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Mary Ruth Hughes currently resides in southern California near her three sons. Her only daughter lives in Oklahoma.
Growing up in the capitol of the Chickasaw Nation, I spent a lot of time with my maternal grandmother, Zuma. She told me stories about living in Indian Territory before statehood along with the beliefs and customs of the Chickasaws.
"When you grow up, you need to write a story about TISHOMINGO," she told me. At the time, I had no idea I would become a writer. It was the farthest thing on my mind. I was too busy playing dolls.
But the seed was planted and later sparked, when my mother revealed a family secret. While in high school, my mother wanted to date a full blood Chickasaw boy. My grandmother wouldn’t allow it. My mother never understood why until many years later when Zuma confessed: She had been engaged to the boy’s father many years before. Zuma gave my mother a handcrafted copper ring that her fiancé had made for her, and, in turn, my mother gave it to me. This family secret was the inspiration for my book, TISHOMINGO.
The late 1890s was a turbulent time in Indian Territory — especially for star-crossed lovers Osi, a full-blooded Chickasaw, and Koi, a beautiful young maiden of mixed-blood. When Neville Cooper, a white attorney from Chicago, came to town, their romance was put to the test. His arrival was like a stone dropped into the quiet waters of Pennington Creek, rippling outward to change the course of history for the entire village.
During this time, many unsavory characters came to the Territory to scheme and steal Indian lands, and Cooper was one of the worst. Contracted by the federal government to assign the Indians of the Five Civilized Tribes a roll number, he also illegally assigned many unqualified recipients role numbers for his own personal gain. His nefarious actions affected everyone in ways none could have anticipated. The joys and hardships endured by the Chickasaws come through this Native American story loud and clear in a story of love, heartache, separation, promises, family obligations and cultural identity.
In 1978, I took a writing class with Louis L’Amour in Los Angeles. He explained that when writing a historical novel one must make sure the history is correct otherwise historians will gladly point out your mistakes. With this in mind, I researched both Chickasaw and Oklahoma history to make sure my novel was on target. The story was reviewed by the Chickasaw Governor, Bill Anoatubby and Oklahoma Historian, Bob Burke. Each gave their approval with wonderful kudos. These blessings — along with the book being accepted into the Smithsonian Natural History Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. have been the highlights of my writing career.
I loved writing Tishomingo. I hope you will enjoy reading it, as well.
Signing at the Chickasaw Festival, Tishomingo, Oklahoma
Mary Ruth's first children's book, Willow Flower's Gift, is a story of how a Native American woman’s unselfish gift preserved her tribe’s unique beading method. She and DiAne H. Gillespie, Artist/Illustrator, collaborated to create this lovely Native American tale. They continue their collaboration with the Halloween Haunts series of children's books.
Storytelling at the Autry Museum, Burbank, CA
Tishomingo: The Following Years, is in the pre-production stage.
MRH at the First Americans in the Arts Awards Beverly Hillton Hotel, Beverly Hills, CA
The "Willow Flower" is a carved branch of wood, usually taken from a willow tree, crafted in the image of a blooming flower. Typically, willow flowers were carved by Chickasaw men as gifts for loved ones. Mary Ruth has chosen the symbol of crossed willow flowers as a icon to define her works.