The Land Grab: The Legend of Big Heart by Alfreda Beartrack-Algeo

The Land Grab is the first in a trilogy about Alfred Swallow and his Lakota family's life as Lakota people attempting to save what's left of their traditional way of life and their beliefs. In this short story, Alfred and his grandfather struggle to prevent corrupt government agents from stealing their land.

It is 1929 and eleven-year-old Alfred Swallow lives with his grandparents, Thomas and Lucille Plenty Buffalo, his nine--year brother Elmer, and his mother. They live on the Kul Wicasa Lakota Reservation in Iron Nation, South Dakota. Prior to this, Alfred and his family lived in a house two miles west of his grandparents. Alfred's father had moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming to find work and send money home. But months later they had to move in with Alfred's grandparents. Despite this Alfred and his family are living according to their traditional values.

For the first day of spring, Alfred along with his brother Elmer and their grandfather, walk to the Missouri River for a water ceremony. Grandfather tells Alfred that soon it will be time to dream his spirit name, the name that will protect him. Alfred has already had such dreams but he doesn't tell Grandfather. Alfred's face is painted with sacred red-earth clay, his scalp lock bearing a golden eagle feather and he's wearing a pair of hard-soled quilled deerskin moccasins. Playing an elk-skin drum, Alfred sings the four directions song while his grandfather prays to the Great Spirit, Creator.

On Easter Sunday, after attending services at the Messiah Episcopal Church, Alfred decides to go to Medicine Creek to catch some fish for dinner. Accompanying him is his yellow Labrador, Chepa. He also brings his canvas tote bag containing water, dried deer pemmican and his sketch book and charcoal sticks. As he begins to draw an old gray cedar tree, Alfred hears Chepa bark. The black stone he picked up at the Missouri River seems to grow warm and vibrate.

Alfred notices a gray wolf next to the cedar tree, bearing her teeth and growling. He can hear her wolf pups likely near the cedar tree. Then with Chepa charging the wolves, the alpha wolf attacks Alfred, biting him in the thigh. He manages to strike the alpha wolf with a piece of driftwood, making him retreat. A large golden eagle comes to Alfred's rescue, dropping tree limbs in front of him. He is able to make a dogwood travois and walks home with a badly wounded Chepa on the travois before collapsing. Alfred awakens a week later, weak but recovering, to find his grandmother has stitched his wounds.

Alfred's best friend, Orson High Elk comes to visit and helps him repair the chicken coop after it had been raided by a fox. As they finish, the two boys watch as a black Model T pulls into the driveway. It is Mr. Jim O'Neil, superintendent for the Lower Brule Agency. Superintendent O'Neil offers Grandfather "fifty-six cents an acre for your six hundred and forty acres along the river bottom." Grandfather adamantly refuses O'Neil's offer, telling him that six hundred and twenty of those acres belong to Alfred and Elmer as allotted acres. He also tells O'Neil that what he is doing is illegal, that the price is unfair and too low, and that tilling the soil during a drought and planting non-Indigenous crops like Russian olives is not wise. He orders O'Neil off his property. Furious, O'Neil warns Grandfather that he will use the power he has to forcibly take his land.

Alfred races into the house after O'Neil leaves, questioning Grandfather if they will lose their land. Grandfather is upset but tells Alfred he needs time to consider what has happened. As O'Neil continues to threaten Grandfather, Alfred becomes determined to help save their land. But doing so places both Alfred and his grandfather in grave danger.

Discussion

The Land Grab is based on the life of Alfreda Beartrack's father, Alfred Zeigler's experiences growing up with her great-grandfather, Thomas Plenty Buffalo during the late 1920's. 

The Lakota, like many other Indian nations, did not have the same view of land as the Europeans who came to settle in North America. They saw the land as having no formal boundaries and was something to be used and shared by all. However, when U.S. government agents arrived in the area in 1804, they began to force the various Indigenous nations and tribes into treaties and agreements, the purpose of which was to set boundaries where they could live and in many cases to simply remove them from the land altogether. Further land grabs were designed to disband the nations and tribes and force them into assimilation with the white European culture. One way of doing this was the Indian General Allotment Act of 1887 in which individual heads of households were allotted land in increments of one hundred sixty acres. Smaller allotments were given to other members of a family. The land not allotted to Indian people was sold off by the government to non-Indians. 

In The Land Grab, the corrupt superintendent for the Lower Brule Agency, attempts to cheat Alfred's family out of their land. Thomas Plenty Buffalo learns that land documents are being tampered with, that several people are involved including some in the Office of Indian Affairs, in order to force Tribal members off their land allotments. Thomas Plenty Buffalo sees his land set on fire and is assaulted and kidnapped! With the help of a relative, Alfred's great-aunt, Pearl, and their fierce determination not to be scared off their land, Alfred and his family are able to save their land.

