Status
Available
Local notes
PB Cra
Collection
Series
Publication
Dell (1980), 160 pages
Description
The touching story of a young, mortally ill priest who spends his last days working among the Kwakiutl Indians of British Columbia. Amid the grandeur of the remote Pacific Northwest stands Kingcome, a village so ancient that, according to Kwakiutl myth, it was founded by the two brothers left on earth after the great flood. The Native Americans who still live there call it Quee, a place of such incredible natural richness that hunting and fishing remain primary food sources. But the old culture of totems and potlatch is being replaces by a new culture of prefab housing and alcoholism. Kingcome's younger generation is disenchanted and alienated from its heritage. And now, coming upriver is a young vicar, Mark Brian, on a journey of discovery that can teach him-and us-about life, death, and the transforming power of love.… (more)
Subjects
Awards
California Young Reader Medal (Nominee — 1979)
GLCA New Writers Award (Fiction — 1974)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 1974)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1967 (Canada)
1973 (United States)
Physical description
160 p.; 4.17 inches
Media reviews
In the 1960s, young, terminally ill priest Mark Brian is sent to a remote Kwakiutl parish in British Columbia. Sensitive and respectful, he shares in the peoples' hardships and sorrows and earns their trust. He learns that the Indians are "…not simple, or emotional, they are not primitive." He
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learns, too, that "there was no one truth [of the Indian]…." The Kwakiutl are consistently referred to as "the Indians." The characters are somewhat romanticized, but this is as true for the whites as for the Kwakiutl. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member tripleblessings
This well-known Canadian novel was very popular in the 1970s. Craven writes very beautiful and moving descriptions of a remote BC coastal indian village, the rhythm of the seasons of hunting and fishing, their traditions and legends, and how their way of life was changing in the early 20th century
Overall, a very good read, with lots to reflect over.
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(the story is set around 1912). Mark, a young priest (Anglican or Catholic?) is sent by the bishop to live in the village of Kingcomb, many hours by boat north of Vancouver, and to care for the people in a widespread community. Gradually he adapts to the first nations people and earns their respect and friendship, and comes to love the culture and the land at the edge of the river and the sea. The people are troubled, as their youth go away to residential school and some move away to the city, changing forever. I wondered if this book, written in 1973 before the residential schools lawsuits and treaty rights court cases, might be limited by a romanticized vision of the native way of life, and a paternalistic idealized view of the role of the white men, government and the church. However it is not so easily stereotyped and dismissed. The bishop and priests are aware of their society's flaws and their own limitations. The RCMP and other white visitors (including a lady anthropologist and a teacher) are shown to be arrogant and ignorant of the people's needs. The Indians have their own problems including issues with alcohol, sexual abuse and violence, which are not easily solved. The simple life in the village is portrayed as an ideal, while shown at the same time to be fading away, and the people know that their way of life will disappear in one or two more generations. So the tone of the book is both celebratory, loving, and nostalgic and sad. In communion with the natural world, the priest and the people find peace, accept hardships and tragedies with dignity, and prepare for death. There is an interesting harmony and balance between the traditional beliefs and the Christian faith.Overall, a very good read, with lots to reflect over.
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LibraryThing member brianinbuffalo
While I'm no environmental Neanderthal, I just didn't get into Craven's widely acclamed book. As thin a volume as it is, I just wasn't motivated to finish it.
LibraryThing member Pansy2Paisley
I read this book years ago and it is one of my all time favorites. I think I've even got a video of the movie version somewhere in my belongings. Whenever I feel lonely or overwhelmed with the pace of 21st century living I like to reread it to get some perspective on what matters most in living
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ones' live. Show Less
LibraryThing member reeread
A poignant and gentle story of a priest appointed to a remote British Columbian village of native Indians. He learns about life, death, survival, language and customs as he becomes accepted by the people he ministers to.
LibraryThing member Kirconnell
I first heard about this book when traveling to Colorado. It was in a rack of audiobooks for rent in a convenience store we stopped at. The blip on the back sounded interesting and I have been meaning to read it ever since. I'm glad that I did. It is a simple story of a young, dying priest who is
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sent to minister to an Indian tribe in remote British Columbia. The tales of his failures and successes among them is most touching and sweet. It brings to mind what should really be important in this life. Show Less
LibraryThing member auntmarge64
In 1960s British Columbia, Mark, a young ordinand, is sent as vicar to a remote group of Indian villages on the upper coast. He doesn't know that the bishop has been informed that Mark is fatally ill and that he is being sent to learn from the Indians and prepare to die. As Mark slowly makes his
This book is a gem and reminded me of Willa Cather at her best. Yes, it's sad, and that is known from the first page, but the unfolding of the story leaves the reader feeling a bit blessed herself.
