Interview: Author Armin Wiebe

Tatsea came to me through the family recommendation chain, which is one of the big bonuses of belonging to a family of readers. I was struck by this book- not just because it's fantastic, with great writing and captivating adventure- but because it is so unique. Historical fiction about a young Tlicho (Dogrib) woman, in a format geared for young adults? I love it! Tatsea came out in 2003, but I guess I was asleep at the wheel that year, because I had never heard of it before now. Nonetheless, when I contacted author Armin Wiebe and asked for an interview, he was gracious enough to agree.

You can read my review of Tatsea here.

Armin Wiebe is a Canadian novelist. He was born in Altona, Manitoba and has lived in the Northwest Territories and in Saskatchewan. He holds degrees from University of Winnipeg, University of Manitoba and spent time teaching at Red River College. Last fall he served as writer-in-residence at the Centre for Creative Writing and Oral Culture at the University of Manitoba. He lives and writes in Winnipeg, Canada.

Thanks for being here, Armin. For starters, what inspired you to write Tatsea?

In 1983, shortly after my wife and I moved to Lac La Martre, NWT to teach, Mike Nitsiza, one of the school staff told me the story of how the Dogrib people got their first rifle. I immediately thought that this was a story that should be written as an adventure story for young people. The story simmered in the back of my mind throughout the six years I lived in the community as I absorbed more stories and the culture of every day life in this still quite traditional Dogrib (Tlicho) community.

All that simmering seems to have paid off- Tatsea and Ikotsali are fantastic characters! When I was reading the book, they truly felt real to me. Were your characters inspired by anyone you know?

Other than the broad strokes of the original Dogrib story of the woman who was kidnapped and taken far away to where there were traders who lived in big stick structures, Tatsea is my invention. Her name is the Dogrib word for hawk or falcon and once a character is named things begin to evolve from there. I tried to imagine a teenage girl in her situation and tried to see the world and the events she experiences from her point of view, deliberately attempting to avoid imposing a contemporary mindset on her story. I tried to imagine how she would interpret things she sees for the first time, such as guns, whiskey casks, mirrors, bearded men with red hair, even a cat.

Ikotsali grew out of two Dogrib stories: the boy who turned into a frog and the man who led the Cree over the falls. I combined the two characters into one. Ikotsali's name means "frog face". After the book was published, I was invited to Yellowknife to work with teachers who were preparing learning materials for the novel. At this point Mike Nitsiza who had told me some of the original stories told me that the boy who turned into a frog and the medicine man who led the Cree over the falls were really two people. He then proceeded to tell me another story about the boy which seemed to affirm the character I had created. The boy's real name, Ikitsili, was eerily similar to the one I had invented.

While we're talking about Ikotsali, I kept wondering about this when I was reading Tatsea- what is the story behind Ikotsali's boils? Why do they never heal?

That's a good question. As I was writing I think I had a severe case of impetigo in mind--a skin condition if left untreated can be rather unsightly. You give me an idea that may be useful in the new novel I'm writing.

Does that mean I get a mention in the credits? haha

Tatsea is a story of a great struggle for survival. In your time in the north, did you have (or hear about) any similarly hair-raising experiences?

Living in the subarctic 200 years ago was always a struggle for survival, and the smallest mishap could be a matter of life and death. During the time I lived in the north, there were a number of deaths due to freezing, and I recall a trapper who used a splinter of wood to pick his teeth while out on his trapline. He got a sliver stuck in his gums which led to infection and had he not had a "bush radio" to call for help he might well have perished. Elders told stories of starvation when people missed finding the caribou. Not getting a fire started in winter is still today a serious catastrophe for people out on the land.

I know what I loved about your story, but I think it's interesting to hear your perspective, so: What do you think people will enjoy most about Tatsea?

Tatsea is an historical adventure story that is also a love story. I think readers will enjoy being taken into the world of the Dogrib (Tlicho) people: from the menstrual hut to the caribou hunt on the barrenlands to the encounter with the European traders. I think readers will identify with Tatsea's desire to survive and with Ikotsali's determination to keep his baby alive. One reader mentioned enjoying the many stories that make up the larger story.

I loved your writing style and the way you pulled the stories of your two protagonists into one unified piece. Do you have any advice for the aspiring authors among us?

Writing is an active sport. The only way to become a writer is to write. Until the words are written down, no matter how badly, the dreams and schemes of story are just thin air. Shut your inner editor off and allow yourself to write. Surrender to your imagination. Value your own experience and your own surroundings. Stories don't need to be set in New York or L.A. You can always correct, revise, and rewrite later, but first you need to generate the raw material. Don't wait for inspiration, or big blocks of time. The inspiration will come while actually writing. Read, read, read.

Great advice! What's next for you? Do you have another book in the works?

I have recently completed a stage play, which I hope will have a professional production in the coming season. I am at the research and planning stage of a new novel which will be a "sequel" to Tatsea.

That's fantastic! I can't wait to read it! In closing, is there a question you never get asked that you wish you did? And, what is the answer?

What has been the most rewarding thing about writing and publishing Tatsea? Having Tasea win the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award and the Margaret Laurence Award for Fiction was wonderful, but the most rewarding thing was to have Dogrib elders thank me for writing the novel about their history and culture and giving them a tool to open dialogue with their young people about their traditions.

Thank you again for agreeing to participate in this interview. It's been great to have you!