahimaskwa is part of a graphic novel series geared towards educating people on Indigenous history in Canada. This particular book is about a young, Indigenous girl who is learning about Mistahimaskwa in school. Her book is accidentally hit by lightening, and this magically allows the text to visually show her what the history behind his man was really like.

Mistahimaskwa was an important leader during the time when white Canadian colonizers were pressuring Indigenous groups to sign treaties, exchanging their land for benefits from the government. Mistahimaskwa, however, refused to deal with government representatives, and became a great figure among Indigenous people for his peaceful and diplomatic resistance. In the end, he was forced into signing a treaty, but he never stopped advocating for better treatment for his people and other Indigenous groups in Canada.

I would have liked to see the historical narrative fleshed out a bit, giving readers more context for what was going on during this time period. On the other hand, I can see why the creators wanted to keep it short for younger readers. The book will work well in schools as both to teach history, but also to talk about modern issues such as Truth and Reconciliation. I am always stoked to see new resources like this be published because Indigenous narratives are so often ignored and left out of Canadian history lessons (and daily Canadian life as well). Having a set of stories focusing on important Indigenous figures is incredibly important for educating Canadians from all backgrounds on the terrible history of colonialism, and on the bravery and resilience of Indigenous people. I look forward to seeing the rest of the series, and I will be on the look out for them to give to my younger family members!

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This one is pretty short. It tells the history of the Indian chief Mistahimaskwa. A girl's book is struck by lightning and the chief's story comes out of it for her to see. So, the way that she gets to see the story unfold is a little out there given that the rest of the story seems to be fairly historical.

The chief is an impressive person. He is strong and brave, surviving situations that would overcome other people. It goes through his whole life, which felt abbreviated at times because of how short the book is. I think this could have been expanded, though maybe it would have required more embellishment on behalf of the creators.

For what it is, the story is good. It just didn't wow me in any particular way. Even the art is acceptable rather than outstanding.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel summarizes the life of Mistahimaskwa, one of the Cree Chiefs who tried to do what he felt was best for his people when the white man came to their land. He refused to sign the treaties, but when the buffalo disappeared and his people were starving, he gave in. He tried to reduce bloodshed during attacks, but eventually gave himself up and spent two years in prison. A good book to teach about this period in time and to give a snapshot of some of the historical facts. I had never heard of Mistahimaskwa, so am glad I read this book. I recommend this book for school and class libraries that deal with middle grade students.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard for me to read books about indigenous peoples and not feel like it's wrong to own land.

How do you take something previously unowned (and used freely by all) and decide to own it? At best it's theft. At worst it's a god complex leading to genocide.

But it’s important for people to remember things that actually happened.

This is from a series of graphic novels for middle schoolers about indigenous Americans from Canada’s history. This one tells the story of Cree chief Mistahimaskwa.

Worth reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and Portage and Main Press for a copy in return for an honest review.

[Kristal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great history lesson in an engaging format!

[Y.S. Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the saying goes, to the victor goes the spoils and err... the stories. This has been the narrative of western civilisation. Our history books are distorted with fanciful tales of the victor, tales that magnifies their exploits and obscure their questionable deeds. There are not a lot of voices from the point of view of the vanquished. The few voices that exist are faint as they are being drowned out by the mainstream stories. However, seeing a graphic novel that tries to tell a tale from an alternative view is one of the reasons why I decided to pick up The Chief Mistahimaskwa, a middle-grade YA historical-based adventure story.

The Chief Mistahimaskwa is about Sarah, a girl who gets sucked into a book and finds herself looking into the Saskatchewan Plains of 1832 where she sees the life of a young boy who is learning the ways of his people (the Cree) and would later become the chief. This story is based on what happened to the Cree during an era when the Europeans are taking over the native lands of the Cree, around the area that is now known as Canada.

What fascinates me about The Chief Mistahimaskwa is that though it is an historical-based fictional tale, it shows the sensibilities and perspectives of the Cree in a colourless tone. The main spine of the tale is about Mistahimaskwa, who is also known as Big Bear, as he tries to helps his people survive and navigate the new world that is ushered in with the advent of the Europeans. The Chief leads his people through famine, diseases and is reported to be the last chief to sign a treaty with the Europeans. Though he meets with difficult opposition within and without, he tries to steer his people away from bloodshed that is inevitable as they try to fight with the invaders.

The Chief Mistahimaskwa is a delightful graphic novel with a straight-forward historically based tale on one of the main players of Cree during 1800s. The art is simple and the bright colours invite us into the story. The dialogue is great in parts and conveys enough charm for us to progress with the tale . This is a book reluctant reads can get into with ease. The language is direct while complex narratives and concepts are ditched for a simple tale that can be grasped by all and sundry.

Many thanks to Portage & Main Press for review copy.

[VMC Library]

Titre: Le Chef : Mistahimaskwa (Nation Big Spirit : D'hier À Aujourd'hui)

Sommaire:
"En chemin vers l'école, Sarah est soulagée de trouver le livre qu'elle avait perdu la veille, juste après avoir croisé la route d'un ours. L'incroyable se produit lorsqu'elle en ouvre les premières pages : l'histoire du chef cri Mistahimaskwa prend vie. Sarah est alors transportée en 1832, dans les plaines de la Saskatchewan, au moment où le jeune garçon appelé à devenir chef apprend le mode de vie de son peuple.NATION BIG SPIRIT : D'HIER À AUJOURD'HUI est une série unique de sept bandes dessinées qui plonge les lecteurs au coeur de l'histoire canadienne en s'intéressant à des figures autochtones marquantes, parfois méconnues"--Couverture.

Langue: Français

Traduction: Mathieu Arès
Illustrations: Scott B. Henderson

Wendake, Québec : Éditions Hannenorak, [2020]

ISBN: 9782923926476 (broché)

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't my favourite thing I've read by David Alexander Robertson, but this is my favourite thing I've read about Mistahimaska.

I love stories where kids get to experience history coming to life, and Robertson and Henderson really nail this here. The storytelling is great and the art is great. It jumps around a bit too much towards the beginning in a way that had me pausing a couple times, but I recognise that this is because the early years of Mistahimaskwa's life weren't recorded in detail.

Overall I did enjoy this, and I look forward to reading the rest of the Tales from Big Spirit series (especially the books about figures I am less familiar with).

[Barbara McEwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great series of books. Kids do pick up graphic novels and it is a much more entertaining way to learn history. I got a bit excited with this one because it occured in places where I grew up, which is not something you can often say about Saskatchewan. I think that might appeal to kids too. I thought it was a bit short and the jumps in time can be large but that makes sense for the audience. They do hurt your heart to read but we need the next generation to know this history.

[Karl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of the “Tales from Big Spirit” series. Expertly drawn and illustrated by Henderson and Robertson ( Cree). I’m a huge fan of this creative team and this book is on par with their other collaborations.

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerful, moving, important.

[Saara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic telling of the life of one of the Great Chiefs who saw the end of the bison hunts and the start of the land grab treaties.