Cultural Reference

A drum that is made by filling a ceramic pot with water and then covering it with a buckskin. A pot drum is played by hitting the stretched hide with a looped drumstick made of branches. The pot drum is used during ceremonies, such as the the Navajo Enemyway.

Unless stated otherwise, Hillerman's use of "pollen" refers to yellow corn pollen (or tádídíín in Navajo), which is a sweet tasting, yellow-colored powder that is collected from the tassels of mature corn plants. Because corn, or maize, has traditionally been a life-giving staple of indigenous groups throughout the Americas, the pollen, which is necessary for corn's own survival via pollination, has attained a sacred, life-giving status of its own. Often kept in small leather pouches, corn pollen is used in ceremonies as a blessing and offered in prayer.

An ethnic slur directed at individuals of Polish descent, suggesting characteristics of ignorance and stupidity.

A brand of American car, first introduced by the Chrysler corporation in the 1920s as a low-cost sub-brand that would compete with Chevrolet and Ford, the two-most popular car makers that were dominating the market. Over the decades, Plymouth gained significant popularity, although never successfully matching its rivals.

A hand tool used to grab, pinch, pull, bend, cut,turn, twist, or hold objects depending on formation of their pincers, also known as their nose.

This regional classification is used to describe the variety of distinct Native American tribes who traditionally called the Great Plains and prairie regions of North America home. Although each tribe has its own specific culture and traditions, some common characteristics have been used to refer to them as a large group, including the dependence on bison for clothing, food, and other articles necessary for their level of basic subsistence and the nomadic lifestyle that came with following the bison herds. Because of this, many bands and tribes had to carry and build portable shelters like the tepee, although this housing was not used by all tribes.

Some of the tribes included in this classification are the Ojibwe (Anishinaabe), Cheyenne, Blackfoot, Cree, Crow, and Kiowa.

A buttoned shirt, usually made of flannel or soft, twilled wool, with a chechered or tartan pattern.

The term Piper refers to a small, general aviation aircraft, usually used for private flights. The Piper Aircraft Corporation was established in 1937 by William T. Piper. Since the company's inception, it has designed and manufactured over 144,000 planes in 160 models.

A high wing Piper has its wings coming off the roof of the aircraft, above the sight line of the pilot, and a low-wing piper has them coming out of the bottom of the aircraft with the tips visible to the pilot.

A smoking implement with a hollow bowl attached to a long hollow stem. Tobacco is placed in the bowl, and once lit, the smoker inhales on the stem.

A way of referring to the exchange of an illicit substance for money, usually as part of a prearranged plan. Either the money, the illicit substance, or both are left at a prearranged location and then picked up by a courier or runner.

Pickup can also refer to the act of transferring human cargo, as in an arranged pickup of a prisoner for transfer from one detention center to another.