Characters
- Marie Lazarre Kashpaw (wife to Nector Kashpaw) She has five children by Nector (Gordie, Zelda, Aurelia, Eugene and Patsy), and adopts her niece, June, and June’s son, Lipsha.
- Nector Kashpaw (son of Rushes Bear and Kashpaw, husband to Marie Lazarre Kashpaw). Chairman of the community by default. He has always been in love with Lulu and years into his marriage to Marie he has a five-year affair with Lulu Nanapush Lamartine and begets Lyman Lamartine. Nector never recognizes Lyman as his son.
- Lulu Nanapush Lamartine (mother to Henry Lamartine, Jr., Lyman Lamartine, Bonita Lamartine, Gerry Nanapush, and four other unnamed sons all with different fathers) Lulu first marries her cousin, Moses Pillager. She leaves him and marries Morrissey. After this marriage, she eventually marries Henry Lamartine who dies in a car accident involving a train, heavily implied to be suicide. She also has affairs with Beverly Lamartine, Nector Kashpaw, and an unnamed Mexican man.
- June Morrissey (daughter of Marie's sister: half-Lazarre, half-Morrissey from the Pillager line, wife of Gordie Kashpaw, mother of King Kashpaw and Lipsha Morrissey) June is first adopted by Marie Kashpaw, but later is raised by Eli Kashpaw (the bachelor of the family). June runs away from Gordie and King, returns several times only to leave again. June dies in the first chapter (1981).
- Eli Kashpaw (adopted father of June, son of Rushes Bear and Kashpaw, brother of Nector). While Nector went away to English school Eli was hidden by his mother and was raised in traditional Indian manner. He is the bachelor of the tribe, and raised June once she ran away to live with him.
- Gerry Nanapush (son of Lulu and Moses Pillager) Gerry is a legend on the reservation. He is imprisoned and continues to escape from prison for decades. He had an affair with June Morrissey and begets Lipsha Morrissey.
- Albertine Johnson (daughter of Zelda Kashpaw, granddaughter of Marie Kashpaw) Albertine is one of the Kashpaws that got off the reservation. She attends an unnamed university studying Western medicine.
- King Kashpaw (son of June Morrissey and Gordie Kaspaw, married to Lynette, father of King Howard Kashpaw Jr.) King receives the insurance money from June’s death and buys a new car with it. Abuses his wife Lynette.
- Lyman Lamartine (son of Lulu and Nector) Lyman is very lucky when it comes to money and business. By the end of the novel he begins a business that effectively saves the Indian community on the reservation.
- Henry Lamartine Jr. (son of Lulu and Beverly Lamartine) Henry goes to war and comes back very changed. He throws himself into a raging river and kills himself. It is unclear if he intentionally committed suicide.
- Lipsha Morrissey (son of June Morrissey and Gerry Nanapush) Lipsha is adopted by Marie, just as Marie adopted his mother, June. Lipsha is unaware of his true parentage for many years, although everyone on the reservation is aware of the truth. His parentage is revealed by Lulu, his true grandmother. Lipsha continues his life and never forgets what he has experienced.
- Family Tree
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