The Pueblo Chieftain ‘Brother Eagle; a Chimney Rock Experience’

Local author and poet Edith McDowell Edson has penned a new book, “Brother Eagle; a Chimney Rock Experience,” focusing on the life of an Indigenous boy impacted by a rare lunar phenomenon.

The book tells the story of Little Sparrow, an Indigenous Pueblo boy who makes a pilgrimage from present day Chaco Canyon in New Mexico to Chimney Rock in Colorado. The book details preparations for a lunar standstill celebration at Chimney Rock and Little Sparrow’s response when the moon rises between the twin towers.

“Ancestral Puebloans in the 11th century not only knew of the lunar standstill that happens every eighteen and a half years, but they also were able to predict it. That information fascinated me, so I wove it into a historical fiction novel featuring Little Sparrow, his girl cousin Dawn and the Chaco community,” Edson said.

“The book is suitable for fourth grade to adult readers, especially those who are interested in adventure, astronomy and other cultures,” she said.

Edson said she has been interested in Indigenous Native American life and culture since she was in third grade.  Originally from Denver, she moved to Pueblo as an adult to teach sixth grade.

She went on to teach math at Pueblo Community College. After marriage, she and her husband Jim traveled throughout the Southwest.

During their travels, they learned about native plants and animals. They have studied archaeological sites in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah.

“Much of the information in the book came from an archeoastronomy workshop we took at Adams State University,” she said.

Edson also is a prize-winning poet. Brother Eagle includes a few of her poems about the Four Corners area.

The book is available at amazon.com.

The Pueblo Chieftain | Tracy Harmon | tharmon@chieftain.com | Published June 25, 2020