Posted on 10/28/2008 7:14:53 AM PDT by Publius804
Navajos, Late Author Hillerman Shared Affection
Monday, October 27, 2008 10:02 PM
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- On the Navajo Nation where tribal members sometimes hesitate to open up to outsiders, they embraced Tony Hillerman as an honest and genuine man who wanted to learn about their culture and get the details right.
Hillerman, who died Sunday of pulmonary failure at age 83, was author of the acclaimed Navajo Tribal Police mystery novels. His books in the Navajo series were characterized by vivid descriptions of Navajo rituals and of the vast reservation in the Four Corners region.
But Hillerman's relationship with the Navajo Nation stretched far beyond the pages of those books, which featured two of the unlikeliest of literary heroes _ Navajo police officers Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. He shed light on Navajo culture, his books becoming a bridge to the reservation for tribal members who moved elsewhere, and encouraged Navajo youth to ask elders about traditions and ceremonies.
"The people spilled their guts to him," said James Peshlakai, who is characterized as a Navajo shaman in one of Hillerman's books, "The Wailing Wind." "The elders, they told him stories about things their own children never asked about."
Hillerman returned the blessings he received from Navajos by donating money for a water delivery program at St. Bonaventure Indian Mission and School in Thoreau, N.M., to the Little Sisters of the Poor in Gallup, N.M., and to put up lights at a football stadium in Monument Valley, Utah.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
His books are awesome! He will be greatly missed, for sure.
Amen! I am sorry to hear of his passing. He gave me hours of great reading.
One of my favorite authors. I have read his books several times each. I then discovered them in audio version, sometimes read by the author and sometimes by George Guidall. I highly recommend them in audio. The gravelly voice of Joe Leaphorn and the younger Jim (forget his last name) with the subtle Navaho accent... but also because I tend to speed through the descriptive passages and it wasn’t until I listened to the books that I realized how well Hillerman wrote. (the unabridged Hunchback of Notre Dame also needs to be listened to.) Anyway, rest in peace Tony.
Leaphorn & Chee ping!!
I haven’t read his books, because I don’t like mysteries, but I have most of them. The Navajo and their neighbors the Hopi are wonderful people. I spent many happy years there working for IHS as a nurse midwife.
Tony did a great job depicting the people.
Read every single Hillerman book I could get my hands on. Luckily, Hillerman is one author whose entire collection is carried by our local library. Was patiently awaiting his latest work and am deeply saddened by this loss. My heart and my prayers go out to his family, and to the tribes that welcomed him into their midst as one of their own.
If you want on or off the NM Ping list, please FReepmail me.
Access to the ping list is available to anyone by going to my FR home page.
Rest in Peace, Tony Hillerman.
I loved his mysteries and read as many as I could, admittedly mainly because of the locale and the Navajo culture.
I left my heart on the Colorado Plateau, aka Indian Country.
Jim Chee! Did he and Janet (what’s her name?) ever get together?
“Don’t worry, be Hopi:)”
What a blessing that you worked with Dine.
I hadn’t realized he had passed. RIP Mr. Hillerman. I’ve been making my way through his Jim Chee/Joe Leaphorn series. He will be missed.
He got together with someone. I’ll have to go back and reread those books again.
I think you’re right. He found a down-to-earth, more traditional girl. Janet was high maintenance.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.