Introduction
The graphic story “Tilted Ground” by Sonny Assu, illustrated by Kyle Charles and featured in the anthology This Place: 150 Years Retold (2019), offers a compelling narrative of Indigenous resilience and resistance in the face of Canadian colonialism. Set within the Kwagu’l community, the story centres on Chief Billy Assu, whose life exemplifies active defiance against cultural erasure. This essay, written from the perspective of an English literature undergraduate exploring themes of postcolonial narratives and graphic storytelling, examines how “Tilted Ground” portrays resilience not as mere survival but as strategic cultural preservation. It will analyse key elements of the plot, specific examples of resistance, the role of comic techniques in enhancing themes, and the story’s broader significance. By drawing on the narrative’s depiction of the potlatch ban, community strategies, and visual symbolism, the essay argues that Assu’s work highlights ongoing Indigenous agency. This analysis is grounded in the story’s historical context, including the 1885 amendment to the Indian Act that banned potlatches (Cole and Chaikin, 1990), and considers how graphic novels can convey complex cultural histories more dynamically than traditional texts.
Plot Overview and Demonstration of Indigenous Resilience
“Tilted Ground” structures its narrative around Chief Billy Assu’s life to illustrate Indigenous resilience as an active force against colonial oppression. The story begins with the death of Billy’s uncle Nagahu, after which Chief Wamish adopts him and initiates a rigorous training process. This involves teaching Billy the ceremonies, songs, origin stories, and elder ways, ensuring he gains their blessings (Assu, 2019, pp. 33-35). This early focus establishes resilience as rooted in cultural transmission, where knowledge is passed down to fortify future generations against external threats. Indeed, this training is not passive; it equips Billy with the tools to lead his community, the Wiweqayi, through turbulent times.
As the narrative progresses, the colonial government enacts laws banning the potlatch via the 1885 Indian Act amendment, intensifying surveillance by Indian agents (Bracken, 1997). Despite this, Billy and his community persist in holding potlatches, sometimes openly and other times covertly on remote islands to evade detection (Assu, 2019, p. 50). This defiance underscores resistance as a communal choice, with characters noting that agents “won’t think to look for us there,” highlighting strategic evasion rather than submission. The story culminates in Billy earning the name “Pasalal,” meaning “to give many potlatches,” and a final panel depicts him with a child, symbolising the continuity of Kwagu’l culture (Assu, 2019, pp. 52-53). Overall, this plot arc demonstrates that Indigenous resilience is an ongoing, deliberate effort to protect traditions, aligning with broader scholarly views that such acts challenge colonial narratives of inevitable cultural decline (Simpson, 2017). However, the story’s portrayal is somewhat idealised, limiting critical depth by focusing primarily on triumph without fully exploring internal community conflicts.
Examples of Resilience and Resistance in Chief Billy Assu’s Actions
“Tilted Ground” provides several concrete examples of how Chief Billy Assu embodies resilience and resistance, transforming colonial tools into means of empowerment. Firstly, despite the potlatch ban, Billy’s community continues the practice defiantly, relocating ceremonies to avoid agents (Assu, 2019, p. 50). This act directly confronts a law intended to dismantle Indigenous economic and social systems, as the potlatch was central to wealth redistribution and cultural affirmation (Cole and Chaikin, 1990). By persisting, Billy resists cultural genocide, showing resilience as proactive rather than reactive.
Secondly, Billy adopts elements of European systems strategically; he learns English to negotiate better conditions for his people, including fairer wages at canneries, equitable fish prices, and access to modern fishing equipment (Assu, 2019, p. 47). This adaptation reflects resilience by subverting colonial structures—using language and knowledge to safeguard the Wiweqayi community’s economic viability. Scholars like Alfred (2005) argue that such hybrid strategies are key to Indigenous survival, blending traditional values with imposed systems to maintain autonomy. Furthermore, Billy establishes beach patrols to exclude whiskey bootleggers, enforcing strict penalties for trespassers (Assu, 2019, p. 47). This initiative protects the community from colonial vices, illustrating resistance as guardianship against moral and physical harm.
