White Wolf and the Ash Princess: A Visit to the Land of the Ojibwe with Tammy Lash

Author Tammy Lash has written a historical fiction novel about an English girl who travels to live among the Ojibwe tribe in the 17th Century. Take a look at this beautiful story! (And don't you just love the cover picture?!)

Author’s name: 

Tammy Lash

Title of book and/or series:

White Wolf and the Ash Princess

Brief summary of the story:

Eighteen-year old Izzy's limited world begins to feel cramped after she completes her self-appointed book dare. After reading two hundred and fifty books, a thought that had been once tucked away as tightly as the books on her library shelves becomes too irresistible to ignore..."Who am I?"

Memory loss prohibits Izzy from remembering her life before age seven when she was injured in a fire. Jonathan Gudwyne and his head housekeeper rescued her and took Izzy in as their own, but who did she belong to before they took her in?

Crippling panic keeps Izzy from wandering beyond the stables, but Tubs, the Gudwyne's young stable boy, encourages Izzy to go beyond the property's rock wall to a world that promises possible answers, but also great danger. A scorched castle in the woods and a mysterious cellar filled with secrets sets Izzy on a path to the New World, where she will not only have to face her own terror but face the people responsible for her scars.

It is here, in the untamed wilds of the seventeenth century, that she finds love and a home in the most unexpected of places.

Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:

White Wolf and the Ash Princess is divided into two parts: Seventeenth century England and Early America. The final destination of Izzy’s journey is the Upper Peninsula of Michigan or the Land of the Ojibwe.

If we were to visit the Land of Ojibwe as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?

In summer, a must-see spot is the Black Cliffs. Natives will jump off the high rocks into the icy waters of Lake Gitchi-gami to cool off and get relief from biting black flies. Rumors are the Water Panther resides there. Native children are eager to spot one, but only from the top of the cliffs. It is said they can swallow a man whole without chewing once!

Kitch-iti-kipi is a favorite spot in winter. Springs bubble up into this river and it remains a constant 40 degrees all year round. It is said the waters here have healing properties. Natives from all over the region will travel here to find a cure when the forest medicines fail to help them.

What dangers should we avoid in the Land of the Ojibwe?

Many creatures are said to roam the forest. The scariest is the Wendigo who roams the woods in winter. This creature was once a man who feasts on his fellow villagers if they wander to far from their fires at night. Stone Coat, the creature with skin as tough as stone, is another to watch for when wandering forests alone. Many lakes and rivers are also home to the Water Panther.

Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in the Land of the Ojibwe?

The Ojibwe hunt for their food and they waste nothing. Nearly every part of the animal is used. Intestines are delicious when they are stuffed with berries, and stomachs are made into tiny pouches to store fat to add to low-fat meals.

What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in the Land of the Ojibwe?

Wrestling or hand-to-hand combat is preferred. Bows and tomahawks are their weapons of choice.

What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to in the Land of the Ojibwe?

Dog sleds are the common modes of transportation in the winter. Snow shoes made from willow branches are used for short distances.

What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in the Land of the Ojibwe that we don’t see elsewhere on Earth?

Birch trees, pines, and cedar swamps are most abundant here.

What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in the Land of the Ojibwe?  If there is magic, please give some examples of what it involves or how it’s used.

Medicine men are the men of magic in the Land of the Ojibwe, but in the tribe in the book White Wolf and the Ash Princess, Christianity is practiced and medicine men are used for healing purposes only.

Is there any advanced or unusual technology in the Land of the Ojibwe?  If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.

Jonathan Gudwyne has introduced new weapons to the Ojibwe. These are different from the muzzleloaders that they have traded the Dutch for. These are weapons that can shoot multiple times and some expel sharp objects in place of bullets. Easy to operate gears and switches make these popular over bows and muzzleloaders and their smaller size makes traveling with weapons easier.

Tell us about any sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in the Land of the Ojibwe.

Hunting and fishing are not only important for survival, it is also an enjoyable activity. The Moccasin Game is a favorite game that the men play: one will hide an item under one moccasin of three, a second will pound on the drum for distraction, and the third makes the guess.

Are the days of the week and months of the year the same in the Land of the Ojibwe as elsewhere on Earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?

The sun plays an important role in time, though many have watches traded for by the French and Dutch. The seasons work with the sun to tell the villagers what month it is. The Ojibwe have many celebrations. They love to celebrate milestones. One of the first milestones a native often celebrates is when they are given their native name. A native can have up to ten names. Another is the Moccasin Ceremony where a child is gifted his/her first pair of moccasins. Mother Earth is sacred and the feet that touch her must do so with reverence and honor.

Is there a particular religion practiced in the Land of the Ojibwe?  Please describe what it involves.

Christianity is practiced in the tribe in White Wolf and the Ash Princess, but in Letters from the Dragon’s Son, we will see a resistance to this religion and the ways of the white men that are coming at an incredible speed.

What is the political or government structure in the Land of the Ojibwe?  Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?

Odedeyan is the current leader of the Ojibwe tribe in White Wolf and the Ash Princess. His son, Mikonan, is next in line, though Jonathan (a white man) was considered and allowed in the voting by the elders. Odedeyan is a visionary and he sees an alliance with the coming white man as something to strive for. Peace between the two cultures is what he longs for and desires to see.

Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?

My family and I travel to the upper peninsula of Michigan to vacation every year and are hoping to someday make Izzy’s home in White Wolf and the Ash Princess our forever home. Hiking in the forests, kayaking the lakes, and roaming the beaches of Lake Superior thinking of the First People who roamed them before we did, sparked an interest in their culture. Through White Wolf and the Ash Princess and Letters from the Dragon’s Son I hope others curiosity will also be stirred. It’s my goal to not only share my story through these books but to also showcase a culture that isn’t dead but is a living and is thriving in places all across North America.

What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?

White Wolf and the Ash Princess is a story based on the slave trade and the ill treatment of Native Americans: the torture, murders, and enslavement of the First People. They are strong themes but done so in a manner that, I hope, does not offend or bring further pain to any of the Aboriginal Nations or brothers and sisters of abuse who have been hurt and offended by the hands of another. The topic of slavery was chosen to be part of White Wolf to tell my own story of abuse.

Author Autobiography:

Tammy lives in Lower Michigan with her husband and her three children. Izzy's home in Michigan's Upper Peninsula (Munising) is where she and her family enjoy exploring. Tammy enjoys hiking, kayaking, beach wandering, "hunting" for birch bark and hopes to someday find a porcupine quill. White Wolf and the Ash Princess is her first novel. She is published in Keys for Kids and has been in children's ministry for over twenty years.

Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book?

Signed copies of White Wolf and the Ash Princess can be purchased through me by contacting me through email (tlashauthor@gmail.com) or you can purchase an eBook or paperback on Amazon by visiting https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073D93YZ6.

Where can readers connect with you online?

I would love to hear from you! You can find me on the following sites:

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