When We Were Alone

When We Were Alone stands out among Canadian picturebook publications about residential school experiences because both the author and illustrator are Indigenous. While Harde (2020) asserts that an "Indigenous author and settler artist telling the same story in a collaborative space" is indicative of collective healing (n.p.), I believe it's also beneficial for Indigenous people to have the opportunity to express their stories visually and share their pictorial testimony with others. Flett's illustrations add another dimension not only to Robertson's story but to the multiple narratives shared by other Indigenous authors that were illustrated by non-Indigenous artists. Considering the vast pool of Indigenous illustrators that could have done illustrations for any of these books (for example, Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, Juliana Armstrong, George Gingas, Janine Gibbons, Jay Odjick, Dozay Christmas, Chief Lady Bird, etc.), I find it interesting that no other Canadian published picturebooks about residential schools (that I have found) have used an Indigenous team of creators.

Another way this text stands out is its focus on "empowerment and strength" (front book flap). Rather than following the "removal-school-home" cycle (Harde, 2020) other narratives followed, When We Were Alone takes on more of a question and answer format. A granddaughter asks her nókom (grandmother) why she does things the way she does and each time the grandmother (1) reminisces on a mistreatment experienced at residential school, (2) shares a way that she and her classmates resisted, and (3) remarks, "And this made us happy." We aren't shown a linear narrative of Nókom's experience, nor do we see her removal from or return to her family. We do, however, see how she coped with the neglect and abuse so prevalent at residential schools as a child, and how she has overcome that experience—and how she continues to make choices that empower within her culture and identity—as an adult.

Robertson's text is filled with a series of haunting metaphors about hardships experienced at residential school. Each metaphor invokes nature, for example, "We all mixed together like storm clouds" (third opening) and "Our voices blended together like a flock of crows" (ninth opening). The poetic way injustice is spoken of, coupled with an act of resistance and the refrain, "And this made us happy," lend a sort of rhythm to the book (where a linear plot line is missing).

Many pictures in this book show children somewhat isolated. Children in residential schools often felt lonely—and Nókom fights against this emotional neglect as an adult by insuring that "Now...I am always with my family" (final opening)—but Robertson shows how children, like Nókom once was, can take ownership of the time they spent alone.

Works Cited:

Harde, R. (2020). Talking back to history in Indigenous picturebooks. International Research in Children’s Literature, 13(2), 274–288. https://doi.org/10.3366/ircl.2020.0358