SE Valley Times

Author Tommy Orange, known for his acclaimed 2018 novel "There There," spoke at Arizona State University, sharing insights into his latest work, "Wandering Stars." The event took place during the RaceB4Race conference series organized by the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies.

Initially, Orange did not plan to write a historical fiction sequel. However, after visiting a museum in Sweden in 2019 and discovering artifacts related to his Southern Cheyenne tribe, he became intrigued by their history. This visit sparked an interest that led him to research the experiences of Native Americans post-Sand Creek Massacre in 1864.

Orange explained that many Southern Cheyenne were taken as prisoners to Fort Marion in Florida, where they were subjected to forced assimilation under Army officer Richard Henry Pratt. This historical context formed the backbone of "Wandering Stars," which also follows the descendants of characters from "There There."

The title "Wandering Stars" was inspired by a song Orange heard while signing books and later found symbolic connections through his research. He discovered that Fort Marion was star-shaped and included prisoners with names like Star and Bear Shield—characters linked to his previous work.

During his talk, Orange read from "Wandering Stars," illustrating themes of cultural loss and resilience among Native Americans. Despite feeling powerless amid political chaos, he emphasized the importance of storytelling as a tool for change.

Orange is currently working on unrelated projects, including a screenplay and a third novel. He expressed hope in art's ability to drive social change: “I believe in the power of art and how it can effect change.”