Two Spirits: A Story of Life With the Navajo [Format Kindle]

Set in the New Mexican Territory in the Civil War era, TWO SPIRITS focuses on a little known and shameful fact of American history. Thousands of Navajo Indians, who refer to themselves as Diné, were held in US Government sanctioned concentration camp-like captivity, at Fort Sumner, from 1864 to 1868. Walter L. Williams, Ph.D. and Toby Johnson, Ph.D. combined their knowledge and talent to pen a historically accurate fictional account of the Diné's incarceration.

TWO SPIRITS' factual story line centers around the callous treatment the Diné suffered under the supervision of the righteous Union General James Carlton. Carlton, an Indian fighter, devised a plan to relocate almost twelve thousand "savages" from their fertile homeland at Canyon de Chelly (now northeast Arizona), to the Bosque Redondo outside Fort Sumner. The Diné were forced to walk a distance of 325 miles, in winter, with insufficient wagons to carry the young, old, and infirm. More than three thousand people died en route to the desert area. Carlton's Indian "experiment" had the support of officials in Washington who wished the Indians pacified. The officials saw to it that sufficient funds for food and housing for the Diné were regularly sent to Fort Sumner. The funds, unfortunately, made General James Carlton a wealthy man. During the Diné's four years of captivity without government subsidies, and unable to grow crops in the arid soil, another quarter of their population died. The vulnerable Diné were also victims of raids by the New Mexicans. General Carlton never ordered the soldiers to defend his charges against these attacks.

Adding appeal and fast pace to TWO SPIRITS' plot, Williams and Johnson developed a beautiful love story between a young Virginian, William Lee, and a high ranked Diné, Hasbaá. Will had been shunned by his fundamentalist preacher father after being found in a barn with another young man. With the advice and help of an influential townsperson, Will went to Washington, D.C. and was fortunate to be hired as an apprentice Indian Agent. Assigned to Fort Sumner, Will realized immediately that the Indians were poorly treated, then learned the previous agent was dead. Feeling fully responsible for the Indian's welfare, Will conscientiously wrote reports to his superiors in Washington requesting additional aid for the starving Diné. Will was not yet aware of Carlton's duplicity.

Will frequently visited the Diné camp and after proving himself worthy was accepted into their talk circle. He became captivated with the spiritual person, Hasbaá. A two spirit person, Hasbaá was honored and respected by the people. According to Diné lore, people possessing two spirits were blessed with twice the spiritual gifts, both male and female, and thus had special powers to oversee healing rituals and other sacred ceremonies. Hasbaá and Will grew close and fell in love. The Diné celebrated their union, as was their custom.

Will discovered Carlton's treachery so with the help of Hasbaá and other Diné, set out to prove Carlton's unworthiness as leader. Some of Williams and Johnson's characters, such as General James Carlton, were actual people who played significant roles in the circumstances surrounding the Navajo's incarceration. In TWO SPIRITS' pages, the authors show how spirituality, wisdom, and true understanding of human nature existed among the native people of our continent for thousands of years before European settlers arrived. Williams and Johnson's TWO SPIRITS is a very important work with far reaching social significance.

Although I am not a stranger to the writing of either Walter Williams or Toby Johnson, their collaboration on this historical novel has yielded an outstanding novel. I do not consider myself an avid fan of historical fiction, but was totally captivated by this story. I am even more impressed that, though the details/characters of the story are fictional, the account so closely follows the historical facts. How great it would be if everyone in the United States could read this to gain insight into how abusive the non-native immigrants to this country were toward the native people.

William Lee, a young Virginian, is exiled from his home by his fundamentalist preacher father after being caught having sex in the barn with another youth. It's 1867, and Will is only 21 years old, but he needs to make a life for himself, even though he can never go back to his family. Disgraced, Will manages to get a job as an Indian Agent, and he makes the long journey to Fort Sumner in the New Mexico Territory where he begins to get to know the Navaho - the Dine, which means The People, as they call themselves.

Will works hard to be accepted by the Navajo, and before long he has made friends with Hasbaa, a Two Spirit person. He also discovers that the US government, led by the real-life character General James Carlton, had relocated the twelve thousand Navajos to Fort Sumner, effectively kidnapping them from their native area in Canyon de Chelly. Many of the tribe had died after being forced to walk over three hundred miles to Fort Sumner. Then to make matters worse, instead of giving to the Navajo the food and supplies earmarked for them, Carlton appropriated the resources to enrich himself. Will is thrust into this environment of politics, greed, and corruption, and before long, he begins to try to help his new friends. This puts him and others at great risk. Can he help the Navajo and Hasbaa, with whom he is falling in love?

Judy Grahn's groundbreaking book, ANOTHER MOTHER TONGUE: GAY WORDS, GAY WORLDS first introduced me to the concept of the Two Spirit person in native culture and mythology, but this is the first work of fiction I've read that speaks about the world of the "berdache" with such clarity, depth, and soulfulness. The novel draws much of its historical fact and information from Walter L. Williams' nonfiction book, THE SPIRIT AND THE FLESH: SEXUAL DIVERSITY IN AMERICAN INDIAN CULTURE, but despite its historical base, the book never feels dry. Instead, this is a lively, entertaining, and fascinating look at a time gone by when two people from completely different cultures came together as friends, lovers, and trusted allies to prevail over an enemy that seemed impossible to defeat. Highly recommended. ~Lori L. Lake, Midwest Book Review