At a glance
Drums of Change: The Story of Running Fawn
Christian historical fiction
Drums of Change: The Story of Running Fawn
Book 12 of the Women of the West (Janette Oke) series
235 pages · First published 1995
Running Fawn has always loved the mountains, rivers, and open plains of southern Alberta, where her Blackfoot family follows the traditions of their people. But the arrival of settlers, the destruction of the buffalo herds, and devastating diseases threaten their way of life, eventually forcing her community onto a government-assigned reserve. When Running Fawn and Silver Fox, the chief's son, are selected to attend a mission boarding school in Calgary, she struggles with loneliness, unfamiliar customs, and the Christian teachings that challenge her understanding of the world. As her father embraces Christianity and Running Fawn wrestles with her own beliefs, she must consider what these changes mean for her family, her identity, and her feelings for Silver Fox. The twelfth Women of the West novel explores cultural upheaval, Indigenous displacement, faith, and love amid profound changes to the Canadian frontier. A thoughtful choice for readers interested in cultural upheaval, a young woman's changing world, and questions of faith, love, and belonging on the Canadian frontier.
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Content notes
Indigenous displacement and forced relocation to a reserve; destruction of buffalo herds and traditional livelihoods; disease and serious illness affecting Indigenous families; separation from family to attend a Christian mission boarding school; religious and cultural assimilation pressures; colonial-era portrayals of Indigenous peoples and missionary activity.
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Frontier Coffee
Rich coffee and warming cinnamon offer a moment of comfort alongside a story of cultural upheaval, difficult choices, and the search for belonging.
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- Garnish: Orange peel if listed; otherwise none.
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Dark ’n’ Stormy
For adults of legal drinking age. Please drink responsibly.
Dark rum and fiery ginger reflect the turbulence of a changing world as Running Fawn struggles to find her place between tradition and an uncertain future.
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- 2 oz dark rum
- 3 oz ginger beer ↗
- ½ oz fresh lime juice ↗
- Ice
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- Fill a highball glass with ice. Add the ginger beer and lime juice, then slowly pour the dark rum over the top to create the signature storm-cloud effect. Serve without stirring so the drink retains its dark-over-light appearance.
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