Just Us Folk

Imagine walking into your kitchen one morning and discovering paw prints from a polar bear on the floor. There’s no sign of how the bear got in or out of the house, and there’s no sign of any damage. Strangely enough, there’s only one front paw print and one rear paw print. Not the usual way for a polar bear to walk.

This is the story which singer-songwriter Adrian Sutherland recounts in his memoir, The Work Of Our Hands: A Cree Meditation On The Real World.

No one in his community of Attawapiskat, on the shores of James Bay, could explain how the paw prints showed up. It was just accepted as a mystery and then everyone moved on. Such is life in Canada’s North. People are reliant on the environment that surrounds them for survival and if you don’t pay attention to all that’s around you, you don’t survive.

A big reason for writing the book was to share the perspective of someone who’s lived their life in a community which has for so long been mis-represented by mainstream media.

Through chapters entitled “Guitar,” “Hammer,” “Rifle,” “Water Canister” and “Sweat Lodge,” the Juno-nominated artist takes us through the struggles of growing up, maturing and finding purpose through music.

“I think people who live in isolated places in the world develop a certain mastery in order to survive. Everything is very tactile and hands-on.”

As Adrian tells his story, we find out how playing the guitar helped in his recovery from alcohol abuse. Learning there are rules to playing the instrument, he realized there are rules to follow in order to live a productive life. Through using a hammer, one soon learns there’s a right way and a wrong way to hold it. Ignoring that fact will only lead to frustration and failure. By using a rifle, Adrian was able to take part in hunting trips to provide for his community. He also realized a moment of carelessness could change his life forever.

Living in a community that didn’t get indoor plumbing until the 1990s, Adrian knew the importance of a water canister to get clean water into the house. Imagine then, discovering the teachers and nurses in your community have had indoor plumbing for years. The work you did for your family for so long is instantly turned into humiliation.

It was in the sweat lodge that Adrian found healing and native spirituality. Prayers to the Creator were rewarded with rebirth and new-found awakening to guide him forward.

Adrian endeavours to pass on the knowledge he has gained to his children and grandchildren. The conditions they live in now, are more comfortable than what he experienced, but he ensures they know the important things.

“I do make them feel the cold,” he said. “I take them to the bay so they can experience the ice. I travel with them in -40 degree weather when they’re six, seven, eight years old. I think it teaches them so many important things in life.”

Putting the memoir together took Adrian about five years to do. A lot of that time was spent looking back at his life with all of the challenges and heartaches he endured. He included a number of stories that had never been shared before. But in the end, the sharing was worth it.

“It wasn’t easy to go back but I’m glad I did,” he said. “I feel I’ve done some healing. I’ve learned something about those experiences. I understand them differently now.”

As an example, Adrian now sees that while his grandfather may not have shown him overt expressions of affection, being taught how to hunt and live on the land was his grandfather’s way of showing that affection.

“I really appreciate that now,” Adrian said.

As a grandfather himself now, Adrian has moved into the position of being an Elder in his community. As a youngster he looked up the Elders for guidance and knowledge. Now he feels sadness because they are no longer with him. Still, he sees it as a part of life, so he willingly accepts the responsibility.

“Now people are turning to me for advice on how to field-dress an animal or how to smoke meat,” he said. “It feels good in some ways as well. A lot of mixed emotions to move into this phase of your life.”

In writing a book that connects with non-Indigenous readers, it was important for Adrian to not lecture that audience. And while he certainly has an issue with how the federal government has treated his people for many years, he wanted to avoid politics in his narrative.

“I wanted to get into a pre-political space. I wanted to talk about the land because the land is the great equalizer,” he said.

“It’s beautiful country we all enjoy. Getting into pre-political spaces, like surviving on the land or inviting people from other cultures to enjoy a ceremony is where I wanted to be.”

As Adrian knows too well, if your snow machine has broken down in the wilderness and someone comes by, you don’t ask about their politics or their thoughts on the budget. You ask if they have any spare parts or if they can give you a ride home.

For more on Adrian Sutherland and The Work Of Our Hands: A Cree Meditation On The Real World, go to https://adriansutherlandmusic.com/home