How often do you find a person who embarked on an international book tour to promote his debut novel and contributed to a “Star Wars” movie, all in the same summer?
Dr. Anton Treuer, professor of Ojibwe, did all of that and more during a whirlwind 2024.
A renowned author with nearly 20 books to his credit, Treuer has been no stranger to the publishing community. His books include “Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask,” “Warrior Nation,” “The Language Warrior’s Manifesto,” and “The Assassination of Hole in the Day,” rooted in his educational and equity work and his passion for language and culture preservation.
In August, however, he debuted his first fiction novel — “Where Wolves Don’t Die” — a coming-of-age story that follows a 15-year-old Ojibwe boy sent to live with his grandfather in the wilderness as a form of juvenile justice. As he navigates the challenges of adolescence and the mysteries of the forest, he stumbles upon a life-altering journey while looking for the clues to solve a murder.
‘I’ve been telling stories my whole life in Ojibwe ceremony, in my nonfiction work, in culture stuff and in my teaching. But this is my first work of fiction,” Treuer said. “I have nine children, so I think about parenthood a lot. I’ve done a lot of work with elders, so I think about my elders a lot. And it was a way to explore these themes in an exploratory — but also creative — way.”
Treuer’s novel departs from the typical portrayal of Indigenous peoples in literature, moving beyond the often tragic and traumatic narratives that have dominated the genre. Instead, “Where Wolves Don’t Die” offers a glimpse into a vibrant, resilient culture that is very much alive.
“Even the Native-authored, Native literature still does a lot of that,” Treuer says, referring to the tendency to focus stories on themes of trauma and loss. “As characters lamenting the culture, they were always denied because of boarding schools or whatever. So I wanted to do something that gave people a window into the living and vibrant culture that’s still here through a relatable story.”
“Where Wolves Don’t Die” opens an exciting new chapter for Treuer’s publishing career. The novel has already garnered significant attention and positive reviews — the book sold out its first print run before its official publication date and is on its fifth printing. Kirkus Reviews called the novel “…a nuanced adventure centering family and growth.”
Treuer promoted the novel last summer and fall with an extensive book tour, which took him across the country and to Canada. The tour included guest appearances on a number of podcasts, library and bookstore appearances, various meet-and-greets, book signings and author conversations, and an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Company. The tour will continue well into 2025, with dates already scheduled for May.
In addition, through a partnership between the Understand Native Minnesota initiative and the Minnesota Department of Education, 10,000 copies of “Where Wolves Don’t Die” will be given away to Minnesota schools.
A Force for Language Preservation
Treuer also had a unique opportunity to provide voices for the historic Ojibwe dub of “Star Wars: A New Hope,” which released to theaters in August 2024. Through his relationships in Canada with Manitoba First Nations, which pioneered the project with Disney and provided funding and the script adaptation, Treuer voiced several Stormtroopers and the Death Star intercom order to “clear Bay 327” for the arrival of the Millennium Falcon.
“A language lives when it lives for all things,” Treuer said of his experience. “So it has to be interesting, engaging and exciting for people of all ages and for all things. And we should be able to embrace our inner nerd in the Ojibwe language and entertain ourselves, and not just with Winter Legends — although, of course, that’s really fun and important, too. It’s what living languages do.”
Just the Beginning
Treuer’s book tour and voice-acting gig were just the tips of a very busy 2024 iceberg. He also joined the Minnesota Star Tribune as one of 11 contributing columnists in its new Strib Voices initiative, and his columns so far have covered national movements to suppress diverse literature and President Biden’s apology for American Indian boarding schools. He also continues to serve on the school board for the Waadookodaading Ojibwe Language Institute in Hayward, Wisconsin, and is in his third term on the governing board for the Minnesota Historical Society.
By Andy Bartlett