Spirits Dark and Light by Tim Tingle

Spirits Dark and Light: Supernatural Tales from the Five Civilized Tribes

by Tim Tingle

Image Credit: Spirits Dark and Light at https://www.colorincolorado.org

1. Bibliography

Tingle, Tim.  Spirits Dark and Light. Little Rock: August House Publishers, 2006. ISBN 0874837782

2. Plot Summary

The term Five Civilized Tribes is the name commonly given to the five major tribes of the southeastern part of the United States: the Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creeks, and Seminoles. These tribes came into contact with Europeans early in American history and adapted quickly to new conditions. In the Native American tradition, there is a strong connection between the spirit world and the natural world. What happens in one has a definite impact on the other. In this collection, Native American storyteller Tim Tingle draws from the rich heritage of the Five Civilized Tribes and brings tales from the spirit world into our world. (Summary Credit: Spirits Dark and Light at fictiondb.com)

3. Critical Analysis

            Spirits Dark and Light is a book of short stories.  Stories are from 4-14 pages long.  As such, there are no central characters and not enough time in the stories to draw a well-defined character.  Settings are also lightly sketched with few locations mentioned (Bayou Lacomb). More often, a general location is referenced like a ceremonial plaza. The limited amount of time is spent to set up the tale and to build the stories to a climax.  The book is written in 5 sections, one for each of the Civilized Tribes.  Each section of the book begins with an explanation of the demographics of each tribe, how many members, where in the United States they are located, a brief history and some information on their belief system.  These introductions are helpful, as they let you watch for some indicators of these beliefs in the 5 tales that follow.  For instance, the first section is Cherokee Stories and the introduction explains that the Cherokee place great spiritual power in the number 7, they have unique creation stories involving the Upper World represented by the Eagle and the Lower World represented by the Snake.  These animals appear in the tales “Eagle Slayer” and “The Hunter and the Snake”.

There are several cultural references made within the stories that give reference to culture, time and place.  In the Cherokee stories, there are references to tomahawks, bows and arrows, warriors, Shawanos (clan), making a two-day journey for trading, spearheads, fine baskets, beaded clothing, a medicine man, animal skins and elders.  In the Choctaw stories, there are mentions of women carrying baskets, a cane-cutting knife, basket-making, a doll made out of cockleburs, a gate made of pine, resin and green cypress, and returning from the dead. The Chickasaw stories talk about if the neighbors had no food they’d share, a shawl, gender roles, and a buckskin dress.  The Creek stories remark on clan names (bear, wind, deer, bird, fox, snake, beaver, mink, alligator, skunk, buzzard, rabbit and raccoon), man and animals speaking to each other, shape-shifting witches, death journey, and love potions.

Character names are either in English such as Tobaccoburner, Longboy, Wing, The Immortal One, Raven Mockers, Swimmer, Spearfinger, Rain Woman, Blue Stone, Panther, Deerboy, No Name, Whispering Wind, Longbow, Treestump, and Spiceycorn.  Or, in their Native languages such as Uksushi, Naloosa Falaya, Hoashok Okwqa Huiga, Boshpo Hattak, Tanchi, and Tishomingo. Many stories include celebrations like an eagle dance, 12-year-old ceremony to bring them into adult tribe, bone-bundling to bury someone in the family mound, Chickasaw migration by guiding by white dog and traveling in the direction a pole was leaning, men’s talking circle, healing dance, return from ceremonies with embers from fire, and stomp dancers.  And, musical instruments used in religious and ceremonial practices (turtle shell rattles, Indian fiddles).

            Also, many religious practices are mentioned like smoking cedar branches, burning a doll, singing old songs, guiding dreams, a boy’s death song, a burial dress, mention of “the old ones never leave us”, and the “Maker of Breath”. A few Native words are used and not translated (pashofa, opa, holitopama, alikchi).  The food commented on in the stories include many hunting stories (squirrel, deer, rabbit), fish, corn, hominy, and grape dumplings.  The overall format of dividing the stories into different tribal stories helps ensure that the stories are not stereotyping all Native American into one culture.  You also get a sense of authentication since the stories were gathered from the tribes themselves and each section starts with an explanation of general beliefs from that tribe.

4. Review Experts

~Booklist: “"Maybe it looks like a pile of leaves lying on the ground. Better not step on it; it might have fangs." Choctaw storyteller Tingle tells 25 deliciously scary tales collected from the five major Native American tribes of the southeastern U.S.--the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole. The stories tell of frightful shape-shifting spirits, witches, slithering snakes, and owls as messengers and bringers of death. There are tales about healers, too, as well as stories of love and grief, but the monsters steal the show, as in the Seminole story "Hungry for Meat," in which disturbing a gravesite awakens the dead. For each tribe, Tingle begins with background on history, culture, and folklore. The language is clear and informal, and the dialogue is immediate. This will be great for sharing, especially at Halloween.”

~School Library Journal - "At once eerie and compelling, sometimes gruesome and always satisfying, this highly readable collection effectively conveys the connection between the natural world and the world of the spirit common in Native American lore. Drawing on stories from the Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creeks, and Seminoles, an expert storyteller entrances readers with vivid language that conjures up all manner of supernatural creatures, from shape-shifters and tricksters to talking animals and witches."

5. Connections

~Use in addition to other scary books at Halloween

~Other possible Tim Tingle books to read:

            House of Purple Cedar. ISBN 1935955241

            How I Became a Ghost. ISBN 1937054551

            Danny Blackgoat, Navajo Prisoner. ISBN 193905303X

~Read books for middle schoolers that have received the American Indian Youth Literature Award or Honors:

            Starr, Arigon. Tales of the Mighty Code Talkers. ISBN 0990694755

            Nelson, Jonathan. The Wool of Jonesy. ISBN 9780990694748

            Marshall, Joseph III. In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse. ISBN 141970785X

Charleyboy, Lisa and Mary Beth Leatherdale. Dreaming in Indian: Contemporary Native American Voices. ISBN 1554516862

~Readers who enjoy this might also enjoy:

Aiken, Joan. A Fit of Shivers. ISBN 0440411203

Vande Velde, Vivian All Hallows' Eve.  ASIN B003K16PQY