Connection to the past
Chickasaw author’s novel emphasizes need for more Native American books
Chickasaw author’s novel emphasizes need for more Native American books.
Anthony “Tony” Perry, who was raised in Ardmore, is the author of “Chula the Fox,” a story about a Chickasaw boy living in the early 18th century.
Perry now works in England’s National Health Service and volunteers with hospitals in Pakistan. He is a 1995 graduate of the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics and holds degrees from Dartmouth, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Birkbeck College at the
University of
London.
The Oklahoman talked with
Perry about his book and the representation of Native
Americans in popular culture.
His remarks have been edited for space.
Q: Tell me about your book.
A: “Chula the Fox,” a coming-ofage historical novel for middle grade readers, tells an honest and often frank story about Chickasaw lives and the challenges they faced during the early 18th century. Chula, a Chickasaw boy, is suddenly thrown into the murky and treacherous worlds of warfare and adulthood after a traumatic ambush costs him his father. Left haunted by a restless spirit, Chula concludes, in line with the customs of his time, that only vengeance will make things right again.
With the help of his Uncle Lheotubby, and armed with a brandnew musket, Chula hones his skills to become a Chickasaw warrior. He vows to join a raid against the enemy, regardless of his youth, to avenge his father and put his spirit at peace. But Chula, his heart full of questions, finds that the greatest war rages within himself. It seems he is foiled at every turn by his nemesis, Nukni, and inwardly he is ambushed by self-doubt.
In the end, Chula finds that revenge has a price of its own and that there are other paths to peace.
Q: Who is the ideal audience for your book?
A: “Chula the Fox” was written for two main audiences. First, it was written for preteen Chickasaws (and others who are young at heart), to help them learn about and connect with the lives of their ancestors from such an important time in our tribe’s history . ...
Second, it’s written for others who want to learn more about American history.
Q: What inspired you to write it?
A: My father died suddenly in April 2009, and I realized that
I was losing my connection to my Native past. Two years earlier, my 94-year-old Chickasaw grandmother passed and now my father was gone, too. It was through his side of the family that my Chickasaw ancestry came, and my family played a big role in my tribe’s history. I heard stories about my ancestors, such as Cyrus Harris, the first governor of the Chickasaw Nation (and my great-greatgreat-great grandfather), but didn’t appreciate the struggles he and others faced as Chickasaws rebuilt their lives in Oklahoma . ...
In the months that followed, I started reading about Native American history (most notably books like James Wilson’s “The Earth Shall Weep” and Charles Mann’s “1491”) and saw how little I knew about the nations that rose, fell and evolved on American soil . ...
Around this time, my wife and I were watching old reruns of “Little House on the Prairie” on DVD. My wife is from Moldova, a small, rural country in Eastern Europe — and I thought this might be a good introduction to American life and some of my favorite childhood TV shows and films. It was then that I realized what ... (Laura) Ingalls Wilder had done — and the need for something similar from a Native American perspective . ...
I wanted to write a book on dayto-day life that could be read by younger people, as well as adults. I wanted to immerse the reader in the world of my ancestors.
Q: Let’s talk about the broader context of books by Native Americans about Native Americans. Is this an underrepresented group, or are there plenty of books that simply don’t reach a large enough audience?
A: I would say that both points you’re making are true — Native Americans are an underrepresented (group) in literature, and there are many books that simply don’t reach a large enough audience. Native Americans share stories with each other as they have throughout time — storytelling has been absolutely vital to passing down tribal customs and traditions, particularly given the general absence of written languages. These stories have largely been told among citizens of each tribe and with other Native Americans.
Of course, that’s not to say that Native Americans haven’t tried to share their stories with non-Natives. There are several who have done so with great success, including Louise Erdrich, Sherman Alexie and several others — but they are but the top of a very small pyramid. According to the Cooperative Children’s Book Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, only around 0.5 percent of children’s books published in the U.S. in a given year are written by and about Native people.
There are several reasons why there aren’t more Native writers, and why most of those who write don’t reach large audiences. Perhaps the greatest reason, in my experience, is structural: Most publishing houses require authors to first get an agent, and agents seek books that they believe have commercial appeal and authors who already have platforms on which to promote their books. Another dimension — especially with historical fiction — is that you need access to tribal expertise that major publishers will not have unless they’re willing to work directly with tribal leaders or experts.
Q: With some notable exceptions, it seems as if the most popular books about Native Americans are written by non-Native Americans.
A: I think you’re right that many books about Natives have been written by non-Natives, and some of these have been very popular. Kathleen O’Gear and W Michael Gear, for example, have sold more than 17 million copies of their books.
I think the underlying question is whether a non-Native author can write with the mind of a Native American. I personally don’t think they can — or should.