Analysis Of The Wings Of Morning By Sterley Choyce

Lesley Choyce is a Nova Scotian author and publisher of Pottersfield Press, who offers insight on life that focuses on the natural landscape around his home. This insight derived from his unidentified personal crisis. Choyce examines his life in the Seven Ravens, as an act of therapeutic nature writing that interweaves a philosophical and perceptive memoir. He writes about his journey over a two-year span of self-understanding by exploring everything around him. For example, Choyce uses ravens as a benchmark to guide him along his journey. Thus, he decides to hike north from his house until he has passed seven ravens, and then he returns home.
In his chapter, “I Decide to Become a Shaman”, he writes about wanting to be a shaman or an alchemist,

but his true goal is to comprehend his place in the world. However, his notion of Shaman is almost entirely based on a book he read called So You Want to Be a Shaman, which he believes this book could turn people into Shamans. Without having the proper people to teach Choyce by praxis of Shamanism, I do not believe that this book could produce an authentic Shaman. To top it all off, the author relies heavily on borrowing literature, and leaving out the experiential aspect essential to become as they say Shaman. Growing up around medicine people, I have never heard them say they were medicine people. It is considered to be arrogant to label yourself a medicine person or an Elder, that is a title that is earned and given to you when you are ready for that responsibility.
Additionally, his premise is that he claims to be a Shaman and to have a “Shamanistic side.” As an Indigenous woman, I am quite offended that another white make would try to claim this title and not have the consciousness to know that he is culture appropriating. Although he attempts to state that he has some consciousness of his claims, “I’m hardly ethnic anything. I’m one of those sorry white people brought up on a bland kind of Protestantism that, once rejected, gives me plenty of leeway to adopt a belief system or religion from another culture but I feel long-since cut off from any kind of roots.” In the old days of Turtle Island, Indigenous peoples of various nations cross-cultural married or for other reasons, into other nations, in which they would adopt the customs, values, language & culture of that nation. However, unlike Choyce, they did so in a respectful manner by getting consensus approval of the community or nation. These ancient practices require much more than the knowledge of books, it requires an understanding of the universe, and our path in this universe. Choyce is on his journey into discovering who he is in this universe, but he does wonder into the unknown and claim to know.
On a brighter note, Choyce is quite observant and thoughtful.

He describes his garden, animals he and his daughters save, surfing, hiking, books he reads, and places he visits along his journey. In chapter, The Wings of Morning, an interesting theory on the Blue Jay method that was used to help guide the writing direction and inspiration. He mentions that he adopted this technique from the Chinese, specifically being inspired by Chi Yiu. This technique reminds me of how my ancestors first learned their songs from the birds. During his journey he found recovery in the natural world, which is beautiful but also dangerous. For example, Choyce recalls a tragedy in his past when he tried to save a woman from drowning but failed which has greatly impacted his life. His writing illustrates the connections with both the physical world and the literary

one.
During Choyce’s journey in the ending of year one in the month of August, he wondered to Halifax walking about in the city observing the lifeless buildings, concrete and statues.

He recalls the last time he encountered the infamous Edward Cornwallis statue covered in red paint symbolizing his attempt to commit genocide to Lnu’g (Mi’gmaw) by placing a bounty on Lnu’g women, men and children scalps. As a matter of fact, that piece of legislation, according to the 1756 proclamation offers a bounty for each Mi'gmaq scalp. It's never been removed, and the province has never apologized. The Mi’gmaw asked almost 20 years ago for this law to be taken out of the books, even the Coast has noticed how this issue was shoved under the rug, “According to CBC’s 15-year-old story, First Nations chiefs asked the premier to remove the province’s 250-year-old scalping law from the books back in 1999." What has been removed is the Cornwallis statue on February 1,

2018.
Following year one, during the month of July, he discovers a wooden crate near the high tide marker, that has life living in side of it. As he thinks deeply about this wondering if they know about the larger world around them or not, he concludes with influential people like Buddhist and Hawking’s notion of the universal workings. He states, “Unlike Big Bang Theorists, the Buddhists believe that there is no beginning and no end to things. Another crazy idea that can probably fit snugly beside Hawking’s notion that time did not exist before the big fish create was dropped on shore.” Similarly, within Indigenous communities the circle of life exists that is embedded and interconnected with one another, and that life never ends.
On August 1, Choyce travels by ferry to Tancook Island, in the Chester Basin of Nova Scotia. There he discovers the beauties of the island’s landscape, he then goes on to briefly acknowledge the Mi’gmaq history of Tancook Island, he states that, “The word Tancook either means “the big island” or “facing the open sea,” both derive from Mi’kmaq people who had the run of this place until the English started mucking things up in the eighteenth century.” According to Mi’kmaw Place Names Digital Atlas, the Mi’kmaw word is “Uktankook” or “Wta’nkuk” .
Overall, I thought this book was thought-provoking, however, in some key areas there seem to lack research, whereas, other areas were well researched. Depending on the audience reading this book it can be either, a calm and quiet read, one that encourages reflection and observation, or it can be a painful and discouraging read, also encouraging reflection and observation. Although I do believe his intentions are good, he does not always back up certain claims very well. However, I did enjoy the approach he uses through out the book on connecting his life to the surrounding universe of the natural world. His journey leads to seven ravens, as he believes this symbolizes that he is at his finally destination of this chapter in his life, home.