Ourse bleue

by Virginia Pésémapéo Bordeleau

Ce roman de Virginia Pésémapéo Bordeleau resitue la société amérindienne dans le contexte de la modernité, avec ses forces et ses déchirements, et met en lumière le profond humanisme de cette culture, à travers une quête identitaire qui, par son authenticité, rejoint l’universel.

À la recherche de ses racines, Victoria entreprend un voyage au pays de ses ancêtres cris avec son compagnon Daniel. C’est un long périple vers le nord sur les rives de la baie James. Couleurs, odeurs et majestueux paysages éveillent en elle des souvenirs qui se mélangent bientôt aux étranges songes qui viennent troubler ses nuits. Par bribes, oncles, tantes et cousins lui racontent l’histoire de sa famille. Misères et grandeurs des siens. Images de son enfance teintées de joie et de tristesse.

Ourse bleue revient chez les siens pour faire la paix avec son âme et libérer celle de son grand-oncle chasseur disparu en forêt depuis vingt ans. Malgré l’incrédulité de son compagnon blanc qui ne peut la suivre jusqu’au bout, Victoria poursuivra son chemin sur les traces jadis empruntées par son clan, dans un territoire aujourd’hui disparu sous les eaux.

Genres: Indigenous, Fiction, France, Canada, Audiobook, Literary Fiction, Novels

159 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Born in Rapides-des-Cèdres, Quebec, in 1951, to a Cree mother and a Quebecois father with Native ancestry, Virginia Pésémapéo Bordeleau first became a painter. Pésémapeo Bordeleau, who holds a Bachelor’s in fine arts, has taken part in many exhibits in Quebec, the USA, Mexico and Denmark and received many prizes for her canvases. In 2006, she received the excellence in creation award from le Conseil des arts et lettres du Québec and in 2007, the Télé Québec distinction for the Abitibi-Témiscaminque literary award for her poetry collection De rouge et de blanc. Virginia Pésémapéo Bordeleau lived for many years in Quebec City and now resides in Abitibi, closer to her Cree homeland.

(from http://www.nativelynx.qc.ca/en/litera...)

Métisse crie, née aux Rapides-des-Cèdres, Virginia Pésémapéo Bordeleau est peintre et romancière. Bachelière en arts plastiques, elle poursuit une œuvre sensible dans laquelle famille et territoire, animaux mythiques et plantes et rochers forment un monde organique, chargé d’une énergie sans cesse renouvelée. Elle a reçu plusieurs prix pour ses toiles. Elle a publié Ourse bleue (roman, La Pleine lune, 2007), De rouge et de blanc (poésie, Mémoire d’encrier, 2012), L’amant du lac (roman érotique, Mémoire d’encrier, 2013) et L’enfant hiver (roman, Mémoire d’encrier, 2014).

Reviews

[Geoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This read more like a memoir than a novel, going backward and forward in time as the protagonist comes into her legacy as a tribal shaman and discusses and deals with the legacies of her family's sad history. Reoccurring motifs of the church and of a dam that will flood ancestral lands (bringing power and progress) serve as signposts to the many ways (regardless of good intentions) that colonization has harmed the indigenous people of North America. Despite the heavy themes and often awful events and legacies, this was a really engaging and readable story.

**Thanks to the author, translators, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

• BLUE BEAR WOMAN by Virginia Pésémapéo Bordeleau, translated from the French by Susan Ourious and Christelle Morelli, 2007/2019.
.
"Soon a sign warns: “Remote road, continue at your own risk.” We’re being told to exercise extreme caution. Here I’ve come to look in on the country of my Cree origins, and I’m being warned of danger. I’m torn between laughter and scorn."
.
Bordeleau's debut novel in 2007, the "first novel in Quebec written by an Indigenous woman" (described on the publisher's website) is an immersive story of family mysteries, spiritual awakenings, and land/water rights surrounding the construction of a dam in the James Bay region of Quebec.

