We Are Not Gathered Here Alone

About the Book

Set in the Creek Nation before Oklahoma’s statehood, this novel, We Are Not Gathered Here Alone, is a tribute to those Indians of one hundred years ago after their infamous “Trail of Tears.” Historically accurate and populated with a myriad of people both the Indian and the white man, the book accounts for one branch of the famous and wealthy Perryman Family with their prosperous cattle empire. Their stories help compose the history of the present city of Tulsa. This story features Lula, the author’ s grandmother, who, at an early, became a widow of the full-blooded Creek. He represented his nation which, then, tried to maintain their own adherence of customs and culture which in time was quickly disappearing. Although the erosion of such traditions is obvious to all characters, it is more noticeable to the Indians themselves, especially in their dialog with the Dawes Commission and the United States Government. This more complex picture of interaction between these two separate cultures is far more fascinating than the “black and white” portrayals commonly found in the media today.

About the Author

In his younger years, DONOVAN HAMILTON was the recipient of many varied stories that compromise the historical background of his novel. Born and raised in the house that is still called the Perryman Ranch, he had presumed he was a Creek Indian but his parents and maternal grandmother, Lula, of his novel, were not. A veteran of World War II with time spent in the Philippine Islands, once the war ended, he was sent to Japan with the Army of Occupation. The author has been fortunate, studying the Fine Arts and traveling abroad, including a career in the airline industry and the teaching profession. He somehow managed to develop his artistic talent as an actor and director among community theatres. In the last twenty years, he has often honored the USMC with his one-man show. He has earned two degrees, B.F.A. University of Oklahoma and M.A. Oklahoma State University. Now retired, he enjoys creative writing and lives in Tulsa.