Quindecim

Issue date: 11/12/08 Section: A & E

I became caught up in the tale of a violin player, Shamengwa, who had his instrument stolen by a troubled youth, Corwin Peace. As Shamengwa tells his story, it unfolds into his family life where the reader learns Shamengwa picked up his father's violin after years of silence caused by the death of Shamengwa's sibling. Even with a broken arm, Shamengwa continued to play with the crippled arm in a sling.

Shamengwa is a character in Louise Erdrich's new novel, The Plague of Doves, which she read an excerpt from on October 28 in the Kraushaar Auditorium.

Erdrich, who is of Native American descent, uses elements of Native American tribal and spiritual practices in her writing, such as the spirit quest. Native Americans go on spirit quests to receive a power Great Spirit who will protect them. The quests are often induce mystic moments and revelations, as well as healing.

When Shamengwa lost his first violin, he went on a spirit quest to a lake. He sat there for many nights, and another violin in an empty canoe washed up onshore.

Later in the novel, Shamengwa's violin is found with Corwin Peace and Corwin becomes Shamengwa's apprentice to avoid jail time, which is a common practice among Native Americans.

After a couple of years pass, Corwin becomes a talented musician under Shamengwa's tutelage. When Shamengwa dies, Corwin smashes his violin to bits at his funeral. The broken note reveals a secret about relationships in the novel.

As Erdrich finished reading, I sat in awe at how all these circles and paths interwove themselves in her work. She captured history, life on a reservation, and a human story about one man's love for music. I got up and instantly bought The Plague of Doves.

As I waited in line for Erdrich to sign my copy, her advice to me regarding writing echoed in my mind.

"Keep the door open. Sometimes I don't think I wrote what I did, but something came through me and spoke."

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