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Eagle Song
In 1803, a New England trading ship put in at the Nootkan village of the Eagle House on the Canadian Pacific coast. Its purposes were to replenish provisions, barter for valuable sea otter pelts and, incidentally, to obtain sexual services of the young village women.
A group of rebellious Indian youths, infuriated by the arrogance and disdain of the white men, carried out a violent plan to massacre the crew and plunder the ship. Surviving the slaughter were Jewitt, the appealing and skilful ironsmith, and Thompson, the dour sailmaker. Eagle Song is the turbulent tale of their two-year captivity, seen through the eyes of Siam, a Nootkan nobleman.
A group of rebellious Indian youths, infuriated by the arrogance and disdain of the white men, carried out a violent plan to massacre the crew and plunder the ship. Surviving the slaughter were Jewitt, the appealing and skilful ironsmith, and Thompson, the dour sailmaker. Eagle Song is the turbulent tale of their two-year captivity, seen through the eyes of Siam, a Nootkan nobleman.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1983
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 23, 2019
My favorite (multiple reread) by Houston depicts life among the potlach tribes of the Canadian coast at a time when Euro-Americans were beginning to destroy their way of life.
Story based on John Jewitt ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_R....
For anthropological perspective / background readings, I suggest the section about the Canadian Northwest Coast in Ruth Benedict's classic Patterns of Culture.
Patterns of Culture
Another of those Googled Kirkus Reviews I like to post in Goodreads:
KIRKUS REVIEW
As narrated by Yoquot noble Siam--with wit, patrician dash, and gentle naivetÉ: a mellow, appealing version of the true-life ""captivity"" of ironsmith John Jewett, who, with sailmaker John Thompson, survived an 1803 massacre on board their ship Boston by the Yoquot people of the Canadian Northwest coast. When the Boston (a three-master bristling with muskets, cannon, and ""savage-looking men"") looms off the coast of Wolf Town, a canoe-ful of friendly, welcoming Indians sets off to greet the ""foreigners."" But, in the days that follow, the trading and talk must inch through painful, dangerous obtuseness on both sides, each people snug in its certain superiority. And, with insulting Whites and hot-headed young Indians, the conflict leads to sickening slaughter--from which half-dead Jewett (""Jon Jay"") and Thompson (""Tom Sin"") are the remnants. Maquina, the unsteady chief (he's not half as wise as head-wife Fog Woman), is delighted with these new captive/adoptees. Although Tom Sin remains aloof, the recovered Jon Jay always seems to be singing, smiling, laughing. (""I believed,"" says Siam, ""he was happy to have found a way of life superior to the one he had known before."") The two Whites will even migrate with the Wolf People to their winter beach, where Tom Sin at last sways to the frenzy of a ritual chant. And they will thenceforth participate fully in the tribal life: a potlatch with the Black Fin tribe (""crude distant cousins""), featuring a prolonged excess of gift-giving and inventive insult; a rift between the chief and Siam; the ultimately disastrous giving-and-taking of a bride for Jon Jay; and the rescue from death of Fog Woman via a carved image (which, when split, announces the name of the next head wife). But, in the wake of Maquina's final, mammoth potlatch, comes another White ship. . . and tragedy and betrayal. Lively and companionably affecting, if over-gentrified.
Story based on John Jewitt ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_R....
For anthropological perspective / background readings, I suggest the section about the Canadian Northwest Coast in Ruth Benedict's classic Patterns of Culture.
Patterns of Culture
Another of those Googled Kirkus Reviews I like to post in Goodreads:
KIRKUS REVIEW
As narrated by Yoquot noble Siam--with wit, patrician dash, and gentle naivetÉ: a mellow, appealing version of the true-life ""captivity"" of ironsmith John Jewett, who, with sailmaker John Thompson, survived an 1803 massacre on board their ship Boston by the Yoquot people of the Canadian Northwest coast. When the Boston (a three-master bristling with muskets, cannon, and ""savage-looking men"") looms off the coast of Wolf Town, a canoe-ful of friendly, welcoming Indians sets off to greet the ""foreigners."" But, in the days that follow, the trading and talk must inch through painful, dangerous obtuseness on both sides, each people snug in its certain superiority. And, with insulting Whites and hot-headed young Indians, the conflict leads to sickening slaughter--from which half-dead Jewett (""Jon Jay"") and Thompson (""Tom Sin"") are the remnants. Maquina, the unsteady chief (he's not half as wise as head-wife Fog Woman), is delighted with these new captive/adoptees. Although Tom Sin remains aloof, the recovered Jon Jay always seems to be singing, smiling, laughing. (""I believed,"" says Siam, ""he was happy to have found a way of life superior to the one he had known before."") The two Whites will even migrate with the Wolf People to their winter beach, where Tom Sin at last sways to the frenzy of a ritual chant. And they will thenceforth participate fully in the tribal life: a potlatch with the Black Fin tribe (""crude distant cousins""), featuring a prolonged excess of gift-giving and inventive insult; a rift between the chief and Siam; the ultimately disastrous giving-and-taking of a bride for Jon Jay; and the rescue from death of Fog Woman via a carved image (which, when split, announces the name of the next head wife). But, in the wake of Maquina's final, mammoth potlatch, comes another White ship. . . and tragedy and betrayal. Lively and companionably affecting, if over-gentrified.
