Title: "Pushing the Bear: After the Trail of Tears"

Author: Diane Glancy

Pages: 193

The term "pushing the bear" is a metaphor in which the bear is a hardship to be pushed out of the way. "Pushing the Bear: After the Trail of Tears" is a sequel to the book "Pushing the Bear: A Novel of the Trail of Tears."

The Trail of Tears refers to the agonies which the Cherokee Indians suffered when they were betrayed by some of their own leaders and the American government in 1838 and 1839.

Between 11,000 and 13,000 people were removed from their homes in the Southeast and were accompanied by American soldiers to the barren prairie of Oklahoma. About one-fourth of the population died while they walked the approximately 900 miles that winter.

The first book is an account of what happened on the trail. The second book takes us into the new Indian Territory and gives us a glimpse of what went on there when the tribe arrived. These books involve real life-like people not just unemotional textbook accounts.

It was still winter when the Cherokees arrived in Oklahoma. They were a pathetic group for all the hardships they were suffering. They were mourning the loss of their homeland and of their friends and relatives who had died along the way. Many of them were sick or exhausted. Some were angry, others bitter, and some felt such despair that they were physically incapacitated.

The author uses what she calls "the communal first person" point of view to tell the story. The narration seems to be done by the tribe. There are two characters that were actual people: the Rev. Evan Jones and the Rev. Jesse Bushyhead. The latter served as their leader in the church and the community in which the fictional characters settled. Although it is fiction, many of the tales told are symbolic to actual events.

Knobowtee is the protagonist in this book. His wife is Maritole. It is no surprise to the reader that their marriage is suffering when they arrive at their barren destination. Their land in North Carolina had symbolized the Cherokees' power. The men had felt strong and masculine. When they are forced to leave their beloved farms, they lose their self respect and their heritage. They are bewildered about how they should proceed.

Knobowtee uses the anger he feels to break the stubborn prairie into farmland. His brother, O-ga-na-ya, who is supposed to help him prepare the soil, spends a good share of his time in the tavern drinking.

One of the conflicts the author develops in this book is one that Knobowtee wages with himself. In his despair, he is tempted to join O-ga-na-ya in evoking revenge on those who have betrayed them. Yet he realizes he doesn't have enough energy for both farming and revenge.

He counsels his brother: "We're not starting (farming) again. We're continuing what our fathers and grandfathers did. It is just in a different place. I think they work beside us. We just can't see them. We set continuance in motion for our sons."

When the Cherokees arrive in Oklahoma, they seem to be of three groups. There are those who follow the traditional religion of the tribe. They are led by conjurers or magicians who use old practices to protect and comfort the people. Many of the people feel this had not worked in the past, so they have lost faith in it.

The Rev. Bushyhead represents the Christian group which is attracting many of the Cherokees. His sermons give them messages of hope while at the same time respecting the strengths of their past spiritual lives. The Cherokees had devised their own written language and he works hard to translate the Bible into a language they can understand.

O-ga-na-ya represents another group of Cherokees in the new camp. They are the rebels who don't trust anyone. The alcohol they consume fuels their bitterness and despair setting them on a course of self-destruction.

I loved this book. It would be of great use in a Native American studies class or in a book club. There would be so much to talk about.

The author has added some chapters featuring authentic documents, so we are able to establish a setting for the events. The Cherokees have a rich oral tradition and some of their stories have been recounted in this tale. Some of the Cherokee words have been presented in a creative poetic style.

(Rita Greff grew up the oldest of eight children in a family that valued reading, particularly fiction. She taught fifth and sixth grades for 34 years.)