Monkey Beach Explore how the Haisla culture is explored by the author.

Monkey Beach encapsulates the phenomenon of Native culture being lost through Westernization. This theme is reiterated in Lisamarie's narration about the Haisla folklore that has been lost through the disappearance of their language. When the stories are told in English, the same meaning is almost impossible to replicate. In this example we are made to see how unique each tribal culture is and how their loss leads to people becoming disconnected from their roots.

Without people actively trying to maintain the generations-old knowledge and traditions, it quickly becomes swept under by the forces of modernity. We can infer that the cycles of addiction in Lisamarie's extended family (and within the Kitamaat community in general) are a symptom of this cultural amnesia and loss of collective identity. Through Ma-ma-oo, Lisa is able to learn about her lineage and make sense out of her psychic experiences; experiences which have no explanation in the modern rationalistic paradigm.