Q: Narratives assume, in Blanca Chester’s words, “a common matrix of cultural knowledge.” The Four Old Indians are perhaps the best examples of characters that belong to a matrix of cultural knowledge, which excludes many non-First Nations. What were your first questions about and impressions of these characters? How have you come to understand their place in the novel?

Chester states “There is an assumption of a common matrix of cultural knowledge, and invoking words—names and places—suggests that shared epistemology.” (Chester, 55) This can be seen in Green Grass Running Water in several ways. One of these ways is the references made by the characters within the novel. The references vary from historical, political, and cultural. Four references that play a big role in the novel are Lone Ranger, Ishamel, Robinson Crusoe, and Hawkeye – also known as the Four Old Indians.

When I first started reading the novel I was very confused at the changes in perspectives/stories, and extremely confused when it came to the story telling sections with Coyote and the four characters above. I will admit, my first image upon reading these names was four men and I was unsure if they were Indigenous or not. After finishing the story, or rather, stories, the four characters made more sense (although still keeping part of their mystery) and I began to understand their place in the novel.

One way I understood the Four Old Indian’s place in the novel was as a sort of guide. They narrate four versions of a creation story, quite literally guiding those narratives, as well as their small acts to ‘fix the world’ in the reality based stories centered around the 5 main characters. From their first appearance in the reality based stories on page 121, they give the impression of something more than human. From their seeming familiarity with Lionel to their subtle comments about fixing the world, I got the sense that they played a bigger role than just a couple of elderly hitch hikers.

At first, I assumed from the names of the characters that they were all old men. However, after reading the creation stories and seeing how they got those names, it made more sense. Each of the names come from characters that are traditionally white males with Aboriginal “sidekicks,” if you will. Flick gives annotations for the names in her reading notes, as well as annotations for their sidekicks names. In each story, it is assumed that the Women are the Native Sidekick to the aforementioned characters, reinforcing the idea that all Native people are the same. By taking on the names of these known characters, they are reclaiming the ability to self-define and rejecting the stereotypes and assumptions presented in the narrative.

Works Cited

Chester Blanca. “Green Grass Running Water: Theorizing the World of the Novel.” Canadian Literature 161-162. (1999). Web. April 04/2013.

Flick, Jane. “Reading Notes for Thomas King’s Green Grass Running Water.” Canadian Literature 161-162. (1999). Web. April 04/2013.

King, Thomas. Green Grass Running Water. Toronto: Harper Collins, 1993. Print.