Victoria learns note about the family mystery of her uncle's disappearance, and begins to have vivid dreams leading her to find out what happened decades ago. Two timelines - the 1960s and 2000s - trace the family's history on their ancestral land and hunting/trapping grounds.

📚 The story weaves family joys and tragedies with the very real tragedy of the construction of the James Bay Hydroelectric Dam and subsequent flooding of Cree and Inuit ancestral lands that occured in three phases from the 70s-2000s.

The "blue bear" of the title calls to Victoria's spiritual awakening and the bear totem that leads her to learn more from various Elders, and also her family's history and what happened to her uncle years ago.

Bordeleau is an artist and writer of Cree-Quebecois ancestry. While the story is noted as a novel, I often wondered about some of the autobiographical elements that may be part of the narrative. The description of the dam construction and river re-routing was (and continues) to be yet another case of settler destruction of the lands, water, and people of First Nations' communities.

Recommended title. It took me a few chapters to get into it and learn the layout, but I liked the first-personal narrative of Victoria of her inner / outer journey. Also really liked the inclusion of many (untranslated) Cree language phrases - easily understood in context of the story.

[Jodi]

DNF @ 50%. I have only a few reasons for abandoning a book. One of them will do it every single time, and it’s something I feel very strongly about. Animal cruelty is repugnant, and I refuse to continue reading a book that includes it. It matters not that it’s “only fiction” or that it happened long ago when “things were different”. Nor does it matter that the hunter was Indigenous or on his own land. Killing a denning bear, raising her cubs as playmates for your kids, then butchering them for an autumn feast is something I should never have to see in a novel! I’m extremely disappointed and upset. This author had been one of my favourites.

[Nancy Croth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a powerful story about the experience of a Cree family profoundly affected by the building of the Eastmain dam in northern Quebec. We follow Victoria's journey as she travels north to the Cree lands near James Bay to find the remains of her great-uncle George. Along the way, she is plagued by intense dreams which she discovers are a forerunner to her acknowledgement and acceptance of her shamanic gifts. As Blue Bear woman, she emerges from the painful cocoon that she has been living in all her life to begin the journey of reconciliation and healing in herself and her community. This story is told without recrimination or blame, leaving the responsibility of finding meaning in the readers hands.
I will admit that I had difficulty keeping some of the family dynamics of the story together and it is that reason alone that I did not give this a 5 star.

[Pierre-Luc Landry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Il était grand temps de rendre hommage par le médium livre à la carrière visuelle extraordinaire de Virginia Pesemapeo Bordeleau. L’édition est d’une grande beauté, réalisée avec soin — on le sent — et les poèmes et notes de l’artiste ajoutent une dimension littéraire à l’ensemble. J’aurai aimé une préface (de Marie-Andrée Gill) et une postface (de Jean-Jacques Lachapelle) plus longues, en attendant que l’œuvre picturale de Virginia soit davantage étudiée et fasse l’objet d’autres publications. Mais ce qui compte, au final, c’est d’entendre l’autrice / la peintre / la sculptrice, et de contempler ses œuvres.

[Abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really excited to read this novel- the first novel in Quebec written by an Indigenous woman. I ended up listening to the audiobook and was drawn into the story, the characters, and the culture. I was moved by the spiritualism of Victoria and her history. A truly unique book I will recommend to others!

#BlueBearWoman #NetGalley

[Jim Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

My full review of this wondrous book is here: bit.ly/BlueBearWoman

[Tasmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 / 5

(Listened to the audio book)
Absolutely astonishing writing. It felt like a memoir to me somehow. Felt a bit lost in between time jumps sometimes and was a little confused where this story was headed / what its message was supposed to be. Would have loved to start where the book ended and explore her journey from that point on, experiencing her past in flashbacks. Also, I wish there would have been trigger warnings and that the rape that is briefly mentioned would have been discussed in the terms of consequences (trauma, consequences for the abuser, etc) and not just brushed off in half a page.
But the writing was so beautiful and overall I enjoyed it quite a bit.

