Martin is a young boy of mixed Euro-American and Sioux heritage living in an urban neighborhood. He worries constantly about peer perception, fearing his reality does not match the stereotypical images of Indigenous people expected by his friends. This internal tension drives his initial resistance to learning about his family traditions. He gradually begins to look past his own embarrassment by observing how others react to his grandfather.

Joe is a Sioux elder who travels alone from his reservation to visit his family in the city. He serves as an anchor to traditional cultural practices and possesses a dignified, quiet strength despite his advancing age and failing health. He understands modern social dynamics perfectly, demonstrated by his practical advice regarding when and where his grandson should wear traditional items.

Cheryl is Martin's 10-year-old sister who shares his mixed Euro-American and Sioux heritage. Unlike her brother, she exhibits zero identity conflict or embarrassment regarding their grandfather's appearance or culture. She openly adores him, proudly introduces him to her social circle, and spends as much time with him as possible during his visit.

Iron Shell is Joe's father and Martin's great-grandfather. As a young man, he undertook a traditional spiritual quest despite the encroachment of Euro-American colonization and the end of his people's nomadic lifestyle. His discovery of iron during this vision quest shaped his destiny and created the intergenerational heirloom passed down through the men of the family.

Martin's father is a Euro-American man raising his family in a modern city. He provides a positive example of manhood for his son, though his non-Sioux background means he cannot guide Martin through the specific cultural rites of passage required by his mother's heritage. He supports his father-in-law's stay in their home.

Martin's mother provides the Sioux heritage for her children. She has integrated into urban life away from the reservation, establishing a home where her father, Joe Iron Shell, comes to visit when his health begins to fail. She facilitates his stay and ensures he receives care.

Martin's neighborhood peers are typical urban youths who possess stereotypical ideas about Indigenous people based on movies and television. When they finally meet Joe Iron Shell in person, their genuine fascination and respectful behavior completely shifts Martin's perspective on his own family.