Alfreda Beartrack Algeo has written an engaging story that highlights the connection of the Lakota to their land, features some of their traditional beliefs and practices, and the strong inter-generational bond that existed within Lakota families. For example, upon hearing that the superintendent intends to plant non-native plants during a period of drought, Alfred's grandfather, states that this is not wise and that he will be maintaining the native grasses. When Alfred mentions to his grandfather that he plans to not only shoot the large old turkey but also take another one, his grandfather explains, "One turkey is enough. Remember, we should only take what we need and no more. When we need another turkey it will be there for us."  In fighting to protect his allotment, Thomas Plenty Buffalo is teaching Alfred the importance of integrity and justice. He does this within the law, rather than acting rashly.

Despite Alfred's father seemingly having abandoned his family, Alfred continues to think the best of his father, believing that he will someday return. He has a close bond with his grandparents and other family members. After helping his grandfather save their land and farm from a fire set by O'Neil and Miller, Alfred tells him, "Grandfather, you are my protector and my teacher. I love you deeply and honor you greatly. I will work hard and help you all I can. I hope you have a good night." Alfred shows his deep respect and love of his grandfather, a theme repeatedly demonstrated by the young boy whenever he interacts with the adults in his life. 

Alfred's character is revealed through his actions. He shows courage and compassion when he saves the life of Junior White Hail, the boy who has been mercilessly bullying him at school.  In doing so, he earns Junior's loyalty and friendship and comes to understand why Junior has been bullying him. He shows ingenuity and quick-thinking when he goes to see his Great-Aunt Pearl about the land documents he finds, knowing she can best help his family.

The Land Grab is an easy, quick, high-interest read that will appeal to reluctant readers, especially boys. Beartrack-Algeo's story is action driven, with believable characters who highlight many important virtues such as industriousness, honesty, filial respect, and kindness. Unfortunately, with the exception of Deputy Sheriff John Riggs who accepts the evidence Thomas Plenty Buffalo provides, all the white characters are portrayed as corrupt.

Alfreda Beartrack-Algeo is a member of the Lower Brule Lakota Nation, Kul Wicasa Oyate, Lower Brule, South Dakota. She is a storyteller and artist who currently resides in Colorado.

Book Details:

The Land Grab: The Legend of Big Heart by Alfreda Beartrack-Algeo
Summertown, TN: 7th Generation Book Publishing Company     2022
119 pp.

The Secrets of Tree Taylor by Dandi Daley Mackall

"This whole summer has been nothing but secrets, and I'm afraid my whole life will be like this. It's like life is a spiderweb of secrets, holding everything together by these tiny threads that hide the truth. And I keep stumbling into webs I can't get out of."

Set in the summer of 1963 during the Vietnam War and while the Cold war between the Soviet Union and the West was ongoing, The Secrets of Tree Taylor explores life in small town America and a girl struggling to  come to terms with the secrets she learns about people in her town.

Thirteen year old Tree Taylor lives in Hamilton, Missouri with her parents and her older sister Eileen. Her best friends are seventeen year old Jack Adams and her classmate, Sarah. Tree, (her name is variation on Teresa concocted by Jack) loves the Beatles and especially loves to dance. She has a crush on her classmate Ray Miller. 

Tree has two goals for the summer of '63. She desperately wants the only freshman spot on the Hamilton High newspaper, Blue and Gold. But she needs to write something in order to nab that spot, since Wanda Hopkins expects to get it as her Aunt Edna, known as Mrs. Woolsey, runs the paper.  The second goal Tree has set for herself is to have her first kiss.

One morning, Tree who is sitting out on her front porch, hears a gunshot and watches as her father, the town doctor, races down the street to the Kinney home. Tree ignores her father's warning to stay put and walks to the edge of their property. There she sees Mrs. Kinney emerge from the house holding a rifle and that's when Tree runs to the cottonwood on the Kinney property. There she sees her father talk to Mrs. Kinney, go in and check on Mr. Kinney and then come out again, taking the rifle from her. Tree notices the Mrs. Kinney's "cheeks and forehead were the color of lemon-lime Squirt, with patches of yellow and splotches of blue and purple. Her nose bent to the side, hinting at the letter L."  This description suggests that Mrs. Kinney is being physically abused by her husband.

When Sheriff Robinson shows up, Doc Taylor tells him that Alfred Kinney's been shot and that he has had a neighbour call the ambulance to take Kinney to the hospital for a few nights. After the Sheriff talks to Alfred Kinney he asks Tree's father what they should do. Doc Taylor merely states that "Accidents happen." despite Alfred Kinney's "peculiar notions about the shooting."  Tree decides that "Whatever did happen inside the Kinney's house, it was going to be my ticket to the Blue and Gold staff. This would be my first investigative report, and I'd prove to Mrs. Woolsey that she should me. Not Wanda."