[Amie's Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLUE BEAR WOMAN is the very first book by an Indigenous woman ever published in Quebec.

The theme of finding your authentic identity will resonate with readers from all cultures.

This was a fantastic listening experience.

It is important that more Indigenous books become available so that people can learn more about different cultures. Familiarity breeds recognition of views of other cultures. This in turn helps towards the goal of #TruthAndReconciliation

I rate BLUE BEAR WOMAN as 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

[Eve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quel drôle de livre! Certains aspects étaient vraiment intéressants et uniques, mais globalement, j'ai trouvé que ce roman manquait de finition. On aurait dit un journal intime retravaillé (assez sommairement) pour être publié. Le côté introspectif m'a beaucoup plu, mais l'histoire en tant que telle prenait une foule de détours un peu agançants : l'auteure aurait pu supprimer au moins la moitié des personnages et retirer plusieurs anecdotes inutiles pour écrire un récit plus punché.

[Karine Gendron · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5 serait ma note plus précise. Malgré quelques longueurs dans la première partie, j'ai beaucoup aimé ce voyage initiatique et le regard bienveillant de la narratrice. Le surgissement des différentes histoires de vie au gré des rencontres faites sur la route par la narratrice crée un portrait très large de cette femme, de sa famille et de sa communauté, en accentuant surtout les liens interpersonnels qui se sont transmis à travers le temps. J'ai beaucoup aimé.

[Elie-Anne Lamerise-Dumont · Rating 4 out of 5]

J’avais hâte de lire ce livre, et je n’ai vraiment pas été déçue! 4⭐️

[ethan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alternant le passé et le présent, Ourse bleue raconte l’enfance turbulente ainsi que le trajet vers la découverte de l’identité d’une femme ayant vécu la culture crie et la culture occidentale et québécoise. Victoria, à la poursuite de la vérité sur sa famille et ses ancêtres, apprend à permettre la guérison de ses nombreux traumatismes et à accueillir tous les aspects de son identité, venant en aide à ceux qui en ont le plus besoin. Cette oeuvre littéraire démontre la subtilité des relations avec soi-même et ceux qu’on aime, tout en dévoilant les complexités de la vie d’une personne autochtone au Canada: la colonisation, l’alcoolisme, le génocide culturel, et plus.

Du coup, Ourse bleue par Virginia Pésémapéo Bordeleau est une œuvre littéraire, comme toute autre, ayant ses forces et ses faiblesses. L’intrigue, par exemple, mérite d'être commentée. Le résumé au dos du livre entame la narration d’une femme cherchant à renouer avec ses racines cries et à venir en aide à l’âme de son grand-oncle. Bien que le roman réussisse à suivre ce plan succinct et que, dans la vraie vie, retracer ses origines soit stochastique et entropique, l’intrigue ressemble à une série d’événements aléatoires qui ne s’alignent pas avec les attentes initiales. Ainsi, l’authenticité et le caractère confus de cette intrigue coexistent. Ensuite, il y a la chronologie. Madame Pésémapéo Bordeleau a choisi une chronologie non-linéaire, parsemée d’analepses. D’une part, cela ajoute une profondeur à la narration. Elle peut de la sorte divulguer les détails de l’enfance du personnage principal qui font d’Ourse bleue un texte déchirant par moments et chaleureux par d’autres. Cela étant dit, le débordement d’analepses mène à la confusion. Surtout lorsque les analepses ne se suivent pas, la série des événements devient un tourbillon dans la tête des lecteurs. Enfin, malgré ses défauts, il est encore possible de ressortir les qualités de ce roman.

