As Long as the Rivers Flow

by James Bartleman

From the accomplished memoirist and former Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario comes a first novel of incredible heart and spirit for every Canadian.

The novel follows one girl, Martha, from the Cat Lake First Nation in Northern Ontario who is "stolen" from her family at the age of six and flown far away to residential school. She doesn't speak English but is punished for speaking her native language; most terrifying and bewildering, she is also "fed" to the school's attendant priest with an attraction to little girls.

Ten long years later, Martha finds her way home again, barely able to speak her native tongue. The memories of abuse at the residential school are so strong that she tries to drown her feelings in drink, and when she gives birth to her beloved son, Spider, he is taken away by Children's Aid to Toronto. In time, she has a baby girl, Raven, whom she decides to leave in the care of her mother while she braves the bewildering strangeness of the big city to find her son and bring him home.

Genres: Indigenous, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Canada, Ebooks, Canadian Literature

272 pages, Hardcover

First published February 15, 2011

About the author

James Bartleman is the former lieutenant governor of Ontario and the bestselling author of the novels As Long as the River Flows and The Redemption of Oscar Wolfe. A member of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, he is also a retired ambassador and a member of the Order of Canada. He lives in Perth, Ontario.

Reviews

[Joanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm torn on this book. While it covers a very important topic, the writing was just not good.

Martha is taken away at the age of 6 to a residential school. There she is abused in every possible way and by the time she is allowed to go back home, she no longer knows what to do with herself. She can't fix her relationship with her mother, starts drinking, get pregnant, and has her child taken away from her as she doesn't care for it.

Although she manages to make some changes in her life, the conditions on the reserve keep the community from improving the lives of the people living there. There is a lot of drug use and drinking, abuse and mistreatment of children, a lot of it stemming from the fact that after generations of people were abused in residential schools, the adults no longer know how to take care of themselves and their children. The epidemic of teen suicide that is currently happening on northern reserves is explored in the book.

Due to all these important issues, I wish that this book had been written better so that I could recommend it to everyone. Despite the difficult subject matter, this was written in a very child-like way, with all bad decisions being punished, and people who do bad things all realizing the error of their ways. I don't feel that addiction is portrayed realistically, and the reactions and dialogue of characters in the book are very cliche and unrealistic.

[Mj · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned and felt a lot from reading this book. I selected this book to read because I wanted to learn more about the Aboriginal experience in residential schools here in Canada. Up to this point, my knowledge was basically superficial and based on newspaper and other media reports.

I felt a great deal of sadness and shame learning more details of this horrific part of our country’s history and the multi-generational negative impact the residential school system has had on our native community. Children of school age (5 or 6 and above) were taken away from loving homes, hundreds of miles from the parents to be trained “the white way”. They were physically, emotionally and sexually abused. Supposedly it was being done to remove the “savage way” and replace it with the “learned, better way”. How very ironic. Ask yourself who is acting like a so-called savage and what exactly was wrong with the native way of life. Today, many realize that the holistic life of the natives then - living off the earth but taking only what was needed and also taking care of the earth so it could continue to provide for future generations was and is a highly evolved way of sustainable living.

This book is a fictional story but I have no doubt that it is highly representative of many residential school experiences, not just in Canada but around the world. The story shows us there was an attempt to annihilate a whole culture. Imagine being a child and taken away from your family and not being able to see them every day, every weekend, even every month because the distance for visits was deemed too great and too expensive. Imagine a child being so alone with the abuse, with no one to step in and stop it, or console them and tell them that they loved them, that were ok and it wasn’t their fault. How powerless!! How isolating!! And how very much the same way all predators control their victims – isolate them and then control them doing whatever is necessary to make the victim do exactly what they want. This treatment was supported by white people’s governments and churches at the time and was carried out on a very large scale all across the country.

What the book really brought out for me was how many generations of natives have been impacted - the parents of the children taken away, the children who lived in residential schools, their children and the next generation as well. It makes me both sad and angry to see an entire productive and loving way of life that once existed almost wiped out. We cannot ever come close to compensating the aboriginals for the suffering and losses we caused.

I rated the book 5 stars because of the story’s importance and the impact it had on me. I would like to thank the Honourable James Bartleman, Lieutenant Governor (Queen’s representative) of Ontario (2002-2007) for writing the book. He could have kept silent but used his power and influence in a very positive way by making the truth and history of residential schools so widely accessible to everyone.

