How a Mountain Was Made, by Greg Sarris

Greg Sarris is the Chairman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, and a professor of Writing and Native American Studies at Sonoma State University, so the loveliness of this deeply connected collection of short stories inspired by Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo myths is no surprise. Guiding us on the journey are twin sisters, Question Woman and Answer Woman. The former can never remember the reason for anything and must always ask questions about everything, while the latter only knows the answers to things once their question has been posed. Question Woman is voraciously curious, wanting to know why things are the way they are. Her sister patiently takes her (and us) through many origin stories, explaining why certain animals or plants look they way they do now, how ubiquitous objects like the sun and wind and rocks came to be. We often encounter the same characters - Chief Coyote, for example - and these personages come to seem like old friends by the end of the book. Rhythm and repetition are inherent in Native American stories, so while it might take a few stories to ease into it, soon they are like tales told by a campfire, beautiful and enthralling, best enjoyed whilst deep in Nature oneself.

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