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way among a people strange to him, he finds that the quiet life among the fishing towns he services grounds him, and the Indians slowly accept him and make him one of their own.This book is a gem and reminded me of Willa Cather at her best. Yes, it's sad, and that is known from the first page, but the unfolding of the story leaves the reader feeling a bit blessed herself.
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LibraryThing member cfk
Mark Brian is a young Anglican vicar sent by his bishop to British Columbia to serve the Kwakwaka'wakw nation. The bishop knows what Mark does not--that Mark is dying. Among the Kwakwaka'wakw it is believed that one will hear the call of the owl when death is imminent. It is among this seemingly
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primitive tribe that Mark learns about the meaning of life. Show Less
LibraryThing member BradKautz
There is something compelling about I Heard the Owl Call My Name, by Margaret Craven, but I can’t quite put my finger on what it is. It is a story with characters and themes that are delicately interwoven, telling a tale in a powerful yet understated manner. I found myself frequently re-reading
The central character is Mark, a young priest, who does not know he has a fatal illness and a limited life expectancy. He is sent by his bishop, who knows of Mark’s illness (although Mark does not know), to serve a remote congregation of Native American’s living along coastal British Columbia. Mark is clearly an outside but he has a certain maturity as he enters into the Native community, getting to know them, and becoming known by them, in gradual increments. It is never forceful and in this way they not only accept him as their priest, but also as their friend, one in whom they feel free to trust with their deepest concerns.
I can’t write more without giving bits of the story away. And I think the reader would rather discover the beauty in this story on their own. I really liked this book and I highly commend it.
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sentences and paragraphs, not because they were too complex, but because they were so rich with meaning. Craven has written a fairly short novel, but one that I wanted to linger over.The central character is Mark, a young priest, who does not know he has a fatal illness and a limited life expectancy. He is sent by his bishop, who knows of Mark’s illness (although Mark does not know), to serve a remote congregation of Native American’s living along coastal British Columbia. Mark is clearly an outside but he has a certain maturity as he enters into the Native community, getting to know them, and becoming known by them, in gradual increments. It is never forceful and in this way they not only accept him as their priest, but also as their friend, one in whom they feel free to trust with their deepest concerns.
I can’t write more without giving bits of the story away. And I think the reader would rather discover the beauty in this story on their own. I really liked this book and I highly commend it.
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LibraryThing member XNGched
Amid the grandeur of the remote Pacific Northwest stands Kingcome, a village so ancient that, according to Kwakiutl myth, it was founded by the two brothers left on earth after the great flood. The Native Americans who still live there call it Quee, a place of such incredible natural richness that
But the old culture of totems and potlatch is being replaces by a new culture of prefab housing and alcoholism. Kingcome's younger generation is disenchanted and alienated from its heritage. And now, coming upriver is a young vicar, Mark Brian, on a journey of discovery that can teach him—and us—about life, death, and the transforming power of love.
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hunting and fishing remain primary food sources.But the old culture of totems and potlatch is being replaces by a new culture of prefab housing and alcoholism. Kingcome's younger generation is disenchanted and alienated from its heritage. And now, coming upriver is a young vicar, Mark Brian, on a journey of discovery that can teach him—and us—about life, death, and the transforming power of love.
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LibraryThing member charlie68
About a vicar and his experiences ministering to Indians of the west coast of British Columbia. One of the few books that present both sides with respect. Even Residential schools are respectfully treated.
LibraryThing member lisa.schureman
You get a hint of what's ahead from the first page where the bishop is discussing his vicar. Somehow I wound up reading this as I was heading north to Victoria, B.C. I only knew that the book was about Native American culture. Margaret Craven does a wonderful job bringing the native culture to life
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and characters that you care about. The tribal elder who is so relieved when Mark Brian helps clear a new burying ground, blesses it, and helps re-bury Kingcome's ancestors who due to storms have had their burial trees and boxes destroyed. Another tribal member gets drunk, sells a valuable mask and not he winds up disgraced but his extended family as well Show Less
LibraryThing member lamour
Mark Brian, an Anglican priest, is sent to the Indian village of Kingcome in the wilds of British Columbia. Initially he is tolerated by the natives but after sharing their hunting and fishing expeditions, their festivals and funerals, their joys and sorrows, and showing much compassion and aid
One cold winter evening he heard the owl call his name. To the Indians this was a warning of death and in Mark's case it proved to be true. As he was preparing to return to the white man's world as his assignment was being terminated because of ill health, he was killed by an avalanche. The natives proved their appreciation of what he meant to them by organizing and conducting his funeral.