[Lookingfortara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was asked to read this to start Teacher's College at Trent University over the summer. I stalled reading it until early August but once I got into it, I knew it was going to be an eye opener. This novel is set in Northern Ontario, a place that most Canadians know virtually nothing about. Having read a little bit about the disaster that was occurring a few months ago up North on the reserves, I knew that there were many Aboriginals living in poverty. However, having read this novel, I now feel that most, if not all white Canadians trivialize the sufferings of Aboriginals. Residential schools were taught in public school as a place where Aboriginals were stripped of their culture but we never once learned about the rape and abuse that occurred as well. It also never occurred to me about the trickle down effect that it would cause on these communities. Parents who were sent to Residential Schools were unable to relate to their children.

Along with learning about the suffering of Aboriginals, I have also gained another reason why I dislike the Catholic Church and the power that it has. I don't know how anyone can call themselves a Catholic with what the Church had done to cover up the disgusting acts committed by priests and nuns.

This novel should not just be recommended for Teacher's College but for all high school students. Canadians need to understand Aboriginals more to help provide them with the right kind of opportunities in which they can keep their culture and be productive at the same time.

[andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book demonstrates how the pain of past injustice can continue long over one's life course and become inter-generational when left unacknowledged. It also demonstrates the turmoil associated with cultural displacement, as identity and belonging fall under attack. This past must be acknowledged by Canadians if ignorance about the plight of the Aboriginal community is to ever be diminished. This book is beautifully written and can be a wonderful tool for bringing understanding to so many Canadians unaware of the destruction caused by residential schools. I highly recommend this book as it is an eye-opener, and should be read by all Canadians.

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m in between a 2.5 and a 3 stars.
There are so many important topics related to reconciliation in this book. It starts off with 6 year old Marsha in a residential school and it is so sad and heart wrenching that it made me wonder if I could continue reading it.
As the book continues, it explores many other topics, such as alcoholism, homelessness, family issues... I felt like the author was trying to focus on too many issues and was doing it in such a fast paced and predictable way that it was hard to connect with the characters.
The topics in this book are so important that everyone should read it... but the storyline is not believable enough for me to tell everyone to read it.

[Zoë Danielle]

As Long as the Rivers Flow by James Bartleman flows Martha, a girl from Cat Lake First Nation in Northern Ontario who is forcefully taken away to a residential school at the age of six. At the school, she is not allowed to speak her native language and is physically abused and punished. The worst part is the sexual abuse inflicted on her for six years by the school's priest, a man with an attraction to little girls. When Martha finally returns to her reserve, she finds herself an outcast, barely able to speak her native language, not knowing how to live in the wilderness, and haunted by the memories of her abuse. Unprepared for parenthood, she gives birth to a boy named Spider only to have him taken away by Children's Aid to Toronto. As Martha begins to heal and eventually gives birth to a second child, Raven, she leaves her daughter with her mother when she decides she must head to Toronto to find Spider and bring him home so that the three of them can finally be a family.

Novels about the unique Native experience is something that is sorely lacking not only from my own reading but from literature in general. However after appreciating the insight into Native American culture that was present in Shadow Tag by Lousie Erdrich which I read quite recently, I jumped at the opportunity to read As Long as the Rivers Flow both to help eliminate some of my own ignorance and because as a book the topic was extremely interesting. The novel is a horrifying but important reminder of what the Canadian government did, the residential school system was a way to force assimilation of the Native population and the consequences of them are still present not only in the survivors but in their children. As Long as the Rivers Flow shows the transgenerational impact that such terrible experiences and abuse can have. Martha was never shown affection or told I love you, so she doesn't know how to do it for her own children. Raven and her friends live in households where they feel like an outsider and a burden, and Bartleman helps to explain why the suicide rates among Native teens is so high.

From a literary perspective, I did find a lot of the dialogue in the novel awkward to read. A lot of the story is also told in a very straight-forward manner and because of the large time span to be covered at times areas of the story are a bit rushed or neglected. I think that there is so much story in As Long as the Rivers Flow that Bartleman could have drawn it out slightly longer. There is also a very important coincidence in the story which seemed like a bit of a lazy way to draw the story to resolution. The ending itself felt slightly rushed and a bit too optimistic considering all the damage that had been done, but it does have an important message about hope and healing.