Finalement, Ourse bleue, en tant qu’œuvre contemporaine à saveur autobiographique, n’est pas à mon goût. J’ai pu apprécier le pouvoir de Virginia Pésémapéo Bordeleau d’influencer les émotions à travers ses écrits, mais ce n’est pas suffisant pour me faire oublier le dédale qu’est l’intrigue et la chronologie de ce roman. Si les romans émotionnels abordant des thèmes complexes et ayant une intrigue vague et une chronologie non-linéaire vous fascinent, vous adoreriez ce roman.

[Teri · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5 stars
I picked up the audiobook with 0 idea what the novel was about. You can say that I was surprised at the Canadian and indigenous setting, a spirituality I wasn't expecting at all.

The story is split into different sections that I felt didn't really contribute to one another. Whilst the overarching story of Victoria embracing her shaman abilities was compelling, there didn't feel like there was a plot thus making the long road trips meandering. The first part was interlaced with chapters from Victoria's grandmother (I think, I was kinda confused about the family tree but that's my fault for listening to the audiobook and very quickly forgetting characters), which didn't really add anything to the story in my opinion besides showcasing what Cree life was like back in the day. Especially in respect to the book as a whole, it contributed nothing to Victoria's arc, which only really started in the 75% mark. There is a clear sense of repetition through the road trips Victoria takes that show her changing mental state but it did make the story feel repetitive, especially since the overarching 'plot' of finding her uncle's bones goes in and out of relevance but ultimately fuels both journeys.

There are arguably two plot twists in the novel which came out of nowhere and so there was that element of surprise, which I feel could've been better executed if Daniel's character was just more fleshed out.

Despite the lack of investment and care I had for the plot and large cast of characters, I was very interested and invested in Cree culture and shamanism, the problems they face due to the institutionally racist policies imposed by the Canadian government. Indigenous culture is so underlooked by the media and there is hardly any representation in conventional arts so it was really refreshing to learn about their reality rather than the stereotypical depictions.

Overall, the intriguing cultural aspects weren't enough to compensate for the emotional disjointedness I felt for the rest of the story. Highly recommend if you're interested in an Own Voices, indigenous novel.

[Melly Mel - Shelf_ishly_lit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blue Bear Woman - audio

I don’t tend to read a lot via Audio. And that needs to change.
I do prefer to hold the words in my hands. The smell of a book. The weight of the story ahead.

But, my eyes are tired.
From screens. Zoom. All the things.
My body unable to read with a book as it works to heal my back.
And audio books are wonderful compliments to one’s reading TBR. I need to remember this.

Blue Bear Woman/Ourse Bleue audio narration is wonderful allowing the words to swim up and curate into visons and taking me on along this journey.

The audio narration compliments this complicated and haunting journey of a Cree woman by debut novelist in Quebec by indigenous storyteller Virginia Pesempaeo Bordeleau.

Blue Bear Woman/Ourse Bleue centres around Victoria and her journey to fulfil a family promise to honour an ancestor; a vision quest that provides healing after the tragic loss of her husband; and Victoria’s self discovery of identity and culture.

Blue Bear Woman is a beautiful piece of storytelling that is vulnerable, raw and laden with the truths of the impact of colonialism, systemic inequity and indigenous genocide alongside the impact of building on Cree traditional territory. It’s a proclamation of the indomitable culture, spirit and community of Indigenous people of turtle island.

My thanks to NetGalley and ECW Press audio for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura (laurasnextchapter) Schoener · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5

Blue Bear Woman by Virginia Pesempaeo Bordeleau and translated by Susan Ourio and Christelle Morelli tells the story of a woman on a journey to find the truth of her past so she can fully accept who she is meant to become.

Told intermittently of Victoria’s past, her family’s past and her present journey, readers are transported to the world of the Cree, an indigenous people in Canada. Early in her memoir, Victoria explains how her Uncle, disappears when she is a young girl. In present day, she starts having vivid dreams, where she becomes a Blue Bear. She believes in order to fulfill her destiny of possibly becoming a Cree shaman, she must find the remains of her uncle.

