Eagle Drums

by Nasugraq Rainey Hopson

A magical realistic middle grade debut about the origin story of the Iñupiaq Messenger Feast, a Native Alaskan tradition.

As his family prepares for winter, a young, skilled hunter must travel up the mountain to collect obsidian for knapping―the same mountain where his two older brothers died.

When he reaches the mountaintop, he is immediately confronted by a terrifying eagle god named Savik. Savik gives the boy a follow me or die like your brothers.

What comes next is a harrowing journey to the home of the eagle gods and unexpected lessons on the natural world, the past that shapes us, and the community that binds us.

Eagle Drums by Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson is part cultural folklore, part origin myth about the Messenger’s Feast – which is still celebrated in times of bounty among the Iñupiaq. It’s the story of how Iñupiaq people were given the gift of music, song, dance, community, and everlasting tradition.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mythology, Indigenous, Audiobook, Adventure, Fiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published September 12, 2023

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful legend brought to life. I highly recommend the audiobook, narrated by Disney princess Irene Bedard, which really made it feel like I was listening to someone tell me a story by a fire. This story of a boy being educated by eagle spirits so that he can return to his family and make everyone's life better was just so lovely. I don't really know what else to say about it, other than that I think this would be excellent in the classroom as well.

[Emma Ann]

A lovely middle grade book that tells the story of the first Iñupiaq Messenger Feast in simple, precisely wrought prose. Also illustrated, although the drawings of people feel a bit stiff.

Thank you to the author/publisher for providing a copy.

[Lydia Gallagher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I initially decided to read this book on whim because I needed something short and winter-themed for the 3rd-5th grade book club I lead. I did not expect to enjoy it nearly as much as I did. While it can be slow at times, it feels intentional. It makes you as eager as the boy to find out what will happen next, and you are filled with as much excitement as he is when you finally learn the meaning behind a lesson or the answer to a question. As a white, monolingual person, I started out being frustrated that there wasn't a pronunciation guide for all of the Iñupiaq words, but I realized quickly that the book was not written for me. This was written by an Inuit woman to be enjoyed by other Inuit people who would understand the language and context of the story. It's not her job to educate me about her culture, and I am honored just to be able to experience this story as an outsider. I also found that because I did not know the original story that inspired the book, I was able to connect to the boy more easily. We were ignorant together about the eagles' teachings, and there was something very lovely about that. The message of connection struck me especially hard. A lesson that was true hundreds, if not thousands of years ago still holds true today.

[Elizabeth Santelmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been looking for a pre-columbian story of First Nations heritage by someone who belongs to it… and this is it!

This is an old Alaskan story retold in modern novel form for kids. The magical and fantastic elements reminded me a bit of CS Lewis. (But obviously from a different religious world view.)

A note to Christian families reading this. In the afterword it mentions that colonist missionaries forcefully tried to erase these stories and culture. As a family when we read this I hope to have a conversation with the kids about what true faith looks like separate from force and power.

I also hope to compare and contrast it with our religious belief system and the other religious and cultural traditions we’ve learned about while studying Greek, Roman, and Chinese myths/origin stories.

[Tena Edlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a beautiful book. I loved the gentle tone the author used while conveying the difficult and dangerous tasks set for the main character. The tone is probably what made the book a slow read for me; it wasn't an action-packed pageturner. I did get caught up in the story and the world of this legend, though. The visual imagery created by the author is amazing.

[Jennifer Mangler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this legend. What a beautiful story!

[Laura Byrd · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of a boy who is confronted with an eagle in human form who gives him a choice to follow and learn from him or be killed. Over the course of many moons, the boy learns to make drums, sing, and develops various other skills while under the tutelage of the eagles. After some time, he shares the things he learns, culminating in the origins of the Messenger Feast.

I always enjoy learning about other cultures and the history behind important holidays or festivities. This book was no exception. I did find it to be a bit slow, and that made the story harder to get into. I also think if the author's note was at the beginning, instead of the end, I might have had a better understanding of what was going on and that would have helped the story a bit more. That being said, I am glad I read this and enjoyed learning about this important tradition of the Inupiaq people.

[Barb Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The art of oral storytelling is captured in this tale about a boy captured by Eagles and taught to speak their language of culture and community. These are not kind kidnappers and the failure of the boy to learn how to treat others will lead to his death. Full of suspense and exploration of themes on fear of others, family, harmony and more.

[Christaaay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished it, so it wasn't bad; it had so much great descriptive detail and a wonderful ending. But I didn't really care about any of the characters, so I didn't really care about 80% of the story.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't know anything about this, and I really really liked it. Such a lovely surprise! Best depiction of the joy of community that I have read in quite some time.

[DaNae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting if not dynamic. The story really dragged for me.

52 Book Club24: #46 - Featuring Indigenous culture

RATL24: Animal stories

[Malli (Chapter Malliumpkin) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC was given by NetGalley & Roaring Brook Press.
Release Date: September 12th, 2023

Content/Trigger Warnings: Loss of siblings, grief, animal death, loneliness, depictions of depression, anxiety, blood, scene of assault

"He felt as if his very soul had grown and found roots in the people around him He felt more connected than he had ever before, connected to the world, connected to the life around him, and connected to his parents. The celebrations filled him with such inspiration, such wonder, and an enduring strength. He felt his humanity blossom with new insight and a deeper sense of stability. The future held fewer unknowns, and with all this knowledge he felt more deeply accepted... flaws and all."