Despite these flaws, As Long as the Rivers Flow is a powerful and important story. Bartleman shows not only how large the impact of abuse can be but also how in a situation like Martha's, as well as the unfortunate reality for some of the children who attended such schools, it is not just one person who is responsible. One nun in particular knowingly leads Martha to be abused again and again and is disappointed when she responds poorly to it. Bartleman doesn't go into detail of the abuse itself, but it lurks like a dark demon throughout the story and Martha's life, something that will be there forever. Ultimately, As Long as the Rivers Flow isn't flawless as a novel, but it is part of an important dialogue about what happened to the children who attended these residential schools, as well as what can happen to their children if the abuse and horror is pushed aside and forgotten.

[ash · Rating 2 out of 5]

the writing and execution could have been so much better

[Jaimie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an important and accurate history to be shared. However, the writing is lacking emotional detail, depth and character development for a fictional story.

[ava · Rating 1 out of 5]

biggest mistake of my LIFE was choosing this as my french lit circle book

[Jacquie · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Spoilers*

This novel is not for the faint of heart. By the end of the prologue, I felt like I might be sick.

Bartleman's As Long as the Rivers Flow follows the life of Martha, an Anishinabe woman of Northern Ontario, from her birth in 1956 to her mid-fifties. If you know anything about the lives of Aboriginal peoples during this time period, you will know that Martha's is not a pleasant story.

Just like thousands of aboriginal children, Martha is sent to a Native residential school in James Bay at the age of 6, far away from her parents, her people, and her culture. Just like thousands of Aboriginal children, Martha suffers physical, emotional, and sexual abuse at the hands of her educators, nuns and priests charged with "civilizing" the "savage" Native people of Canada. Following ten years at school, Martha returns home to the Cat Lake community, where she feels just as alienated among her own people as she did at school. Having lost her language and self-esteem, and unable to contribute to Anishinabe society as her mother expects, Martha sinks into a destructive depression. She spends the next 40 years battling alcoholism and the helplessness she feels due to the horrific treatment she received at the residential school.

Following the birth of two children, her separation from both of them, a move to Toronto and back to Cat Lake, the end of this novel finds Martha beaten but not broken. With guidance from community leaders and her family, Martha and the other emotionally scarred members of the Cat Lake community begin a healing process that involves forgiveness, acceptance, and understanding amongst themselves and the world outside of Cat Lake.

Obviously the plot of this book is compelling. It's a piece of Canadian literature, captures Canadian history, and is a coming of age story that deals with some of the most difficult parts of human nature. It was extremely hard to read this depiction of the very real events that took place in native residential schools across Canada right up until the 1970's. Children were raped, starved, beaten, experimented on, and then thrust back into the world, where they were expected to be grateful for all the Canadian government had given them. It was nauseating, but it is an important read. Every Canadian should educated him or herself on this hushed up piece of history and read this book.

Having recommended this novel, I feel that I should comment on Bartleman's narrative style. Before reading it, I was warned by a friend that it was not very well written so much so that he feared he would miss the message. Multiple reviews of the novel also commented on the poor writing style, some even commenting that it took away from the effectiveness of the story.

I am disappointed by those comments and have to disagree with the judgement. True, Bartleman writes bluntly, and he doesn't concern himself with narrative devices or descriptive imagery. He tells the story as though he was giving an account of events. That is all this story needs. It is historical fiction. Thousands of historical accounts that depict the events upon which the novel was based already exist, yet people remain ignorant to the subject. Give one of the thousands of abused aboriginals a name and a background and you have something more compelling for readers. Do not ask him to sugarcoat the story, bog it down with fancy devices that make it fodder for subjective literary criticism. If anything, that is what could have been responsible for the possibility of someone missing the message. I get Bartleman's message. It rings loud and clear with every plain, unapologetic sentence. It doesn't allow me to hide from it or try to interpret some sort of symbolism that would justify the events of this book. Bartleman means us to see that it is how it is, and his honesty is excruciatingly effective.

One final comment on the writing choice, and something I've pondered... It feels as though the novel was a written transcript of a story told orally. Bartleman could tell this to a group of people without having to adapt it to a more comfortable speaking style, which is uncommon for a novel. It reminds me of the origins of most stories that were passed down orally through the generations before they were ever recorded in writing. I believe this method of story-telling is still valued by aboriginal peoples, so isn't it only fitting that Bartleman tells his story in this way? It only seems appropriate.

