Native identity issues are of interest to many writers who are disturbed by an environment that promotes the displacement of Native people. Among such writers is Thomas King, who in 1993 published a short story, Borders, seeking to expose the problems of national identity unrecognized in society. King’s main idea is the need to recognize cultural diversity and integrate each cultural generation into society. King focused on the conflict when distinctive indigenous peoples clashed with the majority.
King is deeply concerned that many peoples are forced to conceal their true identities to cross borders and exist in society safely. One theme that concerns him is the fluidity of identity and its erasure, which leads to the loss of culture. Citizenship and nationality should be intertwined, but in Laeticia’s example, we can see that not everyone agrees. Laeticia is not satisfied with life on the reservation, for her “it’s boring here” (p. 139), because she has lived in the United States for a long time and wants to stay there (King, 1993). At the same time, her mother does not refer to herself as either “the Canadian side or the American side” (p. 136) since her roots are valued higher by her, and she cannot renounce them (King, 1993). King demonstrates that the erasure of identity and one’s desire to forget one’s roots can cause racism and oppression of indigenous peoples.
King pays particular attention to how indigenous peoples are perceived at the U.S.-Canadian border crossing. It should be noted that the title of the story reflects physical limitations and all the prejudices that are detrimental to Native people. The officers who let the boy and his mother through are not happy with the way the woman says “Blackfoot” (135) because they do not want to know anything about Native people (King, 1993). It is more profitable for them to remain Canadians or Americans who have not heard of the oppression of other national identities and have nothing to do with it them. Officers on the Canadian and U.S. sides behave disrespectfully, insisting that the narrator’s mother admit to belonging to one of the countries. Blackfoot is not recognized by anyone but this woman, and this is a huge problem that continues to exist (King, 1993). Boundaries exist because most do not see the value of small nations, choosing ridicule over understanding.
King illustrates representations of indigenous life through the lens of the child furthest removed from his mother’s loving roots. The boy seems content with life: he talks about a lovely house, horses, and fishing together. He probably does not recognize himself as “an Indian without a homeland,” but he is not eager to learn about his past (King, 1993, p. 142). King worries that this generation of children will not become defenders of their nationality in the future and, like Letitia, will choose a quiet life in the United States rather than a struggle for identity.
To summarize, Thomas King’s position needs to be reiterated: national identity and roots play an essential role in society. Conflicts between little peoples and society are justified by the latter’s unwillingness to recognize the value of indigenous people. Using the example of Laetitia and her mother, King shows that the erasure of identity is dangerous for a people because it can be forgotten. Native perceptions are already difficult because no officer at the border respects the family’s ethnicity. Moreover, even young children stop perceiving the value of their people because they do not seek to understand and remember them.
Reference
King, T. (1993). Borders. Web.