The Blessing Way
Encyclopedia
The Blessing Way is the first of the Navajo Tribal Police
series of crime fiction
novels by Tony Hillerman
and introduces on-going series character Joe Leaphorn
.
. Meanwhile, McKee's friend, Tribal Police Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, is called upon to investigate a corpse with a mouth full of sand. Soon, both McKee and Leaphorn find themselves in danger as they investigate a mystery involving a missing electronics expert and McKee has a more personal contact with a skinwalker than he bargained for.
The novel includes a description of a Navajo Enemy Way
ceremony.
Other characters introduced in this novel include:
, Hillerman explained that McKee was the main character, and initially Leaphorn had a minor role. However, at the advice of his editors, he expanded Leaphorn's role, and in later books Leaphorn would become a main character.
Navajo Tribal Police
The Navajo Nation Police is the law enforcement agency on the Navajo Nation in the Southwestern United States. It is under the Navajo Division of Public Safety. It is headed by a Chief of Police, six Police Captains and eight Police Lieutenants...
series of crime fiction
Crime fiction
Crime fiction is the literary genre that fictionalizes crimes, their detection, criminals and their motives. It is usually distinguished from mainstream fiction and other genres such as science fiction or historical fiction, but boundaries can be, and indeed are, blurred...
novels by Tony Hillerman
Tony Hillerman
Tony Hillerman was an award-winning American author of detective novels and non-fiction works best known for his Navajo Tribal Police mystery novels...
and introduces on-going series character Joe Leaphorn
Joe Leaphorn
Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn is a fictional character created by American mystery writer Tony Hillerman, one of two officers of the Navajo Tribal Police that feature in a number of novels. The other officer is Jim Chee.- Profile :...
.
Plot summary
Anthropologist Bergen McKee has travelled to the Navajo Reservation to research tales of Navajo witches known as "skinwalkers"Witch (Navajo)
There are a number of beliefs in traditional Navajo culture relating to practices which, in English, are all referred to as 'witchcraft.' In the Navajo language, they are actually each referred to distinctly, and are regarded as separate, albeit related, phenomena.The practices lumped together in...
. Meanwhile, McKee's friend, Tribal Police Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, is called upon to investigate a corpse with a mouth full of sand. Soon, both McKee and Leaphorn find themselves in danger as they investigate a mystery involving a missing electronics expert and McKee has a more personal contact with a skinwalker than he bargained for.
The novel includes a description of a Navajo Enemy Way
Enemy Way
The Enemy Way or is one half of the major Navajo song ceremonial complexes, the other half being the Blessing Way. The Enemy Way is a traditional ceremony for countering the harmful effects of alien ghosts or chindi, and has been performed for returning military personnel.The Enemy Way ceremony...
ceremony.
Characters
On-going series characters introduced in this novel include:- Joe LeaphornJoe LeaphornLieutenant Joe Leaphorn is a fictional character created by American mystery writer Tony Hillerman, one of two officers of the Navajo Tribal Police that feature in a number of novels. The other officer is Jim Chee.- Profile :...
, Navajo Tribal Police Lieutenant - Emma Leaphorn, wife of Joe Leaphorn and a NavajoNavajo peopleThe Navajo of the Southwestern United States are the largest single federally recognized tribe of the United States of America. The Navajo Nation has 300,048 enrolled tribal members. The Navajo Nation constitutes an independent governmental body which manages the Navajo Indian reservation in the...
traditionalist
Other characters introduced in this novel include:
- Bergen McKee, Professor of Anthropology, friend of Leaphorn
- Ellen Leon, girlfriend of Jim Hall
- Jeremy Canfield, fellow professor and friend of McKee
- Jim Hall, Ph.D., electronics expert
- Luis Horseman, petty criminal
The creative process
In his autobiographySeldom Disappointed
Seldom Disappointed: A Memoir is the 2001 autobiography of author Tony Hillerman. The title reflects the attitude that he learned as a child living on a farm in Oklahoma; if one learns not to have unrealistic expectations, one will often be pleasantly surprised and seldom disappointed....
, Hillerman explained that McKee was the main character, and initially Leaphorn had a minor role. However, at the advice of his editors, he expanded Leaphorn's role, and in later books Leaphorn would become a main character.
See also
- Anasazi
- Blessing Way
- Carrizo MountainsCarrizo MountainsThe Carrizo Mountains are a small range 15 to 20 km in diameter located on the Colorado Plateau in northeastern Arizona. The range is about southwest of the Four Corners. The highest summit, Pastora Peak, is in elevation, whereas elevations on the surrounding plateau are near . The mountains...
- Chuska MountainsChuska mountainsThe Chuska Mountains are an elongate range on the Colorado Plateau and within the Navajo Nation. The range is about 80 by 15 km , and it trends north-northwest and is crossed by the state line between Arizona and New Mexico. The highlands are a dissected plateau, with an average elevation of...
- Enemy WayEnemy WayThe Enemy Way or is one half of the major Navajo song ceremonial complexes, the other half being the Blessing Way. The Enemy Way is a traditional ceremony for countering the harmful effects of alien ghosts or chindi, and has been performed for returning military personnel.The Enemy Way ceremony...
- Four Corners
- HopiHopiThe Hopi are a federally recognized tribe of indigenous Native American people, who primarily live on the Hopi Reservation in northeastern Arizona. The Hopi area according to the 2000 census has a population of 6,946 people. Their Hopi language is one of the 30 of the Uto-Aztecan language...
- Lukachukai MountainsLukachukai MountainsThe Lukachukai Mountains are a mountain range in northeast Arizona, entirely within the Navajo Indian Reservation. The highest point of the range is an unnamed point at 9466 feet above sea level...
- Window Rock, ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...