Even though a novel, this is a wonderful look at the West Coast native culture and the issues indigenous peoples face as they interact with the world outside.
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when emergencies occur, the they open their homes and lives to him. He got as close to them as a non-native is able.One cold winter evening he heard the owl call his name. To the Indians this was a warning of death and in Mark's case it proved to be true. As he was preparing to return to the white man's world as his assignment was being terminated because of ill health, he was killed by an avalanche. The natives proved their appreciation of what he meant to them by organizing and conducting his funeral.
Even though a novel, this is a wonderful look at the West Coast native culture and the issues indigenous peoples face as they interact with the world outside.
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LibraryThing member Cheryl_in_CC_NV
I didn't really get a lot out of this, but I'm sure surprised to see it on the Underrated List. It's famous and widely recommended. It was also, I dunno, spiritual or something, which would not work well for me. (I hope the compilers of this listopia are checking to see if the GR librarians need to
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combine editions.) Show Less
LibraryThing member terriks
A lovely little tale, set among an isolated Indian tribe in the Pacific Northwest. Craven writes lyrically, poetically, and draws beautiful pictures of a wilderness that not many of us will ever see, let alone survive in. I did enjoy the setup of the tale - young idealistic vicar goes to stay among
Aside from this underlying note of dissonance, the story, even as short as it is, manages to develop several key characters and their affect on the vicar, as they learn to understand and trust one another. Definitely worth a read.
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the Indians, presumably to guide and teach them, and ends up learning far more from them - but since I generally take exception to the invasion of Western religions into these ancient First People cultures, I squirmed a bit. There is no doubt that the tribe is helped by modern civilization - a "hospital boat" arrives periodically to administer to the sick or aging, and give vaccinations to the children - but it seems an irony that the "help" is rather forced upon them. There seems an overall acknowledgment by all authorities involved that the tribe's survival is ultimately doomed, and this aid seems designed to draw out the agony while compelling them to see the light of Christianity if they wish to live. Aside from this underlying note of dissonance, the story, even as short as it is, manages to develop several key characters and their affect on the vicar, as they learn to understand and trust one another. Definitely worth a read.
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LibraryThing member BrokenTune
"She waited as if she had waited all her life, as if she were part of time itself, gently and patiently. Did she remember that in the old days the Indian mother of the Kwakiutl band who lost a child kicked the small body three times and said to it, 'Do not look back. Do not turn your head. Walk
I was recommended this book for my Canada project. Although written by an American, the story is set in British Columbia and tells of a young vicar who is sent to live with a native tribe. The reason for this is not much of a spoiler because it is literally written on the first page: The vicar has been sent to this particular post because his superior learned that the vicar was terminally ill and hoped that his experience with the tribe would help him cope.
There is some inconsistency in the story about this because the vicar doesn't know he is ill - so, logically, the plot is not rock solid. However, there is more to the story than the vicar's impending death. Craven explores the conflicts that arise between generations, between civilisations, the impact and dependency if one looses touch with the other.
"On Sunday after church the young people returned to school. Many of the tribe went to the river's edge to see them off in the canoes. And the young people regretted going and wanted to go, and the elders wanted to keep them and were relieved when they went. The little dissent went with them, and the village was at peace."
I Heard the Owl Call My Name is a very gentle book, very unassuming, but the naturalist writing and the simplicity with which the story is told ensures that that the story gets the point across -
"You suffered with them, and now you are theirs, and nothing will be the same again."
This review was first posted on BookLikes.
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straight on. You are going to the land of the owl'?" I was recommended this book for my Canada project. Although written by an American, the story is set in British Columbia and tells of a young vicar who is sent to live with a native tribe. The reason for this is not much of a spoiler because it is literally written on the first page: The vicar has been sent to this particular post because his superior learned that the vicar was terminally ill and hoped that his experience with the tribe would help him cope.
There is some inconsistency in the story about this because the vicar doesn't know he is ill - so, logically, the plot is not rock solid. However, there is more to the story than the vicar's impending death. Craven explores the conflicts that arise between generations, between civilisations, the impact and dependency if one looses touch with the other.