A final point on these examples is that Billy’s approach is strategic and community-oriented, grounded in cultural pride. Unlike desperate reactions, his actions are calculated, fostering long-term sustainability. While the story effectively showcases these elements, it offers limited evaluation of potential drawbacks, such as the risks of cultural hybridity leading to assimilation, which could deepen the analysis (Alfred, 2005).
The Role of Comic Elements in Enhancing Themes
The comic format of “Tilted Ground” is integral to conveying themes of resilience and resistance, leveraging visual and structural elements unique to graphic novels. A striking full-page spread on pages 30-31 depicts an upturned canoe against a vibrant pink and orange sky, devoid of dialogue, evoking timeless connection to the land (Assu, 2019). This image frames Billy’s story within an ancient, enduring Indigenous worldview, surpassing what prose alone might achieve by immersing readers in a sensory experience of cultural depth.
Additionally, speech bubbles in Kwak’wala, accompanied by footnotes noting “translated from Kwak’wala,” appear during Billy’s training scenes (Assu, 2019, pp. 33-35). This technique emphasises linguistic preservation as a form of resistance, reminding readers that language is vital to identity and cannot be erased by colonial policies (Perley, 2011). The colour palette further enhances this: warm tones of pink, purple, and orange dominate Indigenous scenes, contrasting with cold blue-greens in depictions of colonial figures like Dr. Israel Wood Powell (Assu, 2019, p. 36). This visual dichotomy symbolises conflicting worlds, making resistance palpable without explicit narration.
Ultimately, Assu and Charles exploit graphic novel tools to evoke the emotional weight of Billy’s narrative, achieving a depth that text-based stories might struggle to replicate. However, this reliance on visuals assumes reader familiarity with comic conventions, potentially limiting accessibility for some audiences.
The Broader Importance of “Tilted Ground”
“Tilted Ground” is crucial for illuminating underrepresented Canadian history, particularly Indigenous resistance to laws like the potlatch ban aimed at cultural erasure (Bracken, 1997). It humanises this struggle through Billy’s personal journey, revealing the determination behind each act of defiance. Resilience here is portrayed as active choices in ceremonies, language, and daily life, reinforcing that culture endures through community efforts (Simpson, 2017).
The story’s effectiveness lies in its personalisation of history, making abstract colonial impacts tangible. Its closing caption, “Not the End,” challenges readers to see Billy’s legacy as ongoing, urging reckoning with contemporary Indigenous issues in Canada. This narrative matters because it counters passive survival tropes, instead celebrating strategic resistance.
Conclusion
In summary, “Tilted Ground” powerfully demonstrates Indigenous resilience through Chief Billy Assu’s defiance of the potlatch ban, strategic adoption of colonial tools, and commitment to cultural transmission. The story’s plot, examples of resistance, and comic elements collectively highlight active cultural protection, while its broader message underscores the enduring nature of Indigenous agency. This analysis reveals the graphic novel’s strength in conveying complex themes, though with some limitations in critical depth. Implications for English studies include recognising graphic narratives as vital for postcolonial discourse, encouraging further exploration of how such forms amplify marginalised voices. Ultimately, “Tilted Ground” reminds us that resistance is not historical artefact but a living force, relevant to ongoing reconciliation efforts in Canada.
References
- Alfred, T. (2005) Wasáse: Indigenous Pathways of Action and Freedom. University of Toronto Press.
- Assu, S. (2019) Tilted Ground. In: Cariou, W. et al. (eds.) This Place: 150 Years Retold. HighWater Press, pp. 29-53.
- Bracken, C. (1997) The Potlatch Papers: A Colonial Case History. University of Chicago Press.
- Cole, D. and Chaikin, I. (1990) An Iron Hand Upon the People: The Law Against the Potlatch on the Northwest Coast. University of Washington Press.
- Perley, B. C. (2011) Defying Maliseet Language Death: Emergent Vitalities of Language, Culture, and Identity in Eastern Canada. University of Nebraska Press.
- Simpson, L. B. (2017) As We Have Always Done: Indigenous Freedom through Radical Resistance. University of Minnesota Press.
