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Michael Vickers,
left, shows off his new book, “Phantom Ship,” with Damola Ifaturoti,
editorial
coordinator for Africa World Press, the book’s publisher. Bob Robinson
Photo.
“Phantom Ship”
a Native American history thriller
By Bob Robinson
WASHINGTON TWP – “A profoundly powerful work,” wrote Disawin Ballard,
East of the River Shawnee, Greenville.
Ballard’s comments were used to promote “Phantom Ship,” a novel by
Michael Vickers. Vickers, a historian and poet, has written several
pieces of work, including “Phantom Trail,” “Odes of Forest and Town,”
and recently, “A Nation Betrayed.” This is his first novel.
The Canadian-born author lives and works in England, but recently
visited the home of Susan Gray, a local historian, to announce the
publication of his novel.
“The idea started in 1997… about the culture of a people and a nation,”
said Vickers, but he acknowledged he didn’t know how he was going to
write it. “I didn’t want to write a history book. Those end up sitting
on a shelf.”
So he developed a character. He created Renee Lorimer, a Seneca
(Iroquois) woman who became involved in a Native American movement to
demand the return of sacred land throughout North America. The pursuit
is lengthy and increasingly dangerous.
“There is a price to be paid,” according to the synopsis on the book.
“I wrote this for the American young people,” Vickers said, “but the
only people who wanted to touch it were in Nigeria and Europe.” He
added that even the University of Oklahoma, which is usually
responsive, turned it down.
“Phantom Ship” is published by the Africa World Press. Damola
Ifaturoti, editorial coordinator for the company, joined Vickers at the
Gray home for the unveiling of the novel.
“Everything I learned about political manipulation I learned from
Nigerians,” Vickers added. “I translated that into the American
version… dirty tricks used to shut down the efforts of this movement.”
Vickers hopes the novel will achieve its intention. “It is a
contemporary look at today’s issues.” He talked of the heroine… Native
American, female… “She has two strikes against her but she pushes on.”
Vickers then changed direction with an observation and a question.
“Americans have done some amazing things.” His example was flight. “The
Wright Brothers were powering the first plane with pedals. Now we have
jets flying at 38,000 feet in the air.
“All of this in less than a century!”
He said that uniquely American is the idea that if someone concentrates
and works hard… “It happens!”
“If I have the capacity to do that, I lose the capacity to understand
and be aware of the spirit inside of me.”
He noted that much of our concept of law and justice comes from the
Native American; adding the same could be said of chocolate, pineapple
and many of the other everyday things Americans take for granted.
“What happens when something goes up rapidly?” he asked. “It has to
come back down. Things that go up fast are things that come down fast.”
Does this necessarily mean that Western culture is collapsing? He
thought not, but noted the Native American approach is fundamentally
different from the approach of those coming to the New World.
“They saw we were starving. They said they would help us, and they did.
Then we had the audacity to take away what was theirs.”
Vickers said the state needs to look carefully at these issues.
“Adjustments need to be made,” he said. “We live in an age of instant
communication, and the state is not in a good position to deal with
that.”
There are 247 sites; small but sacred. “Phantom Ship” tells the story,
the effort to return them to the Native Americans.
“It has a sad ending,” Vickers added, noting “nothing that is helpful
and useful is achieved without cost.”
Gray said the book is available now by calling her at (937) 548-1074.
Gray, half Shawnee, is a member of East of the River Shawnee, an
incorporated entity in the state of Ohio. Vickers’ visit coincided with
the annual Shawnee Green Corn ceremony.
“It’s like going to church,” Gray said. “We praise the creator,
thanking Him for all good things. And we don’t have sacrifices!”
Published courtesy
of The Early Bird
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