When the Sun Reaches the Mountain is Christine Cassano's incredible true story of struggle and perseverance. In this personal, speaking narrative, she portrays life in the 1940's and 50's on the Colville Indian Reservation in Washington State, opening a window into the lives of people overlooked by most. Christine describes her unique experiences of isolation and survival. Her story is inspiring and infuriating, touching and troubling.
Sitting there, I had a hard time swallowing my food. I kept my head down and a lump started to grow in my throat. For some reason I felt like I wanted to cry.
Reaching across the table, she patted my hand. "I'm sorry to upset you, but everything will be alright. I'm the County Nurse and it is my duty to make this visit. Remember the Mobile Unit that came to the store and all the school children came for x-rays?"
Nodding my head, I kept my eyes on the food on my plate. 'Oh oh, here it comes. She's going to tell me I have trouble in my upper right lung like the letter said.'
Easing into the reason why she was here, "Christine, have you been coughing a lot?"
Looking up at her, 'She knows! Oh God, something is wrong with me.'
Flashbacks of her childhood describe a way of life that is virtually unheard of in today's age. Growing up on the Reservation, she and her two brothers were blissfully unaware of the poverty in which they were raised.
With the camp built, it was time for Mama and Daddy to cut wood. Now, us kids were free to roam the countryside. Exploring Frosty Meadows took us all summer.
One thing that was new to us at the meadow was the cars that went by. It didn't happen often but it really drew our interest. When we heard a car coming, us kids would hide in the bushes or behind a tree and watch it go by.
The only thing we heard Mama and Daddy say when a car went by was, "They look like white people," or "They look like Indians." If there were more than two people in the car, they said, "Looks like a bunch of white people," or "A bunch of Indians." We didn't know what it meant. We never wondered who we were.
This compelling memoir describes force of will in the face of adversity and finds humor despite desperate circumstances. Discover a world that only a few people have experienced and most have not survived. Poverty, sickness, agony and abuse are met with love, courage, hope, and most of all... endurance. This powerful tale of the uncommon determination of a young girl longing for home draws to a startling conclusion.
