Marie and Nector’s daughter, Zelda and Gordie’s sister, and Albertine’s aunt. After June’s death, Aurelia reminisces with Marie and Zelda about their childhood, and Marie mentions the time Aurelia and Gordie tried to hang June from a tree in the backyard playing cowboys and Indians. In the past, the story of hanging June in the tree had been told with a laugh, but in June’s death, Aurelia feels obvious guilt for her harsh treatment of June. Aurelia and Gordie’s attempt to hang June reflects not only the abuse June endured for much of her life, but the underlying racism of American society as well. Their childhood game is anything but innocent, and it is predicated on the racist trope that Native Americans are savages that must by hunted down and hanged by white cowboys.
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Aurelia Kashpaw Character Timeline in Love Medicine
The timeline below shows where the character Aurelia Kashpaw appears in Love Medicine. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
The World’s Greatest Fisherman Part 2
...where all of Nector and Marie’s children were raised, is now maintained by Albertine’s Aunt Aurelia, her mother’s sister.
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Arriving at the main house, Albertine enters the kitchen and finds Aurelia and Zelda busy cooking. They welcome Albertine warmly without stopping their work, and Zelda hands...
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...from a can and, gently patting it, places it carefully in the oven. Zelda and Aurelia smile; they can remember when they had to trade for meat or slaughter their own....
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Aurelia claims they never would have really hanged June, but Zelda doesn’t seem so sure. Marie...
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...she says, remarking again on Lynette. “That white girl,” Zelda claims, “won’t keep King long.” Aurelia looks to her sister, exasperated. Who cares if Lynette is white, Aurelia says. After all,...
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June’s gravestone has just recently been erected, and Zelda, Aurelia, and Marie want to go see it before it gets too dark. As the women...
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The Beads Part 1
...the children. One day, Zelda runs into the house and tells Marie that Gordie and Aurelia are hanging June from a tree. Marie runs outside and hears June telling the children...
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