38 pages • 1-hour read
Tomson HighwayA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
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Pelajia is the 53-year-old eldest sister of the group. She spends her time hammering shingles on her roof, favoring practical denim pants over traditional feminine skirts. Frustrated by the local conditions and the inaction of the Band Council, she constantly expresses a desire to move to Toronto where her son lives.
Sister of Philomena Moosetail
Sister of Marie-Adele Starblanket
Half-sister of Annie Cook
Sister of Emily Dictionary
Sister-in-law of Veronique St. Pierre
Mother of Tom
Philomena is the 49-year-old second eldest sister who passionately loves playing bingo. She is steadfast and practical, often providing comic relief with her blunt observations and bathroom humor. She dreams of using her potential bingo winnings to buy a fancy new toilet for her home.
Sister of Pelajia Patchnose
Sister of Marie-Adele Starblanket
Half-sister of Annie Cook
Sister of Emily Dictionary
Sister-in-law of Veronique St. Pierre
Admirer and observer of Bingo Betty
Marie-Adele is a 39-year-old mother of fourteen children who currently battles cancer. Her illness causes her severe physical distress and deep anxiety about her family's future, particularly regarding her husband's drinking. Because of her proximity to death, she can perceive and communicate with the trickster spirit hovering around her home.
Wife of Eugene Starblanket
Sister of Pelajia Patchnose
Sister of Philomena Moosetail
Sister of Annie Cook
Sister of Emily Dictionary
Sister-in-law of Veronique St. Pierre
Mother of Simon
Friend of Zhaboonigan Peterson
Spiritually targeted by Nanabush
Annie is the 36-year-old half-sister to Pelajia and Philomena. She loves music, collects records, and enthusiastically follows local country bands. Energetic and perky, she dreams of leaving the reserve to either live near her daughter in Sudbury or travel as a backup singer.
Half-sister of Pelajia Patchnose
Half-sister of Philomena Moosetail
Sister of Marie-Adele Starblanket
Sister of Emily Dictionary
Sister-in-law of Veronique St. Pierre
Former romantic interest of Eugene Starblanket
Fan and friend of Fritz the Katz
Mother of Ellen
Emily is a 32-year-old sister who recently returned to the reserve after living in San Francisco with a women's motorcycle gang. She presents a tough exterior, wears tight blue jeans, and often resorts to physical fighting to handle her conflicts. She carries a heavy past involving an abusive ex-husband whose last name she claims to have earned.
Sister of Pelajia Patchnose
Sister of Philomena Moosetail
Sister of Marie-Adele Starblanket
Sister of Annie Cook
Sister-in-law of Veronique St. Pierre
Romantically linked to Big Joey
Rival of Gazelle Nataways
Veronique is the 45-year-old sister-in-law to the other women. She frequently draws the anger of the blood-related sisters due to her condescending tone, constant gossiping, and insistence on her own moral superiority. A devout Catholic, she dreams of escaping her alcoholic husband and buying a massive new stove to cook for all the reserve's children.
Adoptive mother of Zhaboonigan Peterson
Wife of Pierre St. Pierre
Sister-in-law of Pelajia Patchnose
Sister-in-law of Philomena Moosetail
Sister-in-law of Marie-Adele Starblanket
Sister-in-law of Annie Cook
Sister-in-law of Emily Dictionary
Zhaboonigan is the 24-year-old adopted daughter of Veronique. She has an intellectual disability that makes daily tasks challenging and often leads to emotional outbursts when she feels misunderstood. Having survived a severe traumatic assault, she possesses a unique perception that allows her to interact with the spirit world.
Adopted daughter of Veronique St. Pierre
Friend of Marie-Adele Starblanket
Spiritually perceptive of Nanabush
Nanabush is a trickster spirit who takes various physical forms, most commonly a seagull. He silently follows specific individuals on the reserve, visible only to those experiencing extreme physical or mental trials. He communicates through movement, dance, and presence rather than spoken dialogue.
Spiritual guide for Marie-Adele Starblanket
Observed by Zhaboonigan Peterson
Eugene is Marie-Adele's husband who works at a pulp and paper mill off the reserve. He struggles heavily with alcohol use, which causes his wife great concern about his ability to care for their large family.
Big Joey is a local man on the reserve notorious for his messy habits and complex romantic entanglements. His affairs frequently cause jealousy, gossip, and physical altercations among the local women.
Romantic partner of Gazelle Nataways
Romantically linked to Emily Dictionary
Gazelle is a woman in the community known for her bingo luck. She draws intense judgment and resentment from the sisters because of her highly visible romantic relationship with Big Joey.
Romantic partner of Big Joey
Rival of Emily Dictionary
Fritz is a Jewish country rock singer who performs at venues off the reserve. He represents an exciting connection to the broader music world for Annie, who dreams of singing with his band.
Romantic interest of Annie Cook
Ellen is Annie's adult daughter who lives off the reserve in Sudbury. Her marriage to a French-speaking man creates a stressful language barrier for her mother.
Daughter of Annie Cook
Wife of Raymond
Raymond is Ellen's husband. He speaks French, a language Annie cannot understand, causing friction and anxiety in family communications.
Husband of Ellen
Son-in-law of Annie Cook
Pierre is Veronique's husband. His heavy drinking causes significant stress for his wife and isolates their family socially from the rest of the community.
Husband of Veronique St. Pierre
Tom is Pelajia's adult son who resides in the city. His mother frequently contemplates packing up and moving to Toronto to be closer to him and escape the reserve.
Son of Pelajia Patchnose
Simon is one of Marie-Adele and Eugene's fourteen children, currently spending time away from the reserve with his father in Espanola.
Son of Marie-Adele Starblanket
Son of Eugene Starblanket
Bingo Betty is a deceased woman from the reserve who was famous for her intense, lifelong dedication to playing bingo. Her ghost is humorously said to still haunt the local bingo tables.
Remembered fondly by Philomena Moosetail