An unnamed Blackfoot woman who lives on a reservation in Alberta, Canada. She is practical, conservative, and fiercely proud of her Indigenous identity. Preferring to stay close to home, she maintains a critical perspective of the outside world and worries about her daughter's desire to move away. When challenged by border authorities regarding her citizenship, she firmly refuses to categorize herself as either Canadian or American.

An unnamed Blackfoot boy who serves as the story's observer. Caught between childhood innocence and the responsibilities of adulthood, he travels with his mother and watches her manage a stubborn conflict with border patrol guards. He is adaptable and pragmatic, sometimes wishing his mother would simply give the authorities the expected answers so they could continue their journey.

The narrator's confident and adventurous older sister, who is about ten years his senior. Frustrated with the perceived boredom of reservation life, she enthusiastically packs her bags to explore the outside world. Her independent streak and desire to leave Canada frequently place her at odds with her mother's protective and traditional worldview.

A female border patrol officer who interviews the mother and son during their attempt to cross into the United States. She approaches the situation with more patience than her colleagues, attempting to respectfully explain the bureaucratic requirements to the family. She seeks to find a compromise between the rigid national policies she must enforce and the mother's steadfast declaration of identity.

The manager of a duty-free store where the mother and son spend significant time waiting. Initially neutral toward the stranded travelers, he slowly learns about their situation as they wait in the parking lot. As a non-Indigenous person shielded from colonial realities, he serves as an outside observer to the family's bureaucratic limbo.

Laetitia's boyfriend around the time she initially decides to leave the reservation. Having previously lived in Salt Lake City, he shares his excitement about the destination, fueling her desire to relocate despite her mother's dismissive interjections.

The American father of the narrator and Laetitia. He is entirely absent from their lives and is only briefly mentioned as living separately from the family.