All the Little People

     Legends about "Little People" can be found among cultures from around the world. In Europe, there are goblins,  gnomes,  and leprechauns, for example.  In Africa, there are the Kondorong and Kolparsi, among others. In Asia, there are stories of the Kenmun and the Bongas. Stories are also told throughout Oceania of little people, like the Menehune in Hawaii who are said to build stone structures at night. It seems that little people are a common trope, and Native Americans throughout the Americas also have their own little people stories. 

    Across every culture that tells little people stories, there are a lot of similarities amongst the little people. Of course, they're small, ranging from a few inches to 2-3 feet in height. They're often hairy and wear primitive or traditional clothing, if any. They are most active at night and/or in the deepest, most impenetrable, inaccessible forests, deserts, or mountains. More often than not, they are mischievous, stealing things and playing jokes on humans, but, usually, they are very helpful and caring, especially when it comes to children. Stories are told of little people appearing to a lost human and leading him to safety, or even coming to the aid of abused children. They are often depicted as protectors of children, animals, or forests.

    I've recently read two books that deal with Native American little people.  The first, Midnight Son, is not really a book. It's an Audible Original, but it feels like it may have been a podcast first. It's the true story of an Alaskan native named Teddy Kyle Smith, who was starting a career as an actor in independent films in 2012, when things seemed to fall apart for him. When his mother died, he seemed to snap. He went into Alaskan wilderness to hide out, and he shot and wounded a couple of hunters who unknowingly found his hiding place. A massive manhunt ensued, and he was captured. When he was captured, he immediately told stories of encounters with the little people of Native Alaskan legend, the Inukuns.  I won't say anymore, but I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this. It was short, and it was extremely well-told by the writer, James Dommek Jr, an Alaskan Native himself, who knows the area and people who knew Smith. 

    The second book is The Firekeeper's Daughter, by Angeline Boulley, published this year.  I would never expect to have read this book in a million years. It is wildly outside of my normal reading habits, but my wife heard about it and suggested it as a book for us to listen to in the car. Why is it such an atypical book for me? It's a Young Adult book and a Reese Witherspoon Book Club selection. Boulley is an Ojibwe woman, and the book's heroine is a young Ojibwe woman in 2004 who sees her life and her people going through a major crisis. It seems like Boulley had a checklist for what makes a great YA novel; it's got everything, strong, smart female lead character, drugs, alcohol, sex, love, incompetent and malicious adults, that rare super strong and supportive adult, sports, teen angst and insecurity, etc. Honestly, it took a while for me to get into; it just seemed to YA for me. However, I eventually got into the story, but what I really loved was the details of Ojibwe culture and reservation life that Boulley built into the story.  She even includes a strong little people thread. I would rate it 3 of 5 stars barely. I ended up enjoying it, but it's not my cup of tea. I enjoyed the cultural elements more than the actual story, but I can definitely see why it's so popular, and I know several readers who would enjoy it. I would definitely recommend it for older teens.