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Ni-bo-wi-se-gwe
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Night Flying Woman, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Colonization, Oppression, and Loss
Storytelling, Knowledge, and Culture
Deforestation and Urbanization
Money, Sharing, and Community
Summary
Analysis
Oona’s family leaves the village by canoe, traveling silently so that the strangers won’t find them. Grandfather and Grandmother lead the way in the first canoe, followed by Father, Mother, A-wa-sa-si, and Oona. The river is straight, quiet, and shallow. The family will travel on this river for two days before meeting another river and continuing their journey. Oona likes traveling by canoe, but she feels sad for the trees and animals, and she wonders where they’ll go when the strangers come. Oona wonders if they’ll ever come back to the village, and Mother says no. But she reminds Oona that their ancestors’ bones are in the old village, so they’ll always be connected to it.
Oona’s family travels stealthily to avoid crossing paths with settlers, showing how threatened and unsafe they feel. Oona feels sad about the trees and animals because she knows that settlers will destroy the forests to cut trees for lumber. Oona’s sadness indicates that Native Americans respect the other living creatures in their ecosystem, and they worry about the profound suffering that deforestation will cause to that ecosystem as a whole. Mother’s remark about ancestors’ bones offers bittersweet comfort, since only the dead remain in the old village.
Active
Themes
Oona wants to stay awake and see everything, but the sun and the water lull her to sleep. When she wakes, the family is hiding the canoes and setting up camp for the night. Grandfather sprinkles herbs on the ground as a token of gratitude for their successful journey. The next day, they walk very far; Oona feels as if she’s walked forever. She enjoys the second night’s camp more than the first, because she can explore the woods and play with the animals. On the third day of the family’s journey, they cross a lake to reach the next river, which is surrounded by fallen trees and stumps.
Oona’s grandfather thanks the forest for keeping the family safe and sheltered, emphasizing that the Ojibway feel deep sense of respect for their natural habitat. Oona reinforces this idea when she plays with the animals, which she feels connected to: the animals and trees feel like an extension of her family and community, rather than resources to be exploited. The fallen trees and stumps hint ominously of exploitation to come.
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The family crosses another lake. The forest grows so dense that they can barely find an opening to make camp. They build temporary shelters and roast venison, and they decide to stay there for a few days while Grandfather scouts the land. At first, Oona is scared of this forest, but then she listens to the trees. Even though they’re much taller and have leaves that look like needles, their rustling sounds feel friendly, so Oona feels safe. A-wa-sa-si and Grandmother agree, knowing that forests have always been safe havens for the Ojibway. A-wa-sa-si explains that the Ojibway always hear the sound of the rustling trees, and that it connects them with the land.
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As the adults prepare for the last stretch of their journey, the girls play in the water. Oona sees a beaver making a dam, and she notices little tadpoles swimming. She feels like the forest is bustling with new life, and she thinks this is a good sign, because her family is making a new life too. Mother agrees. When Grandfather returns, he has good news. He’s found a place with a spring deep in the forest, surrounded by many marshes. He thinks that the strangers will not find them there for a long time. He proposes making it their new home, if the others agree.
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In the morning, the family hides all traces of their camp and sets off for their new home. Oona notices that the forest is darker, but she likes the soothing darkness. Little patches of sunlight bleed in, dancing around like sparkles. Oona feels comforted and safe. Soon, the ground gets wetter and boggier, slowing them all down. Grandfather goes ahead to set up camp, leaving a trail for the others to follow. They keep stepping into boggy ground and falling, but eventually, the ground hardens as they walk to a higher elevation. There are boulders and rocks, and the forest thins a little. This is their new home. Oona falls asleep feeling content.
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