C. E. Rowell
As my first novel, Never Name the Dead developed, it was natural to add my Kiowa heritage to the series. I was heavily influenced by my grandfather, C.E. Rowell - artist, Kiowa historian, Tribal Elder, and master storyteller. My grandpa, his sisters and his brother shared Kiowa stories and songs with us from my earliest memories. The rhythm of the Kiowa language captivated me. The Kiowa elders all used the old Plains Indian-style sign language while speaking in Kiowa or English. In either language their hands flew in accompaniment to their words, adding a hypnotic show to the already rhythmic sounds.
While my great-aunt Arletta sang Kiowa lullabies and told winter stories, it was Grandpa, the late C.E.
Rowell, who taught me the history of the Kiowa people. My Grandfather was recognized as the Tribe Historian
and Reader of the Dohason and Onko pictoglyph calendars called Sai-Guat, or Winter Marks. As an artist,
Grandpa painted snapshots of Kiowa history taken directly from events noted on the pictoglyph calendars.
Koitsenko or Wild Dog Warrior is staked to the ground by his own sash and lance fighting a mounted Ute. The Koitsenko warrior society consisted of the ten bravest warriors in the Kiowa Tribe. The warriors swore an oath to defend the Kiowa People to the death.
Mamanti translated to He Walks In The Clouds or SkyWalker talked and flew with owls. It is said that Mamanti would return from flights with the All-Seeing Owl knowing calvary plans. He was able to wake sleeping Kiowa camps in time to escape calvary-planned dawn slaughters.
Blending Kiowa history, culture, language and spirituality with a murder puzzle in the Mud Sawpole Mystery series is one of many ways I try to share information about my Kiowa Tribe.