Certain events are quite shocking. Incest, substance abuse, neglect and rape mark her family’s turbulent past. However, at times they seem to be brushed over which take away from the effectiveness of the story. Understanding that the mistakes of those who come before us and love us do not define who we are, it is still a harsh juxtaposition of the central theme of the story of finding out family truths.

[Alejandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautiful book; in spite of all the pain and sorrow that permeate it, it is surprisingly hopeful. Victoria, a Cree woman, takes a road trip with her husband to rediscover her roots and define her own identity. In the process, she signs up to search for the remains of her great uncle, and discovers spirituality plays a very large role in her life. The story flips back and forth between the past and the present, and introduces many members of her family, casually mentioning several traumatic events, and centering in a particular one that changes the protagonist's life.

The writing is beautiful, specially when describing the spiritual imagery.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m glad I got the chance to read this book - hard to believe that in 2007, it was the first published Québécois novel written by an indigenous woman. Hopefully, that publishing landscape will change soon (especially when so much of Anglophone Canada’s best contemporary fiction & memoir is by indigenous authors!) I read this in English because I received an audiobook arc from NetGalley. The translation flowed really well; unfortunately the audiobook narration grated on me quite a bit, hence the 4 stars. It felt like I had to do extra “work” piecing together the prose in my head because the narrator often placed emphasis on the wrong parts of the sentence. Other than that, I enjoyed the book quite a lot. I liked that the structure was both linear (road trip/quest/spiritual journey) and cyclical (a series of conversations with family members about family stories); this ends up being narratively satisfying but also reflects Victoria’s journey of reconciling her dual Catholic/European and Cree heritage and the impact of these two spiritual belief systems on her POV. Although Victoria’s story and her family’s includes tragedy, I like that this novel gives us a glimpse of the dark sense of humor that she shares with them and that is so central to community survival.

[Rachelle]

J’ai aimé celle ci. En général je n’aime pas trop les livres qui ne décrivent pas beaucoup de choses et qui restent seulement dans les faits. J’ai souvent dit que les memoirs valent rien pour moi mais si t’en lis, et que t’es un canadien, ça devrait être celle ci et J’ai serré la main du diable. Ourse bleue est super super personnel, mais la vie de cette personne est intéressante et m’a ouvert l’esprit. C’est ça qu’un memoir devrait faire! J’ai aussi des ancêtres de la James Bay, et j’ai toujours voulu mieux connaître leur vie.

[Sion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible and visceral. I was transported with so many emotions while listening to this amazing book. Tanis Parenteau is an absolute gem and read this novel beautifully.

If you think you may be upset by anything in this book (according to other reviews), I’ll just say this. Sometimes we have to step outside our own thoughts, emotions and beliefs to experience someone else’s 🙏🏼

[Heidi | Paper Safari Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written and narrated. I loved the story and the way the author weaved in the Cree language. You really can't escape your destiny, even if you parents deny it or your husband isn't comfortable with it.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.
This was an absolutely beautiful book. Beautiful writing, beautiful characters, extremely vivid setting. I thought this was going to be an easy five stars. However, I hated the ending. It felt like it cut off very abruptly and a lot of plot lines were left hanging.

[Jbondandrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book! A very enjoyable read.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

a very beautiful read. despite a lot of tragic events that come up, it's the love, peace, family, and healing that really shine through in this novel

[Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice story with some cultural elements, but nothing special.

[Casarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 or 4.

[Erin Mcleod · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that helped me understand who I am, and therefore priceless. Many thanks to Virginia Pésémapéo Bordeleau for this life nurturing gift.

[MAPS - Booktube · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quête intérieure et de ses origines.
Narration qui alterne le passé et le présent et qui est flou au départ.
Des éléments plus ou moins accrocheurs avec beaucoup de personnages.
Un milieu assommant mais une fin prévisible.

