The White Wampum

A richly woven mix of poetry and short fiction, this work offers a lyrical tribute to the traditions and hardships of Indigenous life on the North American frontier. The author opens with a heartfelt dedication to parents, framing the verses as a kind of wampum—symbolic currency of memory and peace—before guiding listeners into a varied tapestry of scenes, from prairie pilots to quiet evenings by the fire.

The first narrative thrust follows Ojistoh, a Mohawk woman caught between love, duty, and the brutal feuds of rival tribes. Her voice is fierce and tender as she confronts capture, betrayal, and a sudden, bewildering intimacy with her enemy. Through vivid, rhythmic language the story captures the pulse of conflict and the yearning for agency, inviting listeners to feel the clash of iron wills and the soft undercurrent of unexpected compassion, all set against the rolling landscapes and thunderous drums of an unsettled era.