Saltypie

Tingle, Tim. 2010. Saltypie: A Choctaw journey from darkness into light. Ill. by Karen Clarkson. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press. ISBN 9781933693675

Plot Summary

A Choctaw Indian tells about his Mamaw’s life and some of the difficulties she faced. From her childhood in an Indian boarding school, to a violent attack she suffered as a young mother, to the eye transplant that allowed her to see her grandchildren. “Saltypie” is a term coined by her son, the narrator’s father, that the family uses to shrug off troubles.

Critical Analysis (Including Cultural Markers)

Tim Tingle’s story of his grandmother’s life reveals a modern day Choctaw Indian family shaped by the events and wisdom of the past. The story touches on the injustices the grandmother suffered, but the grandmother’s love for her family, and their love for her, is the enduring message of the story. Cultural details include the evening talking time and the importance of stopping to listen to what the silence reveals.

A author’s note fills in more details of the story and places it in the context of the forced relocation of the Choctaw people, Indian boarding schools, racial violence, and how the Choctaw people have persevered. The author’s note explicitly states his intention to contradict many of the stereotypes of Indians as skin wearing teepee dwellers. Clarkson’s illustrations support this aim, showing a family who looks like any other modern day family in terms of their dress and home. The illustrations of the gathering of the extended family show a variety of skin tones, facial features, and hair colors.

Review Excerpts

Kirkus Reviews: “A grandmother's life story centers this welcome depiction of a contemporary Choctaw family… Tingle provides a corrective view of contemporary Native American life, as his author's note reveals was his intent. Clarkson's evocative illustrations bathe each scene in a soft light that accentuates the warmth of the family's love.”

School Library journal: “Tingle tells his family's story from their origins in Oklahoma Choctaw country to their life in Texas. The account spans generations and weaves in ghosts from the past to the present day.”

Connections

Other books about Choctaw Indians by Tim Tingle:

Tingle, Tim. 2003. Walking the Choctaw road: stories from Red People memory. Ill. by Norma Howard. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press. ISBN 9780938317746

Tingle, Tim. 2006. Crossing Bok Chitto: a Choctaw tale of friendship & freedom. Ill. by Jeanne Rorex Bridges. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press. ISBN 9780938317777

Tingle, Tim. 2007. When Turtle Grew Feathers: A Tale from the Choctaw Nation. Ill. by Stacey Schuett. Atlanta, GA: August House LittleFolk. ISBN 9780874837773