Ma vidéo : https://youtu.be/G61sU8flPQA

[Andrée · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai bien aimé ce livre! Très différent de mes lectures habituelles, avec des saveurs de conte initiatique mais en gardant résolument un pied dans le concret, le présent, ce qui le distingue des l'Alchimiste, Le pèlerin [...], Siddartha et autres Histoire de Pi.

(*attention, spoilers)
En effet, j'ai mis jusqu'à la toute fin du roman avant de pleinement réaliser que le sujet de l'histoire n'est PAS la quête des restes de l'oncle Georges, ni le renouement avec le passé ou la perspective d'un futur à reconstruire sans un être aimé mais avec une nouvelle définition de soi-même. C'est plutôt l'histoire du cheminement spirituel de Victoria qui deviendra la chaman Ourse Bleue. C'est l'histoire de cette transformation, qui ne peut avoir lieu qu'à l'issue de toutes les expériences ayant forgé la personne, qui doit ensuite toutes les accepter, les intégrer à son être, avant d'accéder à un autre niveau de conscience.

Et si j'ai mis du temps à le réaliser, c'est peut-être parce que je suis pas vite, mais c'est aussi peut-être parce que l'histoire est admirablement construite et atteint parfaitement son objectif.
En effet, j'ai eu l'impression de suivre le chemin de Victoria, entre le passé, le présent et l'avenir, cherchant le sens des événements jusqu'à la toute fin. J'ai d'ailleurs d'abord eu l'impression que l'histoire s'éparpillait, ne comprenant pas pourquoi certains événements avaient soudainement (ou n'avaient plus) de "valeur", selon qu'ils prenaient plus ou moins de place dans le récit. Pour finalement comprendre qu'aucun n'avait d'importance en tant qu'histoire, mais que chacun devait apporter un élément menant à la création de la chaman.
(*Fin des spoilers)

Le ton du livre était également bien choisi, présentant des thèmes plutôt lourds sans les creuser excessivement, ce qui enrichit le "méta" thème de la guérison.
Le style particulier, vocabulaire riche mais phrases courtes, directes, ponctuées de phrases cries (entres autres langues), met bien en valeur l'idée proposée par l'auteur que les cris aiment les "palabres", les histoires, en étant toutefois peu expansifs dans leur façon de s'exprimer.
Le seul aspect que j'hésite à critiquer est le côté parfois un peu "pédagogique" du texte. Je comprends que l'auteure est consciente qu'elle s'adresse aussi à un public blanc et francophone, très peu familier de la culture et la langue crie. Les traductions sont nécessaires, et plusieurs explications sur les symboles, rituels, coutumes ou valeurs amérindiennes sont tout à fait justifiées. Toutefois, je n'ai pu m'empêcher de "décrocher" lorsque certaines explications étaient trop directes; je devenais alors un peu trop consciente du texte. Ceci dit, un très bon livre que je recommande!

[Devon H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trigger warnings: Violent deaths, car accidents, alcoholism, incest, sexual abuse, child abuse, rape, violence against first nations people, marital infidelity.

This is a very unique collection of essays from Bordeleau. Non-linear, these are stories about her quest to discover more of her Cree kin and culture, to discover her home, to discover herself. Through the course of the book, she meets people she’s related to and learns something more about her history. She learns about loss and grief, anger and love.

The hardest part of this book is how non-linear it is. Months or years pass between chapters, sometimes we go back in time, sometimes it seems to move from day to day. None of the stories are really all that connected, just loosely scattered around the overarching theme of belonging. Many of the stories jump into abusive or otherwise challenging topics with little or no warning. This is how life goes. Yet at the same time, I’m used to seeing tragedies unfolding over pages, where you see the worst of it coming before it gets there. There’s no foreshadowing in real life, though, and Bordeleau doesn’t let her readers have that luxury either.

The narrators voice was soothing, but almost overly so. I often zoned in and out of this book, as her voice would sometimes take on a monotone quality, making it difficult to stay engaged. Neither was there usually something interesting happening when I zoned back in, so for most of the book I struggled to rejoin the book as it went along.