Firekeeper's Daughter

Teddie Firekeeper is Daunis’s aunt on her father’s side. Teddie is a very important person to Daunis, as Teddie is the only reason Daunis has any connection to her father’s side of the family at all. After Daunis was born, Teddie showed up to make sure that Daunis could meet her family on Sugar Island and have a relationship with them. Teddie fills the role of the mentor for Daunis. Not only does Teddie instruct Daunis on how to grow up to be an honorable and good Ojibwe woman, but Teddie is knows the truths about Daunis and her life that Daunis feels would be too upsetting to reveal to her mother. Teddie can talk to Daunis candidly about sex, abuse, drugs, alcohol, and any other manner of difficult subjects. It is because of Teddie’s intuitive and knowing nature that Daunis has to distance herself from her while she is a CI. She knows Teddie is the only person from whom she can’t keep a secret. Teddie is also instrumental in Daunis’s healing at the end of the narrative. Teddie brings Daunis into the fold of Native women who determine not to let their anger and grief as sexual abuse survivors dictate their futures.

Levi is Daunis’s half-brother from her Firekeeper’s side. Levi was born shortly after Daunis, a product of Daunis’s father cheating on her mother with Levi’s mother, Dana. Daunis and Levi were very close growing up and they shared with their dad his intense love of hockey. Daunis sometimes forgets that while Levi and Dana live a comfortable life, they do not have any inherited wealth like Daunis does. Dana grew up very poor and is still resentful of Daunis’s mother’s power and money. Much of the novel involves Levi showing his true self to Daunis little by little so that, by the end, Levi’s ego as a golden boy willing to use everyone—including his own half-sister—comes to light. Levi falls from grace, while Daunis ascends.

While Daunis’s Uncle David died before the story begins, his memory still acts as a guide for Daunis throughout the book. His lessons on scientific study, his advice to Daunis, his love for her, and the way he lived his truth without hiding his true self as a gay man all proved to be helpful guideposts for Daunis throughout her journey. Moreover, Uncle David was the initial Confidential Informant helping Ron and Jamie on the case. Uncle David is one of many examples for Daunis about how ancestors will provide help from beyond the grave if she only asks for it.

“Jamie Johnson” is Daunis’s love interest in the book. While their relationship begins as a way to keep people from growing suspicious of their time together, the two really do fall in love. Jamie Johnson is still somewhat of a mystery by the end of the book. Daunis knows he was adopted and is Cherokee, but he doesn’t know who his community or family is beyond that. Jamie is new to the police force, as this is only his second undercover operation and will end up being his last. Jamie is only at the beginning of his own journey.