Review: In Writing A Tribute Writer Shares His Own Destiny...

Monday, August 23, 2010

Review: In Writing A Tribute Writer Shares His Own Destiny...

Image by Oregon State University Archives via Flickr

After Harry Jack's stroke, he asked his "nephew" Manny to pour the water in the sweat lodge

The Elder: 
A Tribute


By Monolin "Manny" Moreno



I was honored to have had the opportunity to read The Elder by Monolin Moreno with Lillian Vallee, a renowned literary professor and translator, providing the Introduction. How many of us show the love we have for another through the creation of a statement of memoriam to that individual (and other elders)?

Indeed, The Elder is so much more than that, for in showing his love and respect for the elders in this book, Manny Moreno has also shown us an important part of his life and the lives and rich culture of his people. I have read many fictional books that are based upon our Native Americans Indian culture and learned much, but none of them have given me the opportunity to love their characters as I did in Manny's book. For it is these individuals who have and are still trying to retain the ceremonial and prayer heritage that was once so much a part of their lives. I am grateful for that experience!

The Elder begins as the funeral is conducted for Harry Jack and Manny comes and says a prayer to Grandfather to receive Harry Jack's spirit. But soon, Manny is enclosed within a blanket. Harry had sponsored Manny and he would be received today into the Black Wolf Gourd Clan and participate as part of that clan as honor is given to Harry Jack. It is as they dance and wept that Harry began to look back as to how and when Manny and Harry had crossed paths.

It had been in the 1980's at a powwow, when there was a dance contest. All of the young were dressed in full ceremonial garb except Harry came with just one feather. As if ordained, Harry won the contest, dancing as he had always danced so many years before... At that event, Manny stumbled literally into Harry and though he immediately apologized. Harry scolded him. This was to be the relationship that seemed to occur over and over for many years, though Manny continued to treat his elder with the respect due.

Manny begins to tell his own story at this point, sharing that his life was essentially one long drunk until one night at an AA meeting he met Chili Willie Burns and Beaver. They encouraged him to go to the Three Rivers Indian Lodge, an alcohol and substance recovery center for Native Americans. Harry Jack was there...

And Manny was for the first time to enter the sweat lodge. While Harry talked about Indian ways, about sobriety, Manny began to feel good and at peace. But then it got hotter and hotter; that first time Manny ran out of the lodge. Harry called him crazy. Beaver came to help him back to his place.

But Manny came back to the Lodge and he stayed...

Both Harry Jack and Manny were stubborn men and they had many "run-ins" over the next decades. However, slowly the love and respect were what held them together until Harry Jack, when he had a stroke, chose Manny as his "nephew" to pour the water for him...

Manny and I are in the same situation now. We are now "the elders" of our respective families. One of the main issues that you cannot fail to miss in Manny's book, is the need to consider and reconsider the treatment of our older family members. As Lillian Vallee states, "his book is a plea for the reintegration of elders into the fabric of our culture." Now, Manny is the elder and he is called upon to give the prayers, to pour the water, to pray over a new-born... He does this while working as a laborer and living with others as possible...

Manny Moreno has his manuscript totally prepared and ready to be published. He is looking for a publisher and I believe The Elder must be placed on the shelves of many. To this end, this reviewer is committing $500 to help with the costs to publish this book. Will YOU help? I am sure Manny will share more about his book with you. Pain of Forgiving is also in manuscript ready for publishing.

The Bridge is Gone was Manny's first book and is available at Amazon or Back40 Publishing (click on article title to go there).

1 comments:

Chilito Valenzuela said...

Good reading,brings back memories of Harry Jack,i got scolded by him also,but,sometimes a scolding wakes you up especially when scolded by a man of his status,its actually an Honor.

October 16, 2010 5:00 PM

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Interview with Manny

Book Reader's Heaven

Monday, August 23, 2010

Review: In Writing A Tribute Writer Shares His Own Destiny...

The Elder: 
A Tribute


By Monolin "Manny" Moreno



I was honored to have had the opportunity to read The Elder by
Monolin Moreno with Lillian Vallee, a renowned literary professor and
translator, providing the Introduction. How many of us show the love we
have for another through the creation of a statement of memoriam to that
individual (and other elders)?

Indeed, The Elder is so much more than that, for in showing his
love and respect for the elders in this book, Manny Moreno has also
shown us an important part of his life and the lives and rich culture of
his people. I have read many fictional books that are based upon
our Native Americans Indian culture and learned much, but none of them
have given me the opportunity to love their characters as I did in
Manny's book. For it is these individuals who have and are still trying
to retain the ceremonial and prayer heritage that was once so much a
part of their lives. I am grateful for that experience!

The Elder begins as the funeral is conducted for Harry Jack and
Manny comes and says a prayer to Grandfather to receive Harry Jack's
spirit. But soon, Manny is enclosed within a blanket. Harry had
sponsored Manny and he would be received today into the Black Wolf Gourd
Clan and participate as part of that clan as honor is given to Harry
Jack. It is as they dance and wept that Manny began to look back as to
how he and Harry Jack had crossed paths.