[Andree-anne Morin · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Long as the Rivers Flow really shows in depth the suffering of Aboriginal people and what they have been put through. By using a fictional character, Martha, the pain and fear of being taken away from their families to be put in residential schools is clearly shown. Then we see the abuse in residential schools, the loss of culture and identity, and the life following residential schools. Every aspect has been touched on and for some who may not understand the extent of what the "white people" have done to Aboriginal people, this book will help give a greater understanding.

[Kelsey Persowich · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am disappointed in this book. The content is extremely valuable in our time and sheds light on many systemic issues seen in Canada. However, the style of writing is very poor. I was disappointed to read that every character got a unrealistic happy ending, and there was no real build up in plot or character development.

[Canadian 791 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a heartbreaking and heartwarming novel centred on the life of a woman who is born to an Nishnawbe Aski Nation community in northwest Ontario, removed from her family and community as a young girl and sent to a residential school, where she is traumatized and sexually abused by a priest for years. Through her life, the story of the inter-generational harm caused by the residential school system, and its current manifestation in the suicide epidemic of the youth of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, is told in heartrending detail. Hope for a way forward is provided by the Indigenous community itself. The author, James Bartleman, as noted in the short biography, is "a member of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation and rose from humble circumstances to become Canada's first aboriginal ambassador. After a distinguished career of more than thirty-five years in the Canadian diplomatic service, in 2002 he became the first Native Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario." I recommend reading it together with Tanya Talaga's excellent CBC Massey Lectures, "All Our Relations" as well as her first book, "Seven Fallen Feathers" and Basil H. Johnston's "Indian School Days", and James Bartleman's "Out of Muskoka" and "Raisin Wine".

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a heartbreaking story of a family from a First Nation in northern Ontario injured by the social programs of the 1950s (residential schools, abuse by clergy) and the 1960s scoop. The author is a member of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation as well as a long serving member of Canada's diplomatic service. He is able to translate between the two cultures and his descriptions of the experiences of the family members (Martha, who left her community at age 6 to travel 600 miles by air to the residential school, without adequate English language facility or support from others to make a reasonable transition; her son Spider, removed from his parents to be adopted in the south of Ontario and later being homeless and a vagrant in Toronto and her daughter Raven, who loses several of her friends to the epidemic of suicide that has been affecting northern communities), told in spare, clear language helped me understand better the background to the stories provided in the press on these issues. The story also includes some reassurance that some (many) First Nations people have been able to somehow be successful in the main society without loosing all of the wonder of their culture.

[Landon Bayha · Rating 4 out of 5]

in this powerful novel by James bartleman, we follow the journey of Martha, an indigenous child who is taken from her family and sent to a residential schools. the story explores the devastating of the Canadian residential school system on indigenous communities, we witness Martha's struggles as she faces cultural assimilation, loss of identity, and trauma inflicted upon her and her peers. throughout the book, Bartleman beautifully portrays Martha's emotions, ranging from fear, determination and sadness, hope and anger. these emotions make her character relatable and her journey more impactful. I highly encourage others to read this novel as it sheds light on a dark chapter in Canadian history and raises awareness about the experiences of indigenous children in residential schools. the story is thought provoking, emotional and beautifully written. it's an important read that fosters empathy and understanding.

[Emily Princi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I give this a 3.5/5. This book is divided into 3 parts. The first part talks about Martha’s past and what trauma led her to live her life in the second part. I found both of these very interesting. The third part discussed the healing of Martha and her life after she had to head back home. As a work of fiction, it really captures the reality of some Indigenous people in Canada. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, however, the writing felt very scatterbrained. The chapters make sense when you read them, but don’t necessarily follow the chronological order of the story. Definitely a good read for anyone looking to divulge into Indigenous themed fiction, but it didn’t leave me with a consistent desire to pick up the book and read. The ending didn’t really put all the pieces back together either.

[Gretchen G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of people should read this book to get some insight into the lives of many Indigenous people here in what is now known as Canada.
This book demonstrates inter generational trauma and the effects that residential schools have on second generation survivors.
I think that there are a lot of important things that needed to be included and more attention was paid to that than writing super compelling dialogue or avoiding an “after-school special” kind of feel. It feels like every single issue felt by Indigenous people was included in this book, and while the writing seemed kind of “flat”, there is lots of very important learning in this book.
You should read it.
I want to read something else by this author to see what the writing style is in his other stories.

