TULSA — Shane Hawk (Cheyenne and Arapaho) and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. (Mackinac Bands of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians), editors and contributors of the “Never Whistle at Night” series, made a stop in Tulsa to discuss the creation, success, and future of the frighteningly fantastic horror anthology.
“Never Whistle at Night” and its sequel, “Back for Blood: Never Whistle at Night Part II,” are popular horror anthologies featuring contemporary stories by Indigenous authors, some inspired by traditional Native American folklore.
The community was out in full force for the event hosted by the Oklahoma Center for the Humanities. Fans of the series gathered in the gallery at 101 East Archer Street for a Q and A and book signing with Hawk and Van Alst Jr.
“These books are for the community, by the community,” said Hawk to the crowd, including a local book club that came out to show their support for the series.
A plaque on display at the 101 Archer Gallery explains that horror is not just for entertainment in Indian Country. Horror is a cornerstone of Indigenous storytelling. Cultural tales of monsters and mayhem can keep children from wandering too close to danger. Contemporary and traditional stories can help communities process generational trauma inflicted by colonization.
“It feels kind of fake and wrong and all too American to throw up walls between what’s real and maybe not real,” wrote Stephen Graham Jones (Blackfeet Nation) in the foreword of “Never Whistle at Night.”
During a sit-down interview with Mvskoke Media, Hawk and Van Alst Jr. discussed some of their favorite works in the new volume. Hawk mentioned the audiobook version of “Back for Blood” and a story called “The Body Delivers,” which is read by acclaimed Native American actress Lily Gladstone.
“Off the top of my head, in the new one, The Body Delivers by Erica Tremblay and read by Lilly Gladstone. It’s hard to pass up,” said Hawk.
Van Alst Jr. made sure to mention some Oklahoma ties when choosing his favorite stories for a shout-out. “A.J. Eversole has a story in here that I read when it came in; I read it probably four times. I really love this story a lot, and I kind of championed for this story to be in the book. It’s set in Oklahoma in the 1920s, so if you want to get your ‘Oklahoma from a century ago’ [fix], that’s one I would really recommend,” said Van Alst Jr.
Both Hawk and Van Alst Jr. had high praise for “Miss Cherokee Princess 1996,” written by Cherokee Nation citizen Jessica Doe. Doe serves as Assistant Director and Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Tulsa Oklahoma Center for the Humanities.
While on the topic of the contents of “Back for Blood” and the original “Never Whistle at Night,” Hawk emphasized reading the introductions written by Jones. “Please read the introduction. The foreword and the introduction, because it really, in our opinion, sets it up nicely to move into the stories,” said Hawk. Context, added Hawk, is key to fully understanding the stories that lie ahead.
Of course, horror aficionados like Hawk and Van Alst Jr. can’t come to a storied city like Tulsa without discussing the spooky side of the Art Deco metro. While neither had any personal experiences with the supernatural to share, both emphasized that it could change at any moment. ‘Tis the season, after all.
“To be here in October with these cool old buildings, I can absolutely see something going down. We’re going to be walking around in the dark, so we’ll see what happens,” said Van Alst Jr.
As for their visit to the largest city in the Mvskoke Reservation, it seems the duo enjoyed their time. “We love Tulsa. Have us come back any time for sure,” said Van Alst Jr. when asked for closing remarks.
Additionally featured at the gallery is “Back for Blood: Never Whistle at 101 Archer” by Cheyenne-Arapaho artist Brent Learned. The exhibit features Learned’s artist-printed illustrations from the “Back for Blood” stories. It runs until Nov. 20. Admission to the gallery is free and open to the public.
Both “Never Whistle at Night” and “Back for Blood: Never Whistle at Night Part II” are available now in print, digital, and audiobook formats.
