My Mother's Legacy

A survival story and celebration of one woman's life, My Mother's Legacy is also a glimpse of the spirit, culture, and history of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. From life on the trapline in the Far North to meeting the Pope at the Vatican, this is Angie Mercredi-Crerar's journey of perseverance and triumph-as told by her daughter.
Angie's happy and loving childhood in Fort Resolution (Deninu Kue, "moose island place"), Northwest Territories, is vividly reimagined and contrasted with the atrocity of her time in residential school, when Indigenous children were forcibly taken from their families and isolated in remote institutions. But Angie survives and thrives as a renowned Métis Elder in Alberta, dedicated to making a difference for the Métis and meeting with Pope Francis as part of a delegation seeking an apology and restitution for the Catholic Church's role in Canada's residential school system.
Through her mother's story, author Bonita Nowell forges a connection with family, ancestors, and community, as well as readers who may not have intimate knowledge of life in the North and the era of residential schools in Canada. This book honours Angie while also reflecting on life in the North and weaving together memorable characters and pivotal historic moments on the path to reconciliation.