What happened at the Kinney's home becomes Tree's secret although she doesn't at first realize that other people don't know what happened. They only know that Alfred Kinney shot himself by accident because that is what they have been told.  Mrs. Kinney's numerous accidents over the years and arguments overheard by the neighbours lead some to suspect that this is not what really happened. Tree decides that she's "going to tell it like it is." However when she approaches her father to ask him about what happened that morning he tells her to let it go. He tells her to write about someone like Gary Lynch who has leukemia and cannot leave his home or the soldiers dying in Vietnam.

As Tree struggles to write her article she realizes she needs more information than she has about Mrs. Kinney, so she begins visiting her. She discovers that Lois Kinney who loved to read and wanted to be a librarian. But it's obvious from the lack of books in her home that Alfred Kinney would not allow her to have books. So Mrs. Kinney hid a set of encyclopedias and as a result knows facts about many strange and random topics.  With each visit by Tree, Mrs. Kinney shares these facts but Tree doesn't have the courage to ask her about what happened that morning.

One day Jack sends out a fake story via his mother Donna who is the town gossip. He tells his mother who calls him many times per day, that he shot and killed a man trying to rob the IGA. This news reaches Tree who races to the store to only to find out that nothing happened. This event gets Tree to thinking about the Mrs. Kinney situation and her story. Jakes fake story had even made me confused about journalism. What if I heard a story about somebody, and then I wrote about it, thinking it was the truth. Only it wasn`t. People would believe what I wrote. They would believe me.  Gradually Tree begins to feel that she doesn't want to report anything that might hurt Lois Kinney.

Meanwhile, although Tree finds Ray attractive and is jealous that he is spending time with Wanda, she has many great moments with her best friend Jack. Jack and Tree's parents get together on Sundays to make music while they play games or dance. Their love of music and especially dance are what draw Jack and Tree together. However, Jack, who takes Tree on driving lessons and essentially looks out for her, will be leaving in the fall to attend Northwest Missouri State.

Tree recognizes the same traits that Mrs. Kinney has in her classmate, Penny Atkinson. Penny never says more than two words and she behaves strangely around her stepbrother, Chuck. At her job as a basket girl at the Hamilton swimming pool, Tree begins to seek out Penny and try to talk with her.

Soon Tree begins to realize that almost everyone has secrets; her best friend Sarah's family's yard sale, Eileen's hair dye, Wanda, Ray, and even Jack. But when Tree uncovers Penny's secret she has to decide whether it's a secret to be kept or to tell someone? And how does one decide which secrets to keep and which to tell?

Discussion  

Those who have read To Kill A Mockingbird will immediately sense the similarity of Mackall's novel to this well know American classic. Mackall's narrator, thirteen year old Tree is reminiscent of precocious five year old Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird. Tree's father, Doc Taylor is similar to Scout's lawyer father, Atticus. Like Atticus, Doc Taylor is concerned about truth, justice and mercy. He doesn't like gossip and prefers to accept people as they are. Like Scout, Tree is a bit of a tomboy, forgoing skirts and makeup and she has a close relationship with her father who attempts to instill in her his regard for the truth tempered with mercy. However, unlike To Kill A Mockingbird, The Secrets of Tree Taylor doesn't tackle heavy themes and therefore is not a dark novel.

There are plenty of themes in the novel but foremost one involves secrets and the responsibility one has when discovering another person's secret. In the end Tree learns that sometimes divulging a secret will do more harm than keeping it and other times, as with Penny's secret, keeping it will do the most harm. Doc Taylor tells her that discerning which to tell and which to keep is a difficult thing."But how do you know? How can I tell which secrets to leave alone and which secrets not to? I didn't know for sure he was hurting her." Dad looked at me like he was seeing me for the first time. "That's the problem, Tree. We don't always know. Only God sees everything. There aren't any secrets with him. The rest of us have to do the best we can."

The character development is one of the key strengths of this novel. Each character is quite different and the reader feels like they are experiencing a real town populated by real people. Readers will be invested in the characters enough to want to know how life worked out for Jack, Tree, Sarah and Mrs. Kinney. At the end of the novel, Tree tells what happens during the rest of 1963 and into early 1964. Readers will find the ending bittersweet, although the author tries to remain hopeful. But it's definitely a twist no one expects.

Mackall has done a brilliant job of portraying the culture of early 1960's America, with plenty of references to the early rock and roll music of the era, hula hoops, sock hops, drive-in theaters, the controversy and division the Vietnam War created in America, and the ever present threat of the Cold War. The novel succeeds in part because the author drew from her own personal experiences growing up in a small town. Her father was a small town doctor similar to Doc Taylor in the novel, who took fruit and vegetables as payment for his services. Writers best succeed when writing about what they know intimately, and Mackall knows small town life in this way.

Overall, The Secrets of Tree Taylor is an outstanding novel - one of the best this year. Dandi Daley Mackall has written many novels and one of her books, My Boyfriend's Dogs has been made in a movie for television, to be aired this fall. Her novel, The Silence of Murder won the Edgar Award.

Book Details:
The Secrets of Tree Taylor by Dandi Daley Mackall
New York: Alfred A. Knopf          2014
282 pp.