"On Sunday after church the young people returned to school. Many of the tribe went to the river's edge to see them off in the canoes. And the young people regretted going and wanted to go, and the elders wanted to keep them and were relieved when they went. The little dissent went with them, and the village was at peace."
I Heard the Owl Call My Name is a very gentle book, very unassuming, but the naturalist writing and the simplicity with which the story is told ensures that that the story gets the point across -
"You suffered with them, and now you are theirs, and nothing will be the same again."
This review was first posted on BookLikes.
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LibraryThing member gypsysmom
A co-worker's mother was clearing out some of her books and I snapped this one up. I remember reading it long ago and finding it incredibly moving. I found the following review on About.com
Written in the 1960's, this classic reflects that decade's acceptance of the demise of Native American
Although Margaret Craven was born and worked in the United States, this book is set in an Indian reserve in British Columbia.
Written in the 1960's, this classic reflects that decade's acceptance of the demise of Native American
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culture. Today, we hope to preserve it. The book is about the clash of cultures, interwoven with the beauty of Native American life within nature's cycles. In spite of its preoccupation with death, the novel celebrates life. An article in the UK publication The Independent (Sept. 25, 1977) stated that Prince Andrew carries this book with him wherever he goes, which demonstrates a measure of the book's universal appeal. Although Margaret Craven was born and worked in the United States, this book is set in an Indian reserve in British Columbia.
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LibraryThing member fuzzi
Touching story of a priest sent to live with a native American tribe, and how he came to be one with them. Not maudlin or melodramatic, just a gentle tale of friendship.
LibraryThing member steller0707
Mark Brian is the new vicar of an isolated Indian Village in British Columbia. As the story unfolds, the natives learn to trust him, as he is eager not just to serve their church, but to learn about them. He teaches himself their language, listens carefully to their stories and respects their
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customs. He becomes a part of the community. When the “owl calls his name” the vicar is truly mourned by the natives. Told at a time when the world is encroaching on the lives - for example, making laws they must obey, encouraging their children to leave to go to white schools to have better lives - the story of their quiet dignity and their generous spirit is eloquently told. Show Less
LibraryThing member nmele
This short novel, written decades ago, captured me. Ms. Craven evokes the landscape, the rain, and the stark choices facing the First Nations peoples, but her novel about a young priest's journey to a remote village and his efforts to understand and accompany them goes deeper than that. She gets at
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the challenges facing both the First Nations people and the descendants of the Europeans who tried to displace them. Fortunately, although it is still a struggle, Craven's pessimism now seems misplaced as the different nations work to save their languages, their culture, their independence. Show Less
LibraryThing member adzebill
An engrossing fable, told in a sparse almost poetic style, of an outsider in a Kwakiutl village in BC. I couldn't help thinking what we would think of a book written by an American after briefly visiting New Zealand's East Coast in the early '60s, about a sensitive and understanding Pākehā priest
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who moves there and is wins over the local Māori. I have a feeling it would be seen today as HUGELY problematic. I wonder what the Kwakwaka'wakw people of Kingcome think of this book today? That's the review I'd like to read. Show Less
LibraryThing member ElizabethCromb
Interesting story set in British Columbia. An Anglican minister living in a village of Native Indians, learning of their culture and becoming part of their community.
LibraryThing member m.belljackson
OWL is a beautifully told and sad old Classic.
With some advances in Native American history, it offers many contrasts.
With some advances in Native American history, it offers many contrasts.
LibraryThing member markm2315
I guess they read this in high school or something. It is off the same list as A Death in the Family. This book is entertaining and seems to be much better than it actually is. It seems that because the protagonist lived with Native Americans, was a religious man and was ill, he learned some deep
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central truth. But I don't know what he learned exactly. The best I can make of it, is that everybody dies and you should be nice to other people, even though they are culturally different from you. The implication is that it is easy to say this, but you could only really learn it if you were isolated in British Columbia with Indians. As my people say, efshur. Show Less
LibraryThing member Sean191
This novella starts by giving you what the ending will be - so it's not a spoiler here...the young priest has a short time to live, but he's given charge of a indigenous village's church teachings. Unlike so many other non-fiction tales, this one has a high level of respect and love from nearly any
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of the representatives of the church, if not from all the white men the tribe deals with. It's a subdued, but enjoyable book that leads to quiet contemplation of life and meaning. Show Less
LibraryThing member francescadefreitas
A tiny, beautiful picture of a village and a man on the edge of change. The depiction of the seasons and landscape of coastal BC are stunning.
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Pages
160