From Publishers Weekly
Eight miles long, four miles wide, Grand Island lies off the south shore of Lake Superior, near Munising, Mich. One of its scenic features is the Pictured Rocks, and it is the locale of Hiawatha. Grand Island was once home to a small band of peaceful Chippewa whose decline began during the 1830s when their mainland brethren goaded them to join in fighting the Sioux. Only one islander survived the battle-Little Duck, who became Powers of the Air. Shortly thereafter, the Chippewa abandoned the Island. Graham (The Ghost of the Executed Engineer) offers a fine piece of local history and a vivid account of white encroachment, desecration of natural resources and degradation of the Chippewa-all within the lifetime of Powers of the Air. Graham concludes his story on a positive note: since the mid-1970s, the Chippewa have undergone a resurgence, and Grand Island is now part of the National Forest system. Illustrated.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
Off the south shore of Lake Superior lies an island eight miles long and four miles wide, shaped like the palm of a hand. Known as Grand Island, it was once home to a sizable community of Chippewa Indians who lived in harmony with the land and with each other. The tragic demise of the Grand Island Chippewa began more than 200 years ago when their fellow tribesmen from the mainland goaded the peaceful islanders into joining them in a senseless battle with their rival the Sioux. A Face in the Rock tells the fascinating story of the Grand Island Chippewa, presenting a morality play about the plight of populations destroyed by the violence of other cultures. The Chippewa heroes are personified by "Powers of the Air", a young brave who was the sole survivor of the fateful battle with the Sioux. He witnessed the desecration of Grand Island by the fur and logging industries, the Christianization of the tribe, and the near total loss of the Chippewa language, history, and culture. The story ends with happier events of the past two decades, including the protection of Grand Island as part of the National Park System, and the resurgence of Chippewa culture. --
Midwest Book Review
