Coming Tomorrow: My review
Native
American Legends in the Tempe Crabtree Series
Thank you so much
for inviting me to appear on this wonderful blog.
I thought I’d write
about some of the Indian legends I’ve woven into my Deputy Tempe Crabtree
series. Tempe belongs to the Yokut tribe of California’s Central Valley. Over
the period of the books, she has not only learned about the many legends of her
own tribe, but those of other tribes in California. Including these legends in
various books, I feel has enriched the plots.
The famous Big Foot
of Northern California appeared in Kindred Spirits, and while I was
researching for that book I discovered the most famous legends of the Yokuts
are about the Hairy Man. A pictograph of him and his family can be seen on a
cave in the Painted Rock area of the Tule River Indian Reservation. Once I learned about the Hairy Man, and saw
the pictographs for myself, I knew he needed to be a part of the series and has
been an important character in several books.
In other books,
I’ve included the legends of the creation of the world, what the appearance of
an owl means, and the howling of a dog.
The latest in the
series, Spirit Wind, is set in the mountain community of Tehachapi.
Anyone who has driven on Highway 58 between Bakersfield and Mojave has passed
by Tehachapi. The hillsides are covered with a multitude of huge wind machines.
However, Tehachapi is probably better known for the Loop where extremely long
freight trains pass themselves as they go around a mountain. Tourists come from
all around to watch this engineering phenomenon.
While doing the
research for this mystery, I learned about the Kawaiisu people who first inhabited
the area. Like the Yokuts, they were forced by soldiers to move on foot many
miles away to Fort Tejon. When that didn’t work out, both tribes were marched
back to their former homes. Many died.
One of
the Kawaiisu legends is about the Rock Baby. The story was told to Tempe by
Nick Two John, a friend who is also a Yokut, and this is what he said. “Watch
out for Rock Baby. Many call him the spirit of doom. He painted pictures of
himself. The images are said to change daily. All are warned if someone touches
his likeness that person will go blind. If you hear him crying, it means
something evil will happen.”
Of course, this
legend is included in the story. The Rock Baby’s crying alerts Tempe to dangers
awaiting her.
I feel privileged
to be able to use these fascinating legends in my Deputy Tempe Crabtree
mysteries.
Author Bio
Marilyn has had so many books published, she’s
lost track of the count, but it’s getting near 40. She lives in a community
similar to the fictional mountain town of Bear Creek, the big difference being
that Bear Creek is a thousand feet higher in the mountains.
She is a member of Mystery Writers of
American, three chapters of Sisters in Crime, and is a board member of Public
Safety Writers of America.
Facebook URL: Marilyn Meredith
Twitter: @marilynmeredith
Buy links for Seldom Traveled:
