Setting & Environment
What industry expanded onto Indigenous land in Bad Cree?
Oil extraction / oilfields
Which groups are most affected by violence in the community portrayed in Bad Cree?
Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people
Who is the main character who struggles with grief.
Mackenzie
The attacks are connected to what element of storytelling.
Supernatural
From which point of view is the story told?
First-person point of view
What were the 2 places where the story took place?
Vancouver and Reserve 8
Why does Bad Cree link oilfield activity to higher levels of violence in Indigenous communities?
The presence of oilfields and man camps brought non-local workers into the area, increasing unsafe conditions and violence.
Mackenzie missed this important event for her sister, causing guilt.
Sabrina’s funeral
The novel mixes horror with Cree culture to show that traditional stories are meant to do what?
Teach lessons and warn the community
What feeling does the novel create?
Tense, Suspense, grief, Horror
What were Indigenous people promised when the oilfields were developed near their land?
Jobs and economic opportunity
What does the repeated violence in the story suggest?
hat the community faces deeper, long-term problems.
These family and community figures guide Mackenzie to understand her visions.
Elders and aunties
According to the novel, healing happens when people reconnect with what things?
Land, culture, and relationships
Name at least 2 types of literary devices used
foreshadowing, symbolism, imagery, tone, quote, motifs
Why are the partnerships between oil companies and reserves shown as unfair?
Companies gained access to land and profit, while Indigenous communities were left with broken promises and long-term consequences.
Which real-world problem is highlighted through the attacks on women in the story?
The problem of missing and murdered Indigenous women
What personal challenges does Mackenzie face when returning home?
Unresolved grief, strained relationships, and confronting past trauma
What does the novel suggest about the role of stories in shaping how a community understands itself?
That stories help preserve identity, values, and shared responsibility across generations.
How does the setting of the reserve affect the overall feeling of the story?
It creates tension and shows the community’s close connection to the land.
How does resource extraction contribute to trauma in the novel?
Environmental harm + emotional/generational harm
Why does the novel suggest this violence comes from systems, not just individuals?
Because the violence is supported by industries, racism, and power structures that create unsafe conditions.
How does Bad Cree use supernatural elements to reflect real social and historical issues?
The supernatural attacks mirror the community’s real struggles with colonialism, environmental harm, and intergenerational trauma
Why does the novel emphasize listening to Elders and traditional knowledge?
Because cultural knowledge helps the community recognize danger and make sense of what is happening
Why might the author mix scary events with real-life problems?
To make the story more engaging and to show important lessons about family, community, and culture