We Are Not Gathered Here Alone

Book excerpt: Set in the Creek Nation before Oklahoma's statehood, this novel, We Are Not Gathered Here Alone, is a tribute to those Indians of one hundred years ago after their infamous "Trail of Tears." Historically accurate and populated with a myriad of people both the Indian and the white man, the book accounts for one branch of the famous and wealthy Perryman Family with their prosperous cattle empire. Their stories help compose the history of the present city of Tulsa. This story features Lula, the author' s grandmother, who, at an early, became a widow of the full-blooded Creek. He represented his nation which, then, tried to maintain their own adherence of customs and culture which in time was quickly disappearing. Although the erosion of such traditions is obvious to all characters, it is more noticeable to the Indians themselves, especially in their dialog with the Dawes Commission and the United States Government. This more complex picture of interaction between these two separate cultures is far more fascinating than the "black and white" portrayals commonly found in the media today.