BIG HORSE WOMAN

The first novel in a four-book series, Big Horse Woman by Barbara Salvatore, is a fantastic book that beautifully captures the seasons of life and the soul of the Ponca Tribe.

It follows Water Willow, born to the Ponca Tribe under the Great Shooting Star Shower, and named after the tree under which she was born. As a young girl, she rescues a colt that is almost drowning during a flood, and the horse grows to be a spectacular animal, one that has never been seen by the Ponca. The horse is named Big Horse, because he is bigger than any horse the people have seen, and she is given the name Big Horse Woman.

When chaos knocks on the door of the tribe and the wind of change threatens everything they have held sacred, Water Willow must heed the voices of her ancestors' calling, to preserve their sacred heritage. Does she have what it takes to preserve the knowledge passed down from generations?

Big Horse Woman is a novel about a people, and as one reads from page to page, one is immersed in the culture of the Ponca Tribe. The author describes the pulse of the Tribe with uncanny intelligence, commenting on social activities, traditional practices, and the things that occupy the minds of the people, with clarity and in a style that is lyrical and engaging. For instance, Kímonhon and the other boys steal corn while girls watch in the stands, protecting their fields from predators, birds, and boys. The lyrical style of writing is exemplified in the well-crafted folkloric poems, portraying the traditional atmosphere and the beauty of the heart of the people, who are very spiritual: “... love boy, don't steal my mother's corn, / don't be a coward in my field. Don’t run and hide like a Crow hopping, in my field, stand tall!”

While many of the poems are an imitation of the traditional songs, some of them are lyrical utterances sprinkled throughout the book describing the beliefs of the Ponca Tribe: “Witúshpa… / For every medicine, there is a plant. / For every plant, there is a seed. / For every people, a Seed Carrier.” Big Horse Woman is a lean, fast-paced novel in a lyrical style that recounts the quest of a young heroine to save the sacred tradition of her people from extinction, a novel that is spiritually rich and that is reminiscent of tribal life and the simple joys that are characteristic of that life. The characters are stunning, the setting vividly written, and the narrative voice so gripping, and nourished by the meaningful illustrations that accompany the story. A gorgeous book that is as transporting as it is rich in the cultural images it evokes.