Analysis Of When My Mother Said We Are Blackfoot

In the units studied this semester, in the face of life’s demands for actions, individuals find growth and inner strength by holding onto their identity and heritage. This can be shown clearly when the protagonist of the story Borders recounts an experience he had with his mother "My mother said we are Blackfoot. I knew we were. It didn't matter where the border was." When the protagonist’s mother says, “My mother said we are Blackfoot.” She emphasizes the importance of their cultural identity. Despite living near the border between Canada and the United States, the mother recognizes and maintains their identity as Blackfoot peoples Blackfoot heritage. She does this regardless of the lines of the borders that I think she sees as unnecessary

In this case the action is taken by refusing to back down and acknowledging their citizenship as part of the Blackfoot people. By maintaining her identity as a Blackfoot person and disregarding the significance of the borders the mother highlights the power of maintaining and creating a connection to one’s roots and refusing to accept to fit the mold that society has placed on her. Ultimately this proves the theme statement by serving as an example of inner strength that is gained from one's heritage and identity. This theme statement can be further proven in the response Morgan had to Ocheck which goes as

Inside of the passage, Morgan screams out “We wouldn’t take more than we need!” asserting her own new connection and understanding of her land and her own Indigenous identity. It is also important that she hears her mother say ”Kiskisitotaso '' which roughly translates to “don't forget who you” are "according to Eli. This message signifies a personal and ancestral connection to the land and lets the reader know that she now knows what it means to remember herself, in this case herself being the part of her identity that is arguably the most important, heritage. Furthermore, the statement “She belonged on the land. She’d never felt more at home than during the days she spent on Askí.” highlights the profound sense of connection and comfort that Morgan experiences while immersed inside of her own Indigenous heritage. This suggests by holding onto her own heritage and identity, Morgan finds inner strength, a sense of purpose, and a place where she truly belongs allowing the growth of herself as an individual. We can see this inner strength as she pushes to continue on her journey, even after being told to go back, something we see her suggesting ever since arriving in Misawa as well as all the times she continues to persevere crossing through forests and mountains and even an ice bridge. This passage supports the theme statement by showcasing the