Winter Counts(91)

The issue of writing about Native spirituality in a positive and respectful way presents a different set of challenges. I’ve taken part in a number of Lakota spiritual ceremonies, but there are certain aspects of those ceremonies that are private. My approach in this book was to use other Lakota writers as my guide and only write about those details that had been previously disclosed by them, and to write about these matters respectfully, in the manner of many authors I admire, such as Susan Power and Joseph Marshall III. I relied primarily upon the venerated Native intellectual Vine Deloria Jr. and his book The World We Used to Live In. I also used Native American Healing: A Lakota Ritual, by Howard P. Bad Hand, and Sacred Fireplace: Life and Teachings of a Lakota Medicine Man, by Pete Catches. These writers portray some Lakota spiritual ceremonies, and I went no further than those authors and their words. For readers interested in Lakota spirituality, I highly recommend Life’s Journey—Zuya: Oral Teachings from Rosebud, by Albert White Hat Sr., the now-deceased Sicangu elder and educator.

This book was a joy to write, and I hope that it both entertains and inspires discussions about some of the issues faced by the Sicangu Lakota Nation. The Sicangu are some of the most resilient, joyful, and spirited people on the planet, and this book is dedicated to them.





Acknowledgments


I’ve been fortunate to have a large number of people who assisted in the writing of this book, and it’s my honor to thank them for their help. First, my amazing agent, Michelle Brower, deserves more gratitude than I can express here. Michelle believed in this project from the outset, and she’s been a dream to work with, as has everyone at Aevitas Creative Management. I thank all of them.

At Ecco, my wonderful editor, Zachary Wagman, made this novel so much better on many levels with his insights and expertise. Thanks also to Dan Halpern and the entire Ecco team, including Sara Wood, Miriam Parker, Meghan Deans, Sonya Cheuse, and others who helped with the project. My gratitude as well to Miranda Ottewell, whose copyediting mastery improved my sentences immeasurably. I’m aware of my great fortune in landing with a house such as Ecco, and words can’t do justice to their brilliant efforts in support of this book.

My writing journey began in the MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts, and Virgil Wounded Horse made his first appearance there in a short story back in the early 2010s. My time at VCFA was invaluable, and I give thanks to my instructors and classmates there for their feedback and support.

I transferred to the MFA program at the Institute of American Indian Arts, where I was privileged to work with a multitude of amazing students and teachers, and I thank all of them. Without a doubt, this book would never have seen the light of day without the unflagging support of Ramona Ausubel, whom I worked with for two consecutive semesters. Ramona provided the model for professionalism, teaching excellence, and generosity of spirit. Thank you again, Ramona.

I was truly fortunate to be able to attend a number of remarkable writing conferences, where wonderful workshop leaders and classmates helped me shape early versions of these chapters. My deepest thanks to the fiction workshop in 2017 at the VONA/Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation conference. The feedback I received there gave me the confidence I needed to spend the next two years waking up at dawn to write this book.

At the 2018 Tin House Summer Workshop, I was lucky enough to work with the amazing Benjamin Percy, one of the best writers, best teachers, and best people in this business. Our workshop was filled with exceptionally talented writers, all of whom made this book better. Hope we can all meet in Oregon again soon. At Tin House, the esteemed Gary Fisketjon chose my manuscript for a mentorship, and he read the entire thing, providing his remarkably good line edits and general advice.

I’m grateful to acknowledge the support of the MacDowell Colony; I spent an amazing month at that magical place completing this book and communing with an astonishing array of talented artists. It was a gift to awake every morning in Garland Studio and write among the wildlife of New Hampshire. The equally wonderful Ragdale Foundation provided me with space to make final revisions to the book, and I thank them as well for their support.

So many other people have contributed to this project. Carter Meland provided a home for Virgil in the Spring 2014 issue of Yellow Medicine Review, where I published the short story that provided the blueprint for this book. Benjamin Whitmer read early chapters and has been a source of support for many years. Thanks, man. The wonderful writer Danya Kukafka read a version of the manuscript and gave brilliantly perceptive advice. Thank you, Danya. Bill Henderson of the Lighthouse Writers Workshop helped me sharpen my thinking about the book in its early stages. I also thank all of my writing friends in Denver and across the country, who’ve been so helpful and kind as I pursued this project.

At Sinte Gleska University on the Rosebud Indian Reservation, Jim Green and Victor Douville provided invaluable Lakota language assistance, although I remain responsible for any errors, naturally. Also on the Rosebud Reservation, my cousin James Cordry answered every question with steadfast patience and grace. And I give my humble thanks to the elders and community members of the Sicangu Lakota Nation, to whom I’ve dedicated this novel.

I honor and acknowledge my ancestors, who endured unthinkable hardships, especially my grandmother, who spent most of her life on the Rosebud Reservation except for her time at the infamous Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania. My mother and father have passed over to the spirit world, but I hope I’ve done justice to their memory with this book.