People of Darkness (1980)

A continuous elevation of land that extends in a line between higher mountain peaks. Sometimes ridges descend from a higher peak toward lower elevations, giving a mountain a vertically-grooved appearance. Occasionally, ridges occur as singular components of the landscapes.

Resin is a liquid hydrocarbon secreted by some plants as a form of protection. If the plant is damaged, resin seeps from the wound, hardening as it dries into a protective layer. Natural resin can be harvested sustainably from trees, after which it is rendered into a variety of substances such as varnishes, glues, perfumes, and incense.

Dried resin, known as rosin, in a powdered form is used to increase friction between surfaces, such as between a bow and the strings of an instrument, or the hands of gymnasts and rockclimbers and the surfaces with which they engage. Rosin, which is also known as colophony, is a man-made substance that is produced by distilling the liquid resin until it condenses and solidifies. The final product can range in color; it is usually yellow or orange, but can be almost white or, alternately, close to black. While rosin is solid at room temperature, it melts easily and is used as an ingredient in a variety of products such as soaps, varnishes, adhesives, and sealing materials.

In Tony Hillerman's 1980 Navajo detective novel PEOPLE OF DARKNESS, rosin is mentioned in a natural setting, and probably refers to hardened resin rather than the chemically-produced substance.

The colloquial name for wool hats that started showing up in Indian Country around the time of the Civil War. The hats, in different colors, were modified by U.S. Army campaign forces by altering the brims, the crowns, and their accessories. The rez version remains relatively unadulterated, as in the brim remains flat and the crown free of "dimples," other than local variations on the hat band, which could be beaded, of tooled leather, and even strands of silver conchos.

A city located in the northwestern part of the state of Nevada, very near the border with California, just east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Reno was established as a gold and silver mining community in the late 1800s and grew gradually until the 1930s, when Nevada legalized gambling. Reno became known for its many casinos, which offered a popular destination for tourists and gamblers from neighboring states.

In traditional Native American cultures, "religion" is an alien concept. Rather than religion, these traditional societies acknowledge, respect, and participate in what can be understood as a reciprocal relationship between the individual and other individuals, the community, nature and natural phenomenon, and sacred beings. This reciprocity has attained the level of ceremony and spiritual tradition over centuries of observance. It has also been augmented, and sometimes replaced, by the imposition of Christianity, especially, although not exclusively, Catholicism.

When Tony Hillerman writes "Zuni religion," for example, he is referring to the traditional Zuni way, one that predates Christianity or European influence.

An old slang term that refers, usually in a disparaging way, to a Native American person. The term "Red Skins" originated in letters and reports of white European settlers in North America in the early 1700s, and it is not clear if it was based on the skin color of Native Americans, or on red pigments used by some tribes to paint their faces and bodies. Over time, as tensions and conflicts between Europeans and Native peoples intensified, the word took hold as derogatory, racist slang indicating primitivism and savagery, and was used freely in a variety of contexts, including many popular films made in the 1940s and 1950s. In the late 1960s, the Civil Rights Movement and the American Indian Movement provided the social and cultural background for a widespread protest of the use of racist slang, and public expressions containing the term declined and nearly disappeared.

Although these days the word "redskin" is generally no longer in use, controversy still surrounds it. A major focus for the controversy involves the Washington, D.C. National Football League team the Washington Redskins, whose mascot is the image of a Native American warrior dressed in traditional Plains Indian regalia. Despite much criticism, the team still holds on to its name and trademark, and protests from various civil rights and academic organizations have not as of yet convinced the team to change its name. While many critics and commentators take offense at the use of the term, others believe it is a benign expression that does not mean or cause harm.

In his mystery novel People of Darkness (1980), Tony Hillerman refers to the Red Deuce Mine as the location of a fatal explosion that killed many local workers. There is no indication that such a place existed. Hillerman may have invented the name to avoid direct reference to specific uranium production companies that had been operating in the area since the 1950s. Red Deuce might be the fictional version of the Red Bluff mine, a real location near Grants, New Mexico.

A large armchair that can be tilted back for greater comfort. Recliners often also have a built-in adjustable footrest.

A real estate agent who manages buying, selling, and leasing private and/or commercial property.

A term in microbiology referring to substances used in a chemical reaction to detect, measure, examine, or produce other substances.