Synopsis "keeper of the sacred pipe"
The story tells the saga of Pontiac, the great Indian leader whose vision was to unite the tribes of America into a single nation. It begins in 1763 when a council of Sioux chiefs hears about a leader who has risen among the Great Lake tribes, bringing peace among tribesmen who have fought for untold generations. Pontiac is neither a chief nor a warrior, but the keeper of his nation's sacred peace pipe, a holy man. The council decides to send its own pipe-keeper, Spotted Owl, and his grandson Sun Eagle to meet with him. Tragedy occurs when Spotted Owl dies and Sun Eagle must go alone to the Great Lake region. Through fortuitous events, he is accompanied by Morning Star, his brother's widow. Together they share the harsh journey's adventures. A fur trader named George Croghan, who is well liked among the tribes, is hired by the army to keep it supplied while it invades tribal homelands to capture Fort Duquesne (Pittsburgh) from the French. The attempt which is led by young George Washington ends in disaster, and Croghan loses his wagons and packhorses. Destitute as a result and threatened with debtor's prison, Croghan hopes to be reimbursed by the army. As partial compensation, he is given the position of Indian agent for the colonial government. For years Pontiac has counseled peace among the tribes, following the teachings of the peace pipe. He is against war even with the white aggressors. But when the army again tries to invade tribal lands, he leads his greatly outnumbered warriors to surprising victories. Forts are captured through stealth and trickery and without the loss of life. When Sun Eagle and Morning Star meet Pontiac, he invites them to his home, an island retreat he shares with his crippled wife, Nebah Kohum. While Sun Eagle is taught the pipe's teachings by Pontiac, Nebah Kohum and Morning Star become close friends. Soon they all set out by canoe to visit Iroquoia. Pontiac's visions assure him that a treaty favorable to the tribes will be signed, leaving the tribal homelands safe and secure from settlement. When King George III issues the Proclamation of 1763, forbidding his colonial subjects from crossing the mountains and entering Indian territories, the pipe-keeper is convinced that his visions have been realized. Pontiac signs a treaty that guarantees there will be no encroachments of white settlers upon tribal homelands, trusting the truth of its words. He doesn't know that neither the army nor the government has any intention of honoring the terms. This requires Croghan, the Indian agent who is trusted both by the government and the tribespeople to decide whose side he is on. This is a story that's never been told, the one from the tribespeople's perspective. Set before the American Revolution, it gives the point of view of those whose grim fate gradually was dawning upon them. Treated as savages and looked down upon, the tribespeople make a desperate effort to preserve what their ancestors enjoyed for untold generations. The historical accounts contained within the novel are verified by a bibliography at the end.
