Written By David Gomez
Literature has always been a part of my life. Memories of my grandmother telling me great novels in her own way, but turning them into children’s stories, come to my mind. Novels like “Crime and Punishment” or great classics like the Odyssey and the Iliad are nostalgic examples of a childhood deeply filled with stories.
My grandmother, who still lives in the house where I grew up in Lima, was at that time a chemistry and biology teacher. She has always had an incredible fascination for politics and for good stories. Her origins are rural.
My mother’s grandmother, whom I had the great opportunity to meet, was a farm woman. My great-grandmother’s husband died when most of her children were still minors. She overcame all obstacles and raised her children with all the effort she could. I remember very well the stories my great-grandmother talked about, like the ancestors she was able to meet and about the great national events that in one way or another influenced her rural community in northern Peru. She cited testimonies from relatives who had witnessed terrible situations such as the war between Chile and Peru in 1879, which to this day has left an almost indelible mark on Peruvian history after our terrible defeat.
My great-grandmother was a woman of her time and had an incredible fascination for local stories, for oral literature and for the approach to personal and family testimonies. This is a fascination that has transcended time and that I believe I also share.
I remembered my grandmother and great-grandmother with great enthusiasm very recently after reading a novel that resonated deeply with me: Rooted and Remembered by CJ Frederick. This work beautifully weaves together themes of memory, rural life, and the importance of passing down stories through generations, much like the oral traditions in my own family. The novel tells the story of Ellwyne Ballantyne, a boy who faced great adversity. Born in India and orphaned at age 11, Ballantyne found himself in the care of a farming family in this rural area of Southwestern Ontario. His story is one of resilience and love for a land and family that were not originally his, but became the centre of his world.
Frederick’s meticulous research, paired with her connection to the land and its stories, reminded me of my great-grandmother’s fascination with local history. Just as Frederick unearthed the details of Ballantyne’s life through letters, photographs, and family memories, she brought to life a story that might otherwise have been forgotten. These types of stories, like Ellwyne’s, are not just memories—they are lessons, reminders of sacrifice, and celebrations of life that weave through the fabric of family history.
Ellwyne Ballantyne’s life, as depicted in Rooted and Remembered, drew me into a powerful reflection on how individual stories can shape collective memory. Ellwyne, a boy who traveled from Calcutta (India) to Carruthers Corner, forged a new identity in an unfamiliar land, finding not only a family but a sense of belonging rooted in his connection to both people and place. Frederick’s portrayal of his journey, from his early hardships to his eventual sacrifice in World War I, highlights the universal themes of belonging, sacrifice, and remembrance. It serves as a reminder that literature, whether passed down through oral tradition or immortalized in a novel, has the power to anchor us in the present while keeping the past alive.
I highly recommend this book. Please read the article that CJ has written for this edition in The Archive Alley section on page 19.
