Solar Storms

First published in 1995, Solar Storms, a novel by Linda Hogan, tells the story of 17-year-old Angel Iron’s coming-of-age as a Native American woman in the early 1970s. During this time, the Native American way of life is increasingly coming under threat. Angel’s narrative is continually interspersed with those of her grandmothers, as a means of giving a fuller rendition of the Native American female experience during the 20th century.

The dominant narrative begins when 17-year-old Angel determines to relinquish her experience of being a “rootless teenager” who moves from one foster home to another, in favor of staying with her relatives at Adam’s Rib, in the north country (25). Her first home there is with her great grandmother, Agnes, and her great-great grandmother, Dora-Rouge. Though Angel left them a long time ago, as a baby, they have been expecting her. Angel eventually stays with Bush, the quiet woman who rescued her from the clutches of her mother, Hannah. Possessed by hostile spirits, Hannah bit at her daughter’s face, leaving Angel’s face half-scarred. Angel settles into the natural and ritual-dominated life of her native ancestors, with its dream prophecies and herbal sleeping remedies. Angel gains the gift of seeing inside water and develops a sustained attraction to a local boy, Tommy. 

When spring arrives, Angel, Bush, Agnes and Dora-Rouge get into a canoe and embark on a pilgrimage to the land of their ancestors, the Fat-Eaters. There, Angel will meet her mother and hopefully find some kind of truce with her. The women will also be able to protest the expansion of the reservoirs, which threaten the Native American way of life. Agnes dies before they reach their destination. 

When they arrive in the land of the Fat-Eaters, they stay in the house of Tulik, a local man. Angel meets her mother, who is cold, hateful and possessed by spirits, even on her death bed. Hannah has also left behind a baby girl, whom Angela calls Aurora and brings up in Tulik’s household. 

As the government’s plans for building reservoirs and dams in the land of the Fat-Eaters is put into action, Native Americans, including those in Tulik’s household, protest the redirecting of the river, the disturbance of animal life and the Caucasian government’s arrogant demand that the Native people change how they have been living for centuries so that they themselves can profit from the land. The protests turn violent, with measures such as blockades of roads and railways on the Natives’ parts being met with police using guns. There is also division amongst the Native Americans themselves, in regard to whether or not their tactics should be violent or peaceful. Meanwhile, as the white authorities’ plans are put into action, flooding occurs on an enormous scale and many types of wildlife are extinguished. Also, Tulik’s house is burned down, leaving the family in temporary accommodations.

Eventually, Bush, Angel and Aurora leave to return back to Adam’s Rib. As a result of the man-made interventions, Fur Island is largely underwater and Angel and Bush have to do what they can to salvage the damage. Angel reunites with Tommy and they marry. Although she is deeply hurt at the damage inflicted on nature and the Native American way of life, she remains optimistic that the state of humanity is intricately connected with nature and that one day nature and humanity will enjoy a more harmonious relationship.