This essay explores how Louise Erdrich’s The Round House interrogates a jurisdictional maze in the US legal procedures concerning the protection of Native Women from pervasive non-Indian male sexual violence against them. Moreover, it also explores how the novel envisions their active survival by transforming the legal milieu. Arguably, the author questions the incompatibility of justice/law as shown in the deficient legal treatments of Linden (a white rapist of Geraldine). Furthermore, she advises how the legal environment should change through the negotiation of traditional/modern tribal laws. In addition, the author mentions why the unjust federal Indian laws should be altered urgently. For this study, first, this essay focuses on the tension between an Ojibwe tribal judge, Bazil Coutts (the victim’s husband, a representative of modern tribal law, whose legal power was severely declined by a series of federal Indian laws) and Joe (the victim’s son who appealed for traditional Anishinaabe justice or Wiindigoo justice, which was an unavoidable solution for protecting his mother). The author shows a sympathetic attitude toward Joe as he seriously wanted to remove Linden, the insatiable white Wiindigoo with colonial greed and violence. Second, this essay elucidates the metaphor of tie as a moebius strip, which allows Joe to feel connected to Bazil in terms of their legal perspectives. Through the metaphor, the reader envisions Joe as a future tribal lawyer, who is supported by his community and will do his best to make American lawmakers hear his appeal for restoring the Natives’ sovereignty.

Erdrich, The Round House, Anishinaabe justice, wiindigoo justice, sexual violence, jurisdictional maze