From the Ashes is subtitled My Story of Being Métis, Homeless, and Finding My Way. Ideas of culture and heritage, and how they feed into identity, form a central thread in the book; Jesse Thistle’s background as Métis-Cree is important context. The book opens with a poem titled “Indigenous Affairs,” in which Thistle describes being broke and living on the streets while dealing with drug addiction; the final lines suggest that a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer understands why Thistle is fishing change out of the Centennial Flame fountain. Although nothing in the poem explicitly suggests Thistle’s cultural background, these lines point to his recognition of his Indigenous background as relevant to many of his experiences.

Growing up, Thistle does not actively engage with his culture and heritage. However, he notices aspects of it, such as his maternal grandparents’ road-allowance home, his maternal grandmother Kokum Nancy speaking Michif, and his paternal grandmother Jackie’s mixed heritage. Yet living with his paternal grandparents does not allow Thistle much opportunity to explore his identity. Although Thistle finds Brampton beautiful and orderly, the neighborhood is vastly different from his maternal grandparents’ home. Furthermore, while living in Brampton, Thistle is mocked for his background.