The point of ethnic and colonial writing is usually to shed light on some issues related to the clash of different cultures. Writing as a form of protest against certain social phenomena is not new, but with the rise of native writing, the stories involving lives of various ethnicities gain more authenticity. In his novel, Joseph Boyden touches on several subjects related to the way Native Canadians were treated in the early 20th century - however, it is easy to draw parallels to the contemporary world, especially having read the short stories from Born with a Tooth.

The main issue here is the racial segregation and marginalisation. X and Elijah, even though they volunteer to fight for the Canadian Army in a war that does not even directly involve them as Indians. Yet already on their way to the recruitment centre they experience racial segregation as they forced to leave their train car and move to one in the back, deprived of all the luxuries of the regular car and filled with the smell of animals in the car next to it.

At the camp in Ontario and in the trenches of European battlefields, their situation does not improve much. The only reasons they avoid open discrimination from their fellow troops are their skills and efficiency. In war, everyone is objectified and turned into an asset, and, paradoxically, the skilled native hunters are quite valuable for the officers. However, this does not bring them much benefits: even though the soldiers from their unit, the Ontario Rifles, respect them for their efficiency and even like Elijah for his personality, the commanders and the rest of the army still consider them savages.
It is worth mentioning that Boyden admits that he wishes to honour the Native Canadian soldiers and their accomplishments in World War 1 with the novel. At one point, Xavier and Elijah meet a historical character,
Francis Pegahmagabow known as Peggy, who resentfully states that the whites never believe in the natives' kill tally, and even if he earns respect among the soldiers, after the war he will be still subjected to discrimination.


Almost the entirety of Niska's life, as portrayed in the novel, can serve as an example of culture clash, conflict with the colonial system and preservation of traditional values. Her father, a hookimaw, leader of an Indian community, was a killer of windigos - people possessed by evil spirits. While his people were thankful for saving them from the mystical threat, the colonial authorities imprisoned him for murder. This poses an interesting dilemma: whose laws and traditions should be respected? The Indians believed that the spirit, if not killed, would destroy the entire community. The whites, however, who do not share native beliefs, protect human life.

When Niska's father dies in prison, she becomes the new hookimaw. Having tasted the white man's civilisation in the Christian school, she decides to live in the bush liker her ancestors and cultivate the traditions of her people. This makes her somewhat a pariah, especially for the young generation of Indians living in the reservation. Assimilated into the dominant culture, they consider her a relic of the past. In this way Boyden accentuates on the need of rekindling the sense of tradition and community among the First Nations