Rusty, Keesic and Michael

The three characters of the book are very special and portrayed in an interesting way. Rusty is a native teenage boy at the age of sixteen who is torn between the traditions of his people and the lure of modern life. He is the first character introduced to the reader, who comes to 'Dreamer's Rock' to have a beer without any respect for this sacred place. By this action it becomes obvious that Rusty knows very little about his Aboriginal culture and therefore shows almost no pride for it. He is dressed in ripped up jeans and listens to heavy metal tunes on his Walkman. One quickly gets the impression that Rusty is frustrated, because he gets angry very quickly. It gets obvious that is caught in a conflict. He doesn't quite know where he belongs to - the native side, or the white people’s side. Therefore he drinks alcohol and tries to escape from reality, repressing his problems. The text also indicates that he comes from a poor family which doesn't pay much attention to him. Rusty happens to make a magical encounter with two members of his tribe. They are both boys at the same age as Rusty, but Keesic is from a time about 400 Years back in the past and Michael is a boy from the future. After talking to them for some time, Rusty realizes the importance of his culture and learns to value his native roots.

Keesic comes from a time prior to the Native's first contact with the Europeans. Therefore he doesn't know any kind of modern inventions, such as beer, roads, factories and clothes out of other materials than animal skin and is very curious about it. He himself is wearing buckskin breech, is very religious and believes in the great spirit and vision quests, which is why he came to 'Dreamer's Rock'. In his belief the crow is the messenger of the great spirit which is why Keesic gets very excited when Rusty tells that he has met a crow earlier. Keesic is very proud of being native and respects the traditions of his tribe. He knows his body and limits very well and is very respectful. He tries to help Rusty even tough Rusty had been very unkind and stubborn towards him earlier.

Michael is the example of an Odawa in 2095. He represents the cultural loss which is being characterized by not being familiar with his ancestry, language and culture. He comes from an era in which self-government has become a reality that allows for tax-free benefits, free Medicare, free schooling and large reservations. However, his only identification attesting to his native status is a card he has to carry with him.