Calling For A Blanket Dance
by Oscar Hokeah
Award: PEN/Hemingway Winner 2023
Nominations: Aspen Words Finalist 2023, Carnegie Longlist 2023, LA Times Finalist 2022
Date Read: January 18, 2023
A young Native American man, Ever, struggles to carve the outlines of his life through upheaval both familial and personal. Ever never had it easy. His father was abusive. He was raised in poverty and, like most kids who find themselves in that position, he rebelled by becoming a hellion – angry and violent.
Ever, though, was one of the fortunate ones who was able to put his life back together and join the military. Through that experience, he was able to learn responsibility and accountability, all while his personal life was crumbling back at home. Prior to leaving, Ever married his girlfriend Lonnie, who in his absence, began an affair and became addicted to meth. He had no choice but to leave her, but only after they had three kids together.
Throughout this novel comprised of various family members’ vignettes, each chapter provides a different perspective on Ever’s personality and history. The structure reminded me of Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. Regardless of how hard Ever’s life is or his violence or ill temper, you can’t help but hope for his future to work out, for this man to find happiness and peace.
Calling For A Blanket Dance is rich in Native American traditions and cultural perceptions. The connection these communities have to one another, relying on extended family and community relations for support when times get tough is inspiring. The blanket dance held for Ever and his family brought tears to my eyes. To know that the entire community could lift one of their own up like that, even though he might be a stranger, was so touching.
Shortly after Ever’s marriage disintegrated, he and his girlfriend Jimena found themselves pregnant with a little girl. They knew from the outset that she probably wouldn’t survive, but in the short amount of time she was with her people, her very presence helped the family to connect and heal. Reeling from the loss of their daughter and without a lot of time together, Ever and Jimena weren’t able to help each other through their grief and turned to their respective corners, falling apart and away.
After adopting Leander through his social work, Ever found himself the father to 4 kids, all of whom were struggling with being abandoned by their birth mother and abandoned again by their adopted mother (Jimena). With Ever struggling to make ends meet, he wasn’t able to focus on his kids and they each resorted to surviving however they could. Leander was a liability in the beginning but quickly became a touchstone for all of Ever’s kids.
There are so many rich layers and context in this novel and I was disappointed it ended so soon. While this doesn’t appear to be his first book, I am sure this will be the novel most identified with his name.
Comments
Post a Comment