The author, Shul-ya, a Mohave of the Beaver Clan, originally wrote the tales in this book for his children, later expanding them for the enjoyment of all ages. Born on the Arizona Fort Mohave Reservation, Shul-ya learned these tales from an uncle who had dreamed the character of Swift Lance, the mythological hero of the tales

Hoilman, Dona

English

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Herman G r ey . Tal es from th e Moh av es. Civil ization of the Ame r i c a n  In d i an S e ries, Vol . 107 (Norman : Un i v e r s i t y  of Ok l ahom a P r e s s, 1970) s e cond p rin t ing, 1980, xiii, 9 3  pp . $3 . 95 .  The au t hor, Shu l -y a, a Mohave of  t he Beaver C l a� , or i g i n a l l y  wro t e  the t a l e s  in t his book for his c hi l d r e n. l a t e r  expanding t hem for the e n j oyment of al l ages . Bor n on t h e  A rizona For t  Mohav e Rese rv a t ion , S hul-ya l e ar n e d  t h e s e  t a l e s  f rom an u n c l e  who had d reamed the charac t e r  of Swi f t  Lan ce, t he m y t hological hero of t h e  t a l e s . M r . Grey ex p l a i  ns in t h e  p r e f a c e  and introduction that d r eams are t he v e ry core of  Mohav e l i f e ;  f rom them powe r, myth s, songs,  good for t u n e, guid a n c e, k now l edge, and t h e  cu l t u r a l  u ni t y  of t h e  Mohaves are de riv e d . Thu s, by p r e s e rving a n d  s h aring t h e s e  dreamed t a l es, Shu l - ya pe rmi t s  r e a d e r s  va l u ab l e  in­s i gh t s  in to the Moh ave i de n t i t y . As A l ice Mar r iott pOin t s  ou t in t h e  foreword to t h i s  book, t h e re 'ar e  f ew books that  h ave t he fee l ing of Moh ave life, t houg h  t h er e  are numerous fac t u a l  e t h nographies . The s e  t a l e s  con v e y  t h e  f e e ling in­tan g i b l e s  in a way t hat on ly a Moh ave wr i t er cou l d . A l t hough M r . Grey r e g r e t s  t h e  loss of for c e  a n d  sub­t l eties because t h e  ta l es are t o l d  in E n g l ish , h i s  s t y l e  i s  de l i gh t f u l . Con c i s e an d e conomical, y e t  v i v i d l y  de s c r ipt i v e  a n d  f i g u rative, t h e  language engages the reader ' s  atte ntion and mov es h er/him vi gorou s l y  t h rough eig h t  t a l es, some of wh i c h  have an his torical basis, such as the accou n t  of t h e  Mohave al l i an c e  wit h t he Apa c h e s  agai n s t  t h e  P i m a s , and some m y t hologic a l ,  s u c h  as t he " f rog peop l e" narrat i v e . By u s i n g t h e  v e r y  approp r i a t e  s t ru c t ural devic e of  h av i n g  Swi f t  Lan ce's e l de r l y  g randmoth er, Wh i t e  F l ower, t e l l  som e  of the t a l e s  or make re­spon s e s  in cou n c i l  mee t i ngs a n d  so for t h, M r . Grey is ab l e  t o  pac k a good deal of exp l anatory cu l t ural detai l  i n to t he tales wit hou t l os i ng t h e  e n erge tic pace of narrative or havin g t he d e t ai l s  seem forced or u n natu ral . Tal es from t h e  Moh av es is not a s cholar l y  work, nor was it in t e nded to be one . I t  has on l y  a t h ree­i t em b i b l iog r aphy, a s k e t chy map of the Ft . Mohave Reservation, and no foot not es or in dex . But wh at it a t t em p t s, it doe s we l l - -which is to t e l l cu l t u r a l l y  reveal i ng t a l es c harmin g l y . A reader wis h e s  on l y  that t h e  book we re not so s light ; one ' s  adv e n t u re s  w i t h  t h e  m i g h t y  war rior Swi f t  Lan c e  a r e  ov e r  t oo soon . Dona Hoi lman B a l l S t a t e  University 1 2  

[Review of] Herman Grey, Tales from the Mohaves

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[Review of] Herman Grey, Tales from the Mohaves

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