It had been in the 1980's at a powwow,
when there was a dance contest. All of the young were dressed in full
ceremonial garb except Harry came with just one feather. As if ordained,
Harry won the contest, dancing as he had always danced so many years
before... At that event, Manny stumbled literally into Harry and though
he immediately apologized. Harry scolded him. This was to be the
relationship that seemed to occur over and over for many years, though
Manny continued to treat his elder with the respect due.

Manny begins to tell his own story at this point, sharing that his life
was essentially one long drunk until one night at an AA meeting he met
Chili Willie Burns and Beaver. They encouraged him to go to the Three
Rivers Indian Lodge, an alcohol and substance recovery center for Native Americans. Harry Jack was there...

And Manny was for the first time to enter the sweat lodge. While Harry
talked about Indian ways, about sobriety, Manny began to feel good and
at peace. But then it got hotter and hotter; that first time Manny ran
out of the lodge. Harry called him crazy. Beaver came to help him back
to his place.

But Manny came back to the Lodge and he stayed...

Both Harry Jack and Manny were stubborn men and they had many "run-ins"
over the next decades. However, slowly the love and respect were what
held them together until Harry Jack, when he had a stroke, chose Manny
as his "nephew" to pour the water for him...

Manny
and I are in the same situation now. We are now "the elders" of our
respective families. One of the main issues that you cannot fail to miss
in Manny's book, is the need to consider and reconsider the treatment
of our older family members. As Lillian Vallee states, "his book is a
plea for the reintegration of elders into the fabric of our culture."
Now, Manny is the elder and he is called upon to give the prayers, to
pour the water, to pray over a new-born... He does this while working as
a laborer and living with others as possible...

                I believe The Elder must be placed on the shelves of many. The Pain of Forgiving is also in manuscript ready for publishing.

The Bridge is Gone was Manny's first book and is available at Back40 Publishing.Com

Order The Elder at:

MonolinMannyMoreno.Yolasite.Com

You can use Paypal

Book reviewer/ The Bridge Is Gone

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Review: The Bridge is Gone! A Common Man's Must Read!

Image by Smithsonian Institution via Flickr

The Bridge is Gone:
Poems by Monolin


By Monolin "Manny" Moreno







Perhaps it was because we are around the same age and have many years to look back on that I so much became involved and appreciated the poetry in The Bridge is Gone by Manny Moreno. Actually, he set me up right from the first page by adding a beautiful image, "Time." In fact, each image throughout the book took more time to study, than to read his words--they are that compelling.

Each of the five drawings, especially the one on the back cover, are worth the price of the book! Each is intricately created, with a basic collage of Indian faces, but then, somehow, nature, God, people, and love radiate from the overall effect and we, who are privileged to see them, are filled with wonder as we stop to study the symmetry, the detail, and imagination flowing from each...

As with his other book, soon to be published, Manny also includes photos from his life and his surroundings, which provides readers with a cultural "inside" that would not easily be found.

Now I must tell you about his poetry! Readers of my reviews have always wanted a sample, so I will include the last one in his book, which, in essence, seems to represent the man I am coming to know:

Common Man

There's a lot of things

I don't understand

I'm just a common man

ask me how the world was created

I'll direct you to the sky

ask me about politics

I'll say lie   cheat   genocide

Imperialistic pride

ask me about religion

I'll say man's plan

ask me about spirituality

I'll say Creator's plan

ask me about anything

I'll say who wants to know?

There's a lot of things

I don't understand

I'm just a common man.

And it is within this poem that we find the essence of this poet--he is a commoner, just like most of us, and his words easily become those that we might think or say, if only we had the gift to poetically share our thoughts. Manny takes us back to our childhood and points out so much of that time has disappeared, with what it is called progress and perhaps it is progress, but it also means that part of our memories no longer exist, except in our minds.

Manny talks of lost love, that keeps him awake, "can't sleep, for a hurt that hurts like hell..."(p. 21) and goes on to say, "I cannot love anybody if I cannot love me..." ((p. 91). But remembers well of his early life, "mom's cooking beckoning us into the house with love. (p. 65)

The most dramatic work must be "Sleepless Night in Stockton" which has 14 parts on 11 pages. Picture a single man, alone in the city, coming home to the quiet apartment, no noise, no people, only his words to help create an escape, trying to unwind, realizing how old he is, remembering his past, his family, yet  his "thoughts find themselves in travail and pow-wow in circles...A Yaqui/Tarascan maneuvering in this reservation of modern-I-zation, everyday a warrior." For he, like all of us, must hold on to what we are..

And then Manny Moreno sings, prays...and catches some z's...

An Introduction provides readers with a little of this poet's personal story, along with over 50 beautifully written poetic stories to complement his days. Now he is an Elder--he has his hand drum, a rattle, sage, sweetgrass and cedar for the fire and will continue to celebrate and pray for our world--where The Bridge is Gone! A Must-Read for we who are the common people of America...

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