[Shannon Crow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Every Canadian. No actually every being on the planet could benefit from reading this book. I hope this is part of a Canadian history class at the high school level. I knew about residential schools and I hear news of various issues facing our first Canadians. Reading this book brought this into my awareness at a new level. I am so sorry that people have suffered in such a way. We are all connected to this and we can heal when the issues are brought to light. Thank you James Bartleman for doing that and for your writing style.

[Lindasp · Rating 5 out of 5]

As we Canadians celebrated our first Day of Truth and Reconciliation recently I selected this book to read to gain further understanding of what Indigenous peoples have endured and are still enduring. James Bartleman writes a gripping and emotional story of Martha who survived residential school abuse and who tried to ‘find’ herself to be able to help save her son and daughter from the torments they were facing. Very powerful!

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone needs to read this book to understand the generational impacts residential schools have had on Native populations in Ontario and Canada. It is awful and we all my recognize it, read about and provide forgiveness to those that constructed those practices but move forward in loving the Native culture and languages.

[Alaura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a beautifully written tragedy of the horrors and consequences of Residential Schools. It followed a survivor and her children on a reserve and in Toronto. The book might be fiction but it’s safe to say that we all know it’s rooted in fact.

[Laura Tiessen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to my niece for recommending this well written novel depicting the suffering of many indigenous children and adults. Along with its heart-wrenching stories, the author writes with hope that truth and love will eventually win out.

[Lori Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Canadian novel that all of the country should be reading. This is an important and difficult part of our heritage but the stories need to be heard. Good writing on a difficult subject.

[Laurel Pole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book.
Explains what happened to the First Nation people when they were put in residential schools and how that affected each generation afterwards.
It was a crime !

[Pauline · Rating 1 out of 5]

Extremely important subject about the treatment of our indigenous First Nations and residential schools, but terrible, no horrible writing. I appreciate the message, but certainly not the art.

[Mari C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the narrative and although a lot of parts where really difficult it was very beautiful to read, I learned so much about Canada and natives and discrimination. I really like it.

[Bonnie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The reason for the rating is due to the way the book is written- it is much too simplistic for the heart-wrenching topic it's about. The depth of suffering experienced by the First Nations people as a whole is unimaginable to most, yet the book does a "quick fix" at the end where everyone feels better (which is completely unrealistic).

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not so bad as a 3 but not good enough for a 4.

I had been dreading this "should" read for some time but for no reason. As difficult as the subject matter is to think about, let alone read about, this was a very easy read that drove me to want to keep reading.

I did not however feel that I knew Martha, Raven, or Spider as well as I would have liked (but perhaps I am experiencing the cultural distance that exists between First Nations peoples and the White man?). This distance did not stop me from grieving for the community, and characters, feel the futility of their situation, and feel hope with the knowledge that these characters are now on their journey of healing.

Often times I felt the voice of the author more so than the pulse of the characters themselves. Even though His Honour Mr. Bartleman is a seasoned politician grown used to masking his emotions, I distinctly felt instances of HIS bitterness and anger (rightly so given the subject matter) coming through as his voice rather than that of his characters'. This frequently brought me out of Northern Ontario and placed me back in my room with a book in my hand.

This though is a MUST read for anyone wishing to understand the problems the Annishnaawbeg communities face today.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked what this book was trying to do, but it's style was really mediocre. The writing wasn't the best - though I am interested to read the same author's non-fiction. It was a good story, and a good read to learn a bit about First Nations culture but I thought most of the characters were underdeveloped and I just couldn't connect enough with them because of the writing. I also thought some of the topics were poorly addressed, like the way addiction was really glossed over (not so much the roots of addiction but it's impact on the person...it was way to easy to jump from addicted to non-addicted for a lot of the characters) and suicide (particularly when one of the characters tells a girl's mother than only she can stop her child from committing suicide - that is a lot of pressure on someone, even if it's with good intention).

[Hella Comat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by the former Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, this is a fictionalized version of what many First Nations children went through in the 60s, 70s, and 80s - forcibly sent to a residential school governed by loveless nuns and sexually abusive priests, being forced to learn English and ignore their own language and culture for 10 years, and then return to their homes in northern Ontario to try to live a 'normal' life. Bartleman includes the epidemic of teen suicides that occurred in the generation of children born to these First Nations men and women who didn't feel connections to either culture.