My Story Was Maltreated: Postnatal depression, Bipolar Disorder, and Indigenous Woman Resilience in Terese Marie Mailhot’s Heart Berries

Indigenous studies have given voice to marginalised communities, particularly Indigenous women, whose stories have long been silenced. As an Indigenous woman of Seabird Island Band, Terese Marie Mailhot, in her memoir Heart Berries (2018), which became a New York Times bestseller and winner of the Spalding Prize for the Promotion of Peace and Justice in Literature, sheds light on sexual abuse, gender-based violence, postpartum depression, motherhood, and resilience. This paper explores the complex experiences of Indigenous womanhood through Mailhot’s personal narrative, focusing on her struggles with bipolar disorder, identity, and survivance amidst trauma and marginalisation. Employing qualitative research methods, this study analyses the narrative and thematic elements of Heart Berries, examining how Mailhot navigates complex issues such as gendered violence, mental illness, and motherhood. By framing her story within a broader cultural and historical context, Heart Berries accentuates the transformative power of memoir as an act of resistance and healing for Indigenous women. This study highlights how Mailhot’s narrative confronts both personal and collective trauma while contributing to the ongoing discourse on mental health, motherhood, and gendered violence. The significance of this study lies in its contribution to understanding Indigenous women’s resilience, revealing how storytelling serves as a vital tool for healing and empowerment in the face of systemic oppression.

Keywords: Gendered violence, Bipolar disorder, Resilience, Indigenous identity, Trauma, Motherhood, Postpartum depression, Survivance.