Bertrand N. O. Walker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
B. N. O. Walker
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Walker as Hen-Toh (1909)
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| Born |
Bertrand Nicholas Oliver Walker
1870 |
| Died | 1927 (aged 56–57) |
| Nationality | Wyandotte |
| Other names | Hen-toh |
| Occupation | Writer, Clerk |
Bertrand N. O. Walker (1870 – June 27, 1927) was an American Indian author. He wrote poems and traditional stories. He published his works using his Wyandotte name, Hen-Toh. He is best known for two books: Tales of the Bark Lodges (1919) and Yon-Doo-Shah-We-Ah (Nubbins) (1924).
About His Life
Bertrand N. O. Walker was part of the Big Turtle Clan of the Wyandotte Nation. He was born in Kansas City, