2006
First Published
3.97
Average Rating
176
Number of Pages
Book of the Year in the Popular Culture category Finalist and Storytelling World Award Winner In the Native American tradition, a strong connection exists between the spirit world and the natural world. What happens in one has direct and often reciprocal impact on the other. In this collection, Choctaw storyteller Tim Tingle draws from the rich heritage of the Five Civilized Tribes – the Creek, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminole nations – and brings tales from the spirit world into our world. These spine-tingling stories not only entertain but provide a window into the native customs and beliefs of these still-vital communities. In "Eagle Slayer," calamity befalls a Cherokee village when one member violates tradition. The Seminole story "Hungry for Meat" illustrates the premium the once-migratory people place on respecting the remains of the dead – and the penalty for doing otherwise. And the Creek story "Two Friends" takes a horrifying twist on the teaching that we be true to trying to be something else violates the natural order and brings a lifetime of pain and isolation. Owls, rabbits, deer, eagles – all of these spirits and more are here, shifting shapes in dizzying sequence and illuminating the values, beliefs, hopes and fears still embraced by the Five Civilized Tribes. These Native American stories will teach readers the importance of courage, resourcefulness and respect.
Avg Rating
3.97
Number of Ratings
33
5 STARS
30%
4 STARS
42%
3 STARS
24%
2 STARS
0%
1 STARS
3%
goodreads
Author
Tim Tingle
Author · 19 books
Tim Tingle, a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, is a popular presenter at storytelling and folklore festivals across America. He was featured at the 2002 National Storytelling Festival. In 2004, he was a Teller-In-Residence at The International Storytelling Center, Jonesborough, Tennessee. Choctaw Chief Gregory Pyle has requested a story by Tingle previous to his Annual State of the Nation Address at the Choctaw Labor Day Gathering—a celebration that attracts over thirty thousand people—from 2002 to the present.
