The Rez Sisters

Tomson Highway

38 pages 1-hour read

Tomson Highway

The Rez Sisters

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1986

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

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.

Key Relationships

Half-sister of Annie Cook

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.

Key Relationships

Half-sister of Annie Cook

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.

Key Relationships

Wife of Eugene Starblanket

Sister of Annie Cook

Sister-in-law of Veronique St. Pierre

Mother of Simon

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.

Key Relationships

Half-sister of Pelajia Patchnose

Half-sister of Philomena Moosetail

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.

Key Relationships

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.

Key Relationships

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

Supporting Characters

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.

Key Relationships

Adopted daughter of Veronique St. Pierre

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.

Key Relationships

Spiritual guide for Marie-Adele Starblanket

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.

Key Relationships

Former romantic partner of Annie Cook

Father of Simon

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.

Key Relationships

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.

Key Relationships

Romantic partner of Big Joey

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.

Key Relationships

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.

Key Relationships

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.

Key Relationships

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.

Key Relationships

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.

Key Relationships

Simon is one of Marie-Adele and Eugene's fourteen children, currently spending time away from the reserve with his father in Espanola.

Key Relationships

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.

Key Relationships

Remembered fondly by Philomena Moosetail