Rosa Sophia's Blog - Posts Tagged "native-americans"
Novel Research: Long Hair and an Old Indian
My historical novel is taking shape, slowly but surely. The first I have ever written, a journey into the 1800s, the Florida frontier. I don't know the title yet, but I have much of the background information fleshed out.
The hard part is creating my Seminole character, a native of Florida during the years when American Indians were being forced from their homelands, tortured and killed.
I am very fortunate to have some very helpful resources. One of them is an old Indian whom I met through my library. He calls me Long Hair... American Indians are named according to their attributes. Although I am not an American Indian, the name fits. My hair falls just below my knees. Another friend of mine suggested that I use that to my advantage; apparently, people expect writers to be eccentric.
I felt as though I was going to cry in the old Indian's house; so much good energy, so many good spirits. I pick up on that kind of stuff right away. I felt like a little kid, asking all kinds of questions.
"Why can't you just use your Indian name? Why do you have to use a 'white name'?"
To which he replied: "If Running Elk or Sitting Bear were ordering pizza, don't you think someone would say 'come on, what's your REAL name?'"
I was raised with Native American beliefs, but having a resource like this has opened my eyes.
I have never celebrated Thanksgiving, but I don't think I will ever go to another Thanksgiving dinner ever again. I don't think I can.
"And while I stood there
I saw more than I can tell,
and I understood more than I saw;
for I was seeing in a sacred manner
the shapes of things in the spirit,
and the shape of all shapes as they must
live together like one being."
Black Elk, Black Elk Speaks
The hard part is creating my Seminole character, a native of Florida during the years when American Indians were being forced from their homelands, tortured and killed.
I am very fortunate to have some very helpful resources. One of them is an old Indian whom I met through my library. He calls me Long Hair... American Indians are named according to their attributes. Although I am not an American Indian, the name fits. My hair falls just below my knees. Another friend of mine suggested that I use that to my advantage; apparently, people expect writers to be eccentric.
I felt as though I was going to cry in the old Indian's house; so much good energy, so many good spirits. I pick up on that kind of stuff right away. I felt like a little kid, asking all kinds of questions.
"Why can't you just use your Indian name? Why do you have to use a 'white name'?"
To which he replied: "If Running Elk or Sitting Bear were ordering pizza, don't you think someone would say 'come on, what's your REAL name?'"
I was raised with Native American beliefs, but having a resource like this has opened my eyes.
I have never celebrated Thanksgiving, but I don't think I will ever go to another Thanksgiving dinner ever again. I don't think I can.
"And while I stood there
I saw more than I can tell,
and I understood more than I saw;
for I was seeing in a sacred manner
the shapes of things in the spirit,
and the shape of all shapes as they must
live together like one being."
Black Elk, Black Elk Speaks
