Culture 4: Native American Literature – Gayle Ross

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA:

Ross, Gayle. 1996. THE LEGEND OF THE WINDIGO: A TALE FROM NATIVE NORTH AMERICA. Paintings by Murv Jacob. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0803718985

PLOT SUMMARY:

In an ancient village deep in the forests of the North Woodlands, fear spread as people began mysteriously disappearing. The people realized that a Windigo, a giant creature made of stones that hypnotizes people with his eyes and eats them, had moved into the woods around their village. The people did not want to leave the land they loved, so they began to seek the guidance of the “spirit protectors of their land.” The elders of the village used hot stones to create purifying steam as they prayed and sang, and a young boy discovered that one of the stones cracked and broke open from the heat of the fire. This gave him the idea to set a trap for the Windigo to destroy him with fire. The plan worked, but as the stone creature was burning and breaking, he exclaimed that he would haunt the land forever and continue eating the people for many more generations. The Windigo kept his promise by transforming into mosquitoes that eat the people of the land one tiny bite at a time.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

This story takes place “long ago, deep in the forests of the North Woodlands.” The eerie plot and fast action will easily grab young readers’ attention, and children will remember the frightening Windigo the next time they are sitting around a campfire or hiking through the woods. The clever plan to get rid of the Windigo will resonate with children, and the surprising conclusion that takes place after the Windigo has burned will certainly engage children and appeal to their imaginations.

Ross’s word choice attempts to set the mood of the story as a Native American tale. For example, Ross uses words and phrases such as “warrior,” “elders,” and “ceremony” to give the reader a clearer understanding of the context of the story. Ross also mentions using buffalo hides to cover the frame of the sweat lodge, lighting a sacred fire, and seeking “the help and guidance of the spirit protectors of their land.” While it is not clear which specific culture the tale is referring to, the clues Ross gives lead the reader to understand that this is a type of Native American tale.

While this story does not explicitly state which specific Native American culture it comes from, an author’s note at the end of the book does explain the author’s reasons for creating the story and offers some cultural insights into “Native American” stories in general. When discussing the roots of this story, Ross states, “Though it is based on several stories told by tribes in the north, from the Tlingit of Northwest Canada to the Cree of the Eastern Woodlands, this version is essentially my own creation.” Furthermore, she adds, “There is really no such thing as a ‘Native American’ story. The stories, like the people, belong to many tribes, many nations.” Ross also acknowledges some of the traditional stories that helped her create THE LEGEND OF THE WINDIGO. Also included in the author’s note is an explanation of why the sweat lodge ceremony in the story is vaguely described. Ross explains that because the ceremonies vary from tribe to tribe and “because many traditional peoples are very protective of their own rituals, the ceremony depicted here does not represent the specific spiritual tradition of any one tribe.”

Murv Jacob’s paintings are incredible and add to the richness of the story. The dark, earthy colors, bright contrasts, and tiny details combine to create gorgeous and fascinating artwork that tells the story of the Windigo in a spellbinding way. The skin tones and hair colors depicted in Jacob’s paintings seem as authentic as possible for the type of paintings he created for the story. The paintings show the men, women, and children of the village dressed in traditional clothing that one might associate with an ancient Native American tribe. Again, because the tale does not represent one specific culture, it is difficult to determine the cultural accuracy of details such as clothing and homes. The Windigo is portrayed as a strange creature with dark, flowing hair, black holes for eyes, a skull and bones necklace, and small colorful dots all over his body. Children will certainly enjoy seeing the paintings of the scary creature.

The engaging plot and scary undertones of THE LEGEND OF THE WINDIGO make it an appealing story that children will probably enjoy. The beautiful paintings also add to the story and will captivate children’s attention. While the story is at least based in part on some traditional Native American stories, the cultural authenticity of the story is difficult to pinpoint because of the generalities used throughout the story. The author does address reasons for the tale not depicting one specific culture in the author’s note at the back of the book, and it would be important to share this note with children to help them understand the generalities used throughout the story.

REVIEW EXCERPTS:

From HORN BOOK (March 1997):
“The author and illustrator of How Turtle's Back Was Cracked (Dial) and How Rabbit Tricked Otter (Harper) retell a pourquoi story about the origin of mosquitoes. The acrylic paintings match the text's description of the fearsome Windigo and also aptly capture the story's humorous conclusion. The lengthy author's note at the back provides a wealth of information.”

From KIRKUS REVIEW (1996):”Ross demonstrates her colorful storytelling in a suspenseful tale about the Windigo, a giant stone creature who is "taller than the tallest tree," can "change his shape at will," and "feeds on the people." When people begin to disappear, the Windigo is near. A young boy inspires the people to outwit the flesh-eating Windigo and reclaim their land; this gripping tale captures the imagination from the outset and quickly moves to a dramatic and surprising conclusion that is similar to that of The Windigo's Return (p. 1057) by Douglas Wood. Jacob conjures up appropriately spooky images rendered in deep-toned acrylics. Swirling skies and verdant forests dance around the people in a primitivist style, perfectly partnered with the pace and voice of the storyteller.”

CONNECTIONS:

Definitely read the author’s note at the end of the story with children and discuss Ross’s reasons for creating her own version of the tale as well as her reasons for not focusing on a specific culture. It might be important to help young children understand that there are many different Native American cultures and that they are not all the same.

Young children might enjoy drawing their own versions of the Windigo. Remind them that the Windigo is believed to be able to change his shape at will, and encourage them to be creative with how they depict the Windigo.

In her author’s note, Ross mentions AMERICAN INDIAN MYTHS AND LEGENDS edited by Richard Erdoes and Alfonso Ortiz and FAVORITE FOLKTALES FROM AROUND THE WORLD edited by Jane Yolen. Encourage students to check these books out and read more about the Windigo and the legend of how mosquitoes came to be.