Adding Flavor to my Books by Paty Jager

"It’s slightly reminiscent of Clan of the Cave Bear, but more lyrical and with all the boring parts removed to showcase the love story."

That is part of a review written by Bethany at Cloudy with a Chance of Books about my first book, Spirit of the Mountain, in my historical paranormal romance Spirit Trilogy set among the Chief Joseph band of the Nez Perce.

She understood the lyrical cadence I tried to show in all three of  the spirit books.

photo of Chief Joseph by Nickie Norman

How I worked toward getting the cadence of the Native American speech and thoughts in my books came from two mediums. One – I listened to Native American music as I wrote. Some had lyrics and some were instrumental. Two- I read books like Tales of the Nez Perce by Donald M. Hines not only using the tales to add flavor to my stories but to also get a feel for Native American word usage.

The books I relied heaviest on were Yellow Wolf: His Own Story by L.V McWhorter. In this book Yellow Wolf a member of Chief Joseph's band and who was on the flight to Canada told L.V. McWhorter the details up to and during the chase. His wording and thoughts were put down by an interpreter and still show the cadence of how they talked before being influenced by English.

The other book was That All People May Be One People, Send Rain to Wash the Face of the Earth by Chief Joseph.  Just the title shows you the cadence and thought process of this eloquent Native American. The stories in this book are from interviews Chief Joseph gave reporters in 1879 in Washington DC while there trying to persuade the leaders to let his followers return to their beloved homeland. 

photo by Carmen Peone

Now, as I write the next book in the Shandra Higheagle Mystery series that is set on the Colville Indian Reservation, I am again, listening to Native American music, as well as reading books that were written by contemporary American Indians and using my resource who lives on the reservation. I'm anxious to finish this book and have her read it to see how well I kept to the lifestyle and feelings of the people who live on the reservation.

The best way I find to add the flavor I need to my books to make the setting and characters ring true is to put myself in that place with as much atmosphere as I can get to bring it alive in my mind. 

 

Tradition Keepers by Paty Jager #History #western #Native American

I attended an event today called, Tradition Keepers. It was held in the Harney County Community Center. My perception of the event and how it happened were two different things, but I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to town and talking with some of the Keepers of Tradition.

Juniper bark vessels

My assumption had been each person would have a time that they talked about the tradition they were keeping alive, but instead, they were set up at tables with samples of their talents. Some worked on the skill while sitting there talking to people and others told about their skills when someone asked them questions.

There was a Taiko drummer (Japanese). The music was rhythmic. She played with fat sticks that she beat on the stretched top of a barrel shaped drum. The different sounds were made by the musician also striking the sticks against the edge and sides of the drum barrel in different places.

A group of youngsters played fiddle music. They were led by a man I would say was in is 80's. He is passing along the art of fiddling to a new generation.

I chatted with my horse trimmer/shoer who is also a silver smith. His work was on display.

There was a husband and wife who trap. They had hides laid out and pamphlets on trapping.

Murph braids mecates, get downs, shu-flies, and cinches with horse hair. He's been around a while and does nice work. He said it's a lost art because many people now think a neoprene cinch is gentler on the horse when in fact it causes more problems. Hair from the mane is used to make the cinches.

While the cinch felt pokey from the ends of the hair, he claimed that those hairs capture the horse's hair and mats it up on the cinch, making the cinch actually more comfortable and less likely to slip than the cinches made of other materials. He also stated the horse hair cinches don't stretch. They were all winning points to this horse girl.

arrow head made by Cecil

I also visited with Steve McKay a saddle maker. I've been trying to discover if there was a flank or back cinch on saddle in 1890 for the story I'm currently writing. From all the photos I've studied, I don't see one. He said he wasn't sure but he gave me suggestions of western artists to check out and see if I could determine anything from those. Of course he mentioned Charles Russell and the other person was Eric Morris. He also pointed me back to Murph and suggested he might know. When I questioned him, he said he didn't think they became popular until the 50's and 60's and the rodeo cowboys started using them.

There was a father son duo, Cecil and Emory Coons who are proficient in the art of flintknapping or better known as arrow head chipping. It was interesting talking with them. The father preferred to use the original antler tools to make the arrowheads and the son used a short, fat stick with a copper end. They both had beautiful work, but I think the original antler tool made the arrow heads look more authentic. Cecil said he's fooled a few archeologists with his arrow heads. He travels clear to Canada giving talks and presentations on the art of flintknapping.

different types of rocks they use in flintknapping

Emory works on making art with his flintknapping. They had the various types of obsidian they use for making arrow heads and jewelry. I learned something about flintknapping I didn't know. Emory showed me the grain in the different rocks they had on display. He said you have to chip away at the rock in the direction the grain goes to get the shiny appearance you see in obsidian arrow heads. Visiting with them was fascinating. No doubt a bit of this will come up in a book down the road.

The long curved obsidian blade is a replica of one Emory made for the movie Riddick

My two favorite tradition keepers I met and visited with were Rena Beers and Sara Barton, women of the Paiute tribe in Harney County.

Rena is an elder who makes beautiful traditional cradleboards. She is 98 years
old. The tradition of making cradleboards was passed down by her parents and grandparents. To start the process for making the cradleboard she is given or purchases a hide. The hide is soaked in water for several days. She removes the hair with a draw knife. Rinses the hide and soaks it again, only this time in cow brain for two to three days. This is the process that softens the hide. The next step is wringing out the hide. It is white in color. The hide is then smoked, keeping a close eye on the hide so it doesn't burn. This process gives the hide a warm yellow tone. She gathers willow of uniform size for the bones of the cradle board.  After gathering she strips the bark from the willow.  When the hide is properly tanned and the willow is cut to size she begins building the cradleboard. When the board is finished she adds a decoration of colorful bead work. While her cradleboards look like collector pieces, they are used on the reservation for newborns.

Sara weaving a hood on a cradleboard

 Sara was wonderful to visit with. She gave me insights into more than just her basketry, cradleboards, and regalia. She had a wonderful spirit about her. Pointing out a photo of her regalia dress that she made, she said, "I don't know how to sew, but I wanted to make my regalia dress myself, from the sewing to the decorations. I prayed to the Creator to show me the way and it came to me in a dream, you know, how to do it." This gave me chills because it sounds so much like my character Shandra Higheagle in my mystery series. Not the praying to the Creator, Shandra doesn't believe in her heritage that strongly yet, but the dream fits so well with what I write. She also told me that she wanted the regalia dress not to dance at powwows but to dance for herself. She'd heard that the traditional dance of not just her people but people all over the world was being lost. And it has been passed down that everyone dancing all over the world brings balance. It keeps earth from tipping off it's axis. That is why she dances and teaches her daughter and grandchildren to dance. Dance is joyful and the world needs that joyfulness.

I'm teasing you with some of her work. You can see more and learn about the process of gathering willow and preparing it to make baskets and weave on cradleboards in a blog I'm writing for Sweethearts of the West blog. My post will be up April 24th.

It was a wonderful time spent with Tradition Keepers. May they pass on these traditions to young people and keep the traditions alive!