The Wolf Mother by Hetxw'ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson)

In the month of May, during the Lasa'yanja, the Budding Trees and Blooming Flowers Moon, plants are blooming and spring is beginning to take hold. During this time, many animals are giving birth. The Now Gibuu, the wolf mother has recently given birth to six new wolf pups. One of the wolf pups is black with a tiny white strip above her left eye.

By the time of the Lasa maa'y, the Gathering and Preparing Berries Moon, the wolf pups are now travelling with their family, hunting gax, the rabbit. The black pup aggressively pushes to the front of the other pups to get the meat she loves. 

After two years of growing, hunting and learning from her pack, it is time for the black wolf to leave and find her own group and become a Nox Gibuu or wolf mother.

During the time of Lasa gangwiikw, The Groundhog Hunting Moon, there is plenty of prey for the black wolf, especially the well fed groundhogs, as she seeks out a new home.

In November, during Lasa gwineekxw, the Getting-Used-To-Cold Moon, the black wolf approaches a group of wolves she has been following for some days. One of the wolves, a grey female is wary of the strange black wolf but eventually submits, rolling over on her back. The black wolf is now the leader of this group of wolves.

By January, Nox Gibuu is bonding with a strong male wolf with grey fur. Soon the wolf mother will be able to begin her new family.

The arrival of  spring, Nox Gibuu's third Lasa 'yanja is heralded by the birth of her first litter of five pups. There are now ten animals in the pack. Nox Gibuu has made a good start for the future of the wolves in her ecosystem.

Discussion

The Wolf Mother is part of the Mothers of Xsan series written by award-winning storyteller and artist Hetxw'ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson) from the Gitxsan Nation in the Northwest Interior of British Columbia. As Gyetxw mentions in his note "The Gitxsan" at the back of the book, the territory of the Gitxsan encompasses the headwaters of Xsan or its colonial name, the Skeena River.   The Gitxsan Nation is a strong matrilineal society, meaning that "all rights, priviliges, names and stories come from the mothers". There are four clan that make up the Gitxsan Nation, the Lax Seel (Frog), Lax Gibuu (Wolf), Lax Skiik (Eagle), and Gisghaast (Fireweed).  The Mothers of Xsan series include The Sockeye, The Wolf, The Grizzly and the Frog, fitting nicely with three of the Gitxsan clans. 

Like other books in the series, The Wolf Mother offers young readers the story of the life cycle of the animal in the title, in this case the grey wolf. The Wolf Mother blends biology and Indigenous knowledge and culture, showing how the natural world and the human world share similar practices. For example Gyetxw mentions how both wolf packs and the Gitxsan people share the responsibility of raising the young, teaching them the skills they need to know to survive.

Beyond the life cycle of the wolf, readers will also learn the importance of the wolf in the ecosystem in the Gitxsan Nation territory and Gyetxw also points out how the wolf should not be considered a feared predator but in reality are "...some of the most loving and caring beings."

Gyetxw also incorporates some of the Gitxsan language into his text such as gal ts'ap (village), gibuu (wolf).  The author also uses terms that are familiar to the Gitxsan to describe the world around them. The months of the year are defined by the names the Gitxsan have for each lunar cycle. For example, the moon in May is very appropriately called Budding Trees and Blooming Flowers Moon or Lasa 'yanja.  To make the text more understandable to younger readers, more difficult words and terms are highlighted in separate boxes where a definition is provided. 

Accompanying the descriptive text is the colourful artwork of Metis illustrator Natasha Donovan who incorporates many beautiful indigenous motifs into her work. This artwork really enhances the story being told. Overall, this graphic series is very well done, the artwork outstanding and the information presented in an appealing and engaging way.

The Mothers of Xsan series is highly recommended for students interested in wildlife.

Book Details:

The Wolf Mother by Hetxw'ms Geytxw (Brett D. Huson)
Winnipeg, Manitoba: Highwater Press      2021