Wise Man: The Colonization of South Carolina Through the Eyes of a Beloved Old Father

In 1775, Irish trader James Adair published his History of the American Indians, giving an account of the 40 years he had spent living among various Native American nations "adjoining to the Mississippi, East and West Florida, Georgia, South and North Carolina, and Virginia". Within this work, Adair makes mention of a "great divine" Cherokee man who had in his possession a mysterious stone talisman reputed to be of supernatural origin. In Wise Man, a portrayal of this Beloved Old Father is offered as he reflects upon his life experiences from the late 17th century up to just before the American Revolutionary War. Early contact with white traders and settlers, the Yamasee War, the French and Indian War, and the Anglo-Cherokee War, among other significant historical events are described as witnessed in a first-person narrative. A perspective is given on events that culminated in America's Declaration of Independence beginning over 100 years before the tragic incident known as the Trail of Tears. Faced with the often brutal effects of colonial imperialism, the protagonist finds solace through the strength of his spiritual convictions and his extraordinary knowledge of a world beyond conventional experience. Wise Man combines historical facts with an insightful look into America's indigenous culture and examines some of the issues of differing ideologies that continue to challenge human interaction.