Peering out from beneath a blanket, Ever Geimausaddle is a mere six months old when he witnesses his father’s brutal beating at the hands of Mexican police during the family’s homeward journey near the US border. This opening scene sets the tone for Oscar Hokeah’s relentless debut novel, which tracks Ever’s pivotal moments through five decades of his life. Each chapter is told through a different voice drawn from his Cherokee, Kiowa and Mexican communities. The effect of this structure weaves a tapestry that not only follows the trajectory of Ever’s growth but also captures the essence of life for indigenous people in contemporary Oklahoma.
What remains unspoken, yet resonates so profoundly in this novel, is the devastating effect cultural erasure and historical trauma have had on Ever’s community. Hokeah’s perspective keeps the lens focused on the protagonist’s life; the vistas he describes reflect on an individual’s actions and subsequent consequences. This is a restrained decision given the violence of cultural policies and embedded biases that have shaped the opportunities available to Ever and those he loves.
Hokeah confronts harrowing scenes head-on, unflinching, revealing the devastating impact of substance abuse on families, for example. He evokes empathy for survivors and showcases the unwavering strength and courage demanded of a single parent in the aftermath of such turmoil.
Hokeah’s characters are war heroes, grieving parents and addicts. They are human, and flawed and desperate for renewal. In understated fashion, he allows them to soar at their lowest moments, such as when Ever’s grandfather, while passing on the tradition of the gourd dance, comprehends the magnitude of generational responsibility: “I didn’t have to explain any part of the dance to them. They watched me and the other men and mimicked us. I was amazed at how quickly they followed in my footsteps. And then it scared me.”
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Calling for a Blanket Dance resounds with universal wisdom. It is a tender account of love, resilience and a demonstration of how life’s ragged threads can be woven back into the tapestry, repurposed within a greater existence. Calling for a Blanket Dance won The Pen/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel.
