"The war leader of the Wolf Tail Lakota stood... 'Grandfathers, ' he began, 'thank you for allowing me to speak.' He paused to gather his thoughts. 'Four winters ago, I had to kill a white man. I approached him in friendship, and he shot his weapon at me. I did not let him shoot at me again. There was no way to know whether he was a good man or a bad man. Or a man at all, in the way we know men to be. But I do know that he took me to be a bad man, because he did not wait for even one heartbeat after he saw me before he took up his holy iron and shot it. Since that moment when death nearly took me, I have often wondered why he tried to kill me. Did he shoot at me because of what was in his heart? Or did he shoot at me because of his weapon? Did he shoot at me because he knew he could kill easily? Did he shoot at me because he felt his weapon gave him a right to kill? 'These questions are always with me. Sometimes they haunt my sleep. Still, I do not know the answers to them. Until I do, the holy iron will remain hidden.'"
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Marshall, a Lakota Sioux educator and writer, details the impact of the gun on his people's culture in this well-written and provocative first novel set in the Dakotas during the mid-18th century, when contacts between the Lakota and whites were rare. Whirlwind, the war leader of the Wolf Tail Lakota, finds the severely wounded Gaston de la Verendrye. He recognizes a bullet wound because he himself had been fired upon some years before and had captured his would-be killer's "holy iron." Though Whirlwind had hidden the firearm, dreading its power to influence his people, he takes the wounded man to his camp and sets in motion events that will confirm his worst fears. Meanwhile, Henri Bruneaux, the crazed thief who shot de la Verendrye in an attempt to steal his gold, renews his attack, killing one of the tribe's women and kidnapping another. Heading up a party to rescue the captured woman and bring Bruneaux to justice, Whirlwind finds himself opposed by his fellow Sioux Bear Heart, who longs to possess the holy iron. The ensuing struggle will tear the Wolf Tail people apart. Like Ella Cara Deloria in Waterlily , Marshall provides a vivid and authentic portrayal, free of romanticism or stereotype, of the Sioux before they were overwhelmed by whites. His insider's view of tribal history and custom--which doubles as an effective cautionary tale about the destructiveness of guns--deserves a place on the shelf of anyone interested in American history or Native American literature.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
This is a powerful story about a people that must change to accommodate not only the white man but one of their tools--the gun. The questions raised in the story are ones that we are still struggling with today. Does owning a gun give the right to kill? -- Jim Northrup
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
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More About the Author
Joseph M. Marshall III was born and raised on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation and holds a PhD from the reservation university, which he helped to establish. The award-winning author of ten books, including Hundred in the Hand, The Lakota Way, and The Journey of Crazy Horse, he has also contributed to various publications and written several screenplays. His first language is Lakota, he handcrafts primitive Lakota bows and arrows, and he is a specialist in wilderness survival. Marshall's work as a cultural and historical consultant can be seen and heard in the Turner Network Television and Dreamworks epic television miniseries Into the West.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A masterful tale of social decision making,
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This review is from: Winter of the Holy Iron (Hardcover)
Marshall provides a deep insight into the Native American world through the medium of the novel. The tale describes a society's reaction to agents of change and the means by which the changes are assimilated into culture.Winter of the Holy Iron describes the affects of the "white man" and the new technologies used by the "white man" on Native American culture. Rather than being a simple comparitive novel, Marshall weaves a tale of conflict, understanding, and uncertainty from the perspective of a Native American but does not come to conclusions. According to the story, these types of change face us all -- across time and across cultures. This universal treatment makes Marshall's novel interesting reading and a compelling analysis of Native American and White cultures. Marshall portrays the Native American as far more than a passive character in history or the blood-thirsty savage. Marshall's works define the Native American as an active participant in history. This refreshing perspective, along with his oral-storytelling-tradition-on-paper writing style, define the the Native American as active and not necessarily reactionary. Even today, Marshall's tale still accurately describes the issues between acceptance of foreign ideas and goods (assimilation) and the rejection of such ideas. I have read Marshall's two other works in book form (I found his works by chance). Winter of the Holy Iron is different from his essays but embodies the best of his short essay narratives and descriptions (like those from Dance House : Stories from Rosebud). The novel is very well written and allows Marshall to develop characters that are unforgettable -- something he also masters in his short essays. This book is a true 5 star work.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Winter of the Holy Iron - Exellent,
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This review is from: Winter of the Holy Iron (Hardcover)
If you like stories of the west and native Americans, you will love this book and his others too. Bias, yes. But, not overly so. Historically correct, yes, but remember it is fiction. He is Lokota! I recommend the book and the author's other works.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
worth reading,
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This review is from: Winter of the Holy Iron (Hardcover)
This book like others by Marshall is excellent. The writing is superb. He reminds me of Steinbeck. A very enjoyable story written from the perspective of the Indian. Marshall's writing tends to be filled with insights and just plain fun reading.
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