— Following in the footsteps of the greats is Muskogee native Eddie Chuculate, winner of the 2007 PEN/O Award.

His interwoven stories have just been published in a collection entitled, “Cheyenne Madonna,”  David R. Godine/Black Sparrow Books, $17.95.

Others who have won the PEN/O include Hemingway and Faulkner, huge shoes to fill for even the most talented. As with any new author, we are tempted to categorize his work and quick to say he is the new Hemingway, N. Scott Momaday, or perhaps a Native American Truman Capote. But Chuculate’s beautiful and lyrical style is a classic in its own right from the very first page.

In “Galveston, 1826,” the first of the book’s stories and the one for which Chuculate won the PEN/O, we live vicariously through the eyes of four Cheyenne, Old Bull, Whiteshield, Red Moon, and the irascible Sandman, who meet the local inhabitants and experience the “great pond” at Galveston Bay for the first time. Chuculate’s skill at building the story’s ambiance allows the reader to feel as though he is also meeting the natives of the bay and eating the plentiful shrimp, oysters and red snapper found there.

The Indians’ subtle wit and humor make us feel as though we are not reading a story about native tribes long ago, but rather they transcend time and ethnicity, bringing us into the human experience. Their journey makes us realize that this is a story, not about Indians, but about people. When they get caught in a tornado, we feel their terror, because we have experienced similar rocky weather.

Skip several generations ahead and it’s the rocky weather that Jordan Coolwater faces in the rest of the stories. Here we meet unforgettable characters like the foul-mouthed Yo Yo, hoping to be the next Evelyn Ashford, and the “famous Indian artist,” Johnson L. Freebird, who succumbs to alcoholism.

Again, Chuculate takes us back in time and place through characters coming of age in northeastern Oklahoma in the 1970s. Local culture and legends abound in the stories, such as the pop machines outside Gaddy Drug, 12th Street and Broadway, KMUS radio, and Madewell Metals. The turbulence of racism, poverty and alcoholism jettisons the characters in different directions, elevating some through the experience, destroying others, and some just keep on keeping on.  

Chuculate credits Muskogee Public Library for opening up the world for him and his grandparents, Delbert and Maxine (Narcomey) Flanary for taking him there incessantly. He holds a degree in creative writing from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, N.M., and is pursuing a Master’s of Fine Arts at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.  



GREEN CHILE CHICKEN

CASSEROLE

1/3 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 cup canned chopped green chiles

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup fat-free sour cream

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 10 1/2-ounce cans cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 garlic clove, minced

Cooking spray

18 small corn tortillas

4 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (about 1 pound)

2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the first nine ingredients in a large saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Spread 1 cup soup mixture in a 13x9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange six tortillas over the soup mixture, and top with 1 cup chicken and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat layers, ending with the cheese. Spread remaining soup mixture over cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Traditional New Mexico kitchen recipe. Serve with black beans and a green salad.



FIESTA TOMATO DRESSING

1 large ripe tomato

2 tablespoons brown mustard

1 teaspoons dried cumin

1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced, optional

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve. Toss with mixed salad greens — a great salad dressing.



BEAN BREAD

1 cup of cornmeal

1/2 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

2 cups milk

1/4 cup melted shortening

1 beaten egg

2 tablespoons honey

4 cups drained brown beans

Mix all of these ingredients, except beans, thoroughly, and then fold in the beans. Pour into greased, heated pan. Bake at 450 until brown (usually 30 minutes or so).

— Source: Official website of the Cherokee Nation, www.cherokee.org.