March 28, 2019
Spring came blowing gently to us from the southern ocean. We could smell it, warm and salty on the breeze. We could see it in the new green feathering on the cedar trees. We could hear it high above us as the geese came flocking north ...
These first few lines set the tone of the book. A well-done description of any Native American tribe has to describe the interactions of the people with their environment. The people were part of the environment, definitely not as oblivious to it as are most people in this day and age.
The tale is told through the eyes of Siam, brother to the 'chief.' He's observant and a solid counterpoint to his brother-in-law's often impetuous actions. The story unfolds from their lodge, the Eagle house. This 'house' is big enough to hold 100 people, but Houston wisely limits the number of people he introduces to the reader.
The personalities, the customs, the celebrations, ... all are credible and engaging, not tedious. It is painful, however, to feel the clash, the inevitable misunderstandings, between the resident peoples and the ships that came to trade.
Definitely a keeper.
These first few lines set the tone of the book. A well-done description of any Native American tribe has to describe the interactions of the people with their environment. The people were part of the environment, definitely not as oblivious to it as are most people in this day and age.
The tale is told through the eyes of Siam, brother to the 'chief.' He's observant and a solid counterpoint to his brother-in-law's often impetuous actions. The story unfolds from their lodge, the Eagle house. This 'house' is big enough to hold 100 people, but Houston wisely limits the number of people he introduces to the reader.
The personalities, the customs, the celebrations, ... all are credible and engaging, not tedious. It is painful, however, to feel the clash, the inevitable misunderstandings, between the resident peoples and the ships that came to trade.
Definitely a keeper.
October 20, 2017
Great story telling. Recommended to anyone who lives on Vancouver Island and wishes to learn about one of the most powerful village chiefs of his time: Chief Maquinna. The story lends context to First Nations culture as it became heavily influenced American traders, while also proving that some traditions and customs can not be altered.
October 10, 2015
A very simply written book by an artist and writer and student of the Northwest Indians of Canada. Based on a memoir by an American sailor captured by a tribe of the Nootkan indians in 1803, he rewrites the story from the point of view of a native. Through the native indian's eyes we come to understand the small world of this proud tribe. When they bring the captured sailor to their Eagle House the narrator, Siam, is sure he will be impressed to see the largest house in all the world. They wonder if the white men have any women where they come from because they are so eager for the native women when they come to visit. They are superstitious about everything.
When the men go whaling, and they do so in canoes with spear tips made of clam shells, they must follow a careful preparatory ritual. They have vigorous sex, but then must abstain from sex for 2 weeks to purify themselves and prepare for the hunt. The women have to carefully praise the whales and not think any negative thoughts about the hunt or it may fail. (An interesting problem for the women, for if the hunt is a failure, they will be blamed!)
When they fish for salmon, their staple, they thank every fish they catch and respect the process of catching and killing the living beings that they depended on for their very lives.
We get to experience not one but 2 potlatch ceremonies, first from the point of view of the chief, Maquina, being bested by a neighbor and then a second time as he gets his revenge by giving away so much of his personal goods and the goods of the tribe that no one could ever give away more and everyone would have to agree that he was the greatest chief ever. While the story is told by Siam, we can only imagine what the sailor is thinking as he watches all this activity. Siam imagines that he is impressed. I imagine that he is alternatively amused and shocked.
Of course, things are complicated. How did they capture the sailor anyway? Won't another ship be sent to look for him, and what will happen then? The proud characters of this novel have no idea who they are dealing with even after it is all over, and they misunderstand who they are in relation to their foreign visitors, but they go on with their traditional way of life. A child born to Siam after it all is named Chickaminny, or "born after the coming of the iron." They knew that things would never be the same.
When the men go whaling, and they do so in canoes with spear tips made of clam shells, they must follow a careful preparatory ritual. They have vigorous sex, but then must abstain from sex for 2 weeks to purify themselves and prepare for the hunt. The women have to carefully praise the whales and not think any negative thoughts about the hunt or it may fail. (An interesting problem for the women, for if the hunt is a failure, they will be blamed!)
When they fish for salmon, their staple, they thank every fish they catch and respect the process of catching and killing the living beings that they depended on for their very lives.
We get to experience not one but 2 potlatch ceremonies, first from the point of view of the chief, Maquina, being bested by a neighbor and then a second time as he gets his revenge by giving away so much of his personal goods and the goods of the tribe that no one could ever give away more and everyone would have to agree that he was the greatest chief ever. While the story is told by Siam, we can only imagine what the sailor is thinking as he watches all this activity. Siam imagines that he is impressed. I imagine that he is alternatively amused and shocked.
Of course, things are complicated. How did they capture the sailor anyway? Won't another ship be sent to look for him, and what will happen then? The proud characters of this novel have no idea who they are dealing with even after it is all over, and they misunderstand who they are in relation to their foreign visitors, but they go on with their traditional way of life. A child born to Siam after it all is named Chickaminny, or "born after the coming of the iron." They knew that things would never be the same.
April 20, 2013
A gripping account of a time when west coast American aborigianl cultures were just beggining to be affected by European arrivals. The potlach accounts are extraordinary. Slavery by the Indians of others was routine.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews