Soul of the Sacred Earth

Except for a brief prelude set in 1599, the events in this book take place during the summer and fall of 1628 in what is now Arizona. The Spanish have come to Oraibi, a Hopi village atop a mesa. Their contingent is small: a captain seeking the fabled riches of the area, a small number of soldiers, and a Franciscan priest intent on saving the savages' souls. Their arrival sets into motion not only a clash of Spanish and Hopi cultures, but also an encounter between Hopi and Navajo traditions. Morning Butterfly is a young Hopi woman who knows some Spanish, and is drafted to serve as translator for the newcomers. Cougar is a Navajo from a nearby settlement who arrives to steal the soldiers' horses. Cougar understands the Hopi language, making communication possible between these two communities. While both the Hopi and the Navajo lament the intrusion of the soldiers and the priest, they react in very different ways. The Hopi are known as the Peaceful Ones. They attempt to live with the invaders, and even, reluctantly, help him to build his church. Fray Angelico believes he may be making headway in converting the Hopi, since some submit to baptism, but it is clear to readers that the baptisms and sermons are not turning them from the own beliefs. The Navajo live as raiders, and are proud of their ability as warriors; their reaction to the Spanish is very different. A sense of tradition and place permeates this book. Words from legends, songs, and chants are woven throughout the story. Readers also learn of the two groups' beliefs through the explanations Morning Butterfly and Cougar give each other about their people. Fray Angelico and the captain represent two very different, but equally disruptive, Western attitudes: one missionary, the other exploitative of the people and land. The land is sacred to both the Hopi and Navajo, and their strong relationships with it become clear in this book. Tony Hillerman's novels have introduced me to the place and some of the beliefs in this book, but the time period is new to me. The book seems very well researched, though not intrusively so. Soul of the Sacred Earth is a compelling read. I was desperate to see the Spanish leave, so that the Hopi and Navajo societies wouldn't be further disrupted, but feared being too hopeful, knowing how history has turned out. Trudi Jacobson, for the Historical Novels Review

Early in the seventeenth century, Spaniard Fray Angelico wants to bring the word of God to the natives living throughout the New Mexico Territory. To his shock, the Hopi ignore his plea to save these savages from the devil. Though disappointed by their rejection of his deepest beliefs, Fray tries to protect his "wards" from the greedy rulers of New Spain, especially Captain de Leiva who sees the native wealth as a means of restoring honor to his family name. Though somewhat successful in defeating the Hopi, de Leiva finds the Navajo willing to battle back, led by Cougar. When Cougar meets the Hopi's Morning Butterfly they fall in love with one another. However, even a foreign invader who destroys everything sacred may not be enough to bind the tribes and unite the star-crossed lovers. Vella Munn is one of the great writers of historical fiction. Her tales always make the era she writes about seem as if events are unfolding in actual time. Her latest treasure, SOUL OF THE SACRED EARTH, is a superb tale that showcases the Spanish intrusion into the lives of the Hopi and Navajo people. A bit of romance softens the impact of a tale in which tragedy seems to be the only path for all the prime players.