This book had no right to make me feel so many feelings and make me cry multiple times especially when I was reading the author's notes. This is a story of the origins of the Messenger Feast of the Iñupiat of the Arctic Circle. This is a story that's passed down orally from generation to generation and it's such a incredibly beautiful story to follow. It's a story filled with family, sense of community, how all of us are connected to everything and everyone, the important lessons we learn especially when it comes to tradition, and the way we keep pushing forward despite our hardships. It's also about how Iñupiaq people were given the gift of music, song, dance, a community, and the everlasting tradition of the Messenger Feast. There's just so much packed into this story that filled my heart with so much warmth and learning about the Messenger Feast was such wonderful experience especially as a Native reader. It always feels like such a privilege to learn and read stories from other Native/Indigenous people who aren't from my own Tribe. So I feel really blessed, really privileged to be reading this book, and all at the same time emotional over the story I just read. If you're looking for more Native/Indigenous literature to add to your radar, I highly recommend putting Eagle Drums on your list. I think this is such a wonderful story that everyone just needs to experience.


The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.


All thoughts, feelings, experiences, and opinions are honest and my own.


Instagram|Ko-fi|Throne

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished Eagle Drums by Nasugraq Rainey Hopson
The book is beautifully written. As the tension and learning build, I knew something truly out-of-this world would happen at the end . . . and it did. Tears filled my eyes out of respect, admiration, and awe. Booktalking this often!

No wonder it garnered several 2024 awards---Newbery Honor, American Indian in Youth Literature Award Honor Book

[Diana Strand · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am amazed that I never heard about this book in Mock Newbery discussions or elsewhere last year: even after being named as an Honor book in January, it still only has 45 Amazon reviews. Before reading it, I assumed that maybe it was because it wasn’t all that good and was just being recognized as an own voices/diversity pick. Terrible, I know, but I had no other explanation for why it wasn’t being discussed in all the places I track new middle grade fiction.

However, I will admit that I was very wrong and that Eagle Drums is deserving of its Newbery Honor status. I expected Pinja’s story to be the standard hero’s journey arc, but Hopson had so much more depth to the lessons learned by her protagonist. I especially appreciated Pinja’s love for family and connections, though I don’t want to say more and spoil it. Pinja is a boy you will cheer for by the end of this mythological origin story.

[Theresa Gonzales Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars: This book tells the story of the first Messenger Feast of the Inupiat people. This book is very well written and I loved the beautiful illustrations throughout the story. This story is a bit slower, but it was very engaging. I’m looking forward to more books by this author. I really thought her artwork was a nice touch to the story. This book won the Newbery Honor award and it was well deserved.

[Thomas Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a very good, well-written book.

I was a little annoyed at the underlying selfishness of the eagles, and that they would be happy to kill people as punishment for not helping them fulfill their own desires. And you could see what that final feast was from a mile away.

But altogether, this book did a good job. I feel like I understand the Inupiaq culture just a little bit more. And I like it.

[Brittany]

disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial

This is a middle-grade story based in Iñupiat mythology and folklore, and I absolutely adored it. We are given a look at the first Messenger Feast of the Iñupiat people of the Arctic Circle. It shares the story of how the people were given the gift of music, song, dance, community, and tradition. I also really enjoyed seeing the origins of showing genuine gratitude, reverence, and recognition of the animals and land that they use to hunt, forage, and ultimately, survive and thrive <3

Pina is still reeling from the death of his older brothers, and as he is gathering supplies for his family's winter preparations, he is taken by Savik, an eagle god, who gives him a grisly ultimatum: come with me, or die like your brothers ('hey btw I killed them!' sheesh!)! Obviously, Pina goes with Savik, and learns from their teachings, especially about gathering, sharing, and building community. Previously, Pina's family was solitary because they were fearful of strangers (and like, humans can arguably be deemed the 'scum of the earth' so I can't blame them for this initial fear!), but as Pina returns, they host the first ever Messenger Feast and finally take a chance on humans, and invite others to gather.

I adored this narration by Irene Bedard, and highly recommend this audiobook to those it's accessible to. I will absolutely recommend this to the middle-grade readers in my life!

Thank you to PRH Audio and the publisher for the ALC - I provided this honest review of my own accord!

Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Grief, and Animal death
Moderate: Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Child abuse, and Mental illness

[Wendelle]

Pina is a young Inuit hunter who leads a hard, dignified life. His brothers have disappeared when they went to the mountains, never to come home. His family lives in their grounds alone, with no neighbors to depend on, and as a consequence they have to be self-sufficient, with Pina learning to hunt caribou and kill bears despite his young age while his father and mother take on the roles of sea hunter and fur weaver at home respectively. When they do encounter other people, each group must view the other with distant distrust and mutual suspicion, out of the demands of survival.
One day, Pina must also disembark for the mountains despite his mother's protests. He encounters an eagle spirit named Sapik who can shapeshift to a human form. Sapik informs him without ceremony that he has killed Pina's brothers, and if Pina doesn't follow him and abide by his rules, he will suffer the same fate. What does the eagle spirit want with Pina? Pina must follow him to the lands of the eagles to figure this out.
This is an incredible story of Inuit mythology, as well as the intimate bonds between humans and nature. It tells of the traditions of gratitude and acknowledgement that rule Inuit relationships with animals.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Indian Drums brings to life the Iñupiaq origin story about the roots of their long standing Messenger Feast.

Pina (forgive me but my phone does not have the proper diacritic for the n) ventures into the mountains to hunt, where both of his brothers previously disappeared. There, he encounters an enormous eagle spirit who kidnaps him and forces him, on pain of death, to learn essential skills to bring back to his family and humanity. Rising to the challenge where his brothers failed, Pina is an incredibly resilient and determined tween.

I really enjoyed the atmospheric writing. The novel takes place is northern Alaska, and the author really brings that to life in all its bleak but resilient beauty. The writing is also stark and lovely, reflecting its setting perfectly. There are also lovely illustrations embedded throughout the book. I also really enjoyed that the author leaned in to how scary this experience would be. Eagle spirits kidnapping you seems like a great plot point, but they’re enigmatic and dangerous.

An excellent middle grade read.

[Cheryl]

If a parent or other educator reads this first, they could certainly book-talk it to highlight the appeal. I think the kids most likely to enjoy it would be boys who play survival video games with deep lore. I don't think one has to be Native to appreciate it, but I'm glad it's available to those readers looking for something they can feel more connected to.

Me, though, well, I admit, I'm bored. I've never been a fan of creation stories or adventure. I'll finish it for Newbery, and I like the art, but, yeah, I probably won't rate.
---
Ok done. And it did get more interesting, but well after the point most people would dnf.

"'I learned not to lead with demands. I learned to lead with connections. And next time I will remember that not everyone will like me, but not everyone has to like me to fulfill a goal.'"

Don't be afraid of the ocean. "'The waves are just waves; they are going somewhere. You can trust the waves to yearn for the land.'"

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A magical realistic middle grade debut about the origin story of the Iñupiaq Messenger Feast, a Native Alaskan tradition.

As his family prepares for winter, a young, skilled hunter must travel up the mountain to collect obsidian for knapping―the same mountain where his two older brothers died.

When he reaches the mountaintop, he is immediately confronted by a terrifying eagle god named Savik. Savik gives the boy a follow me or die like your brothers.

What comes next is a harrowing journey to the home of the eagle gods and unexpected lessons on the natural world, the past that shapes us, and the community that binds us.

Eagle Drums by Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson is part cultural folklore, part origin myth about the Messenger’s Feast – which is still celebrated in times of bounty among the Iñupiaq. It’s the story of how Iñupiaq people were given the gift of music, song, dance, community, and everlasting tradition.

[Gerry Durisin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a middle-grade novel that retells the story of how the Messenger Feast of the Iñupiaq people of northern Alaska and other areas of the Arctic Circle came to be. The story has been passed down orally from generation to generation for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years, but gradually this sort of story and many other cultural traditions were essentially banned by governments, churches, and other institutions. This festival and other aspects of Iñupiaq culture are now being resurrected as people fought back for the right to practice and sustain their heritage and history.

While I enjoyed the story, and appreciate this opportunity to learn about this aspect of an unfamiliar culture, I couldn't help but notice the number of Iñupiaq words that were included in the text without explanation or even a glossary in the back of the book, which would have been helpful for students and teachers both for correct pronunciation and definition.

[Stephanie Ridiculous · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting insight into the culture, although the writing felt really stiff to me. I definitely wanted to know how this ended and how all the work was going to pay off, but I eventually had to switch to the audio book so I could just get through it faster. Which is a shame, because the story itself is really great.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This middle grade book was absolutely beautiful with the plot, the lessons learned, and the value of connections to people. Although, I’m still holding ground on not connecting to everyone. The illustrations are also beautiful and I loved that this was one of the stories to read during Native American Month.

I will say it opens with hunting caribou, but not graphic…just talks about killing. However, this would be perfect for anyone middle grade and above to read.

🦅

[Melanie Tyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

We found this book in a local bookstore in Ketchikan, Alaska and it perfectly embodies exactly what I was looking for, local stories and a local author. The mix of imagery and the authors own art really helped me understand Iñupait culture and history. I learned a lot from this book!

[Anna K Baskaran · Rating 4 out of 5]

So unique to have an Inupiaq origin story in novel form. Beautiful. 🦅🦅🦅🦅

[Elizabeth]

Beautifully written.

[Amber Scaife · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet middle grade retelling of the origin story of the Iñupiaq Messenger Feast.

[Judy Ripke · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating story from Inupiaq culture that expands my understanding of the traditions of native people of the Arctic Circle.

[Erin Genua · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great retelling of a First Nations story. At times the plot felt slow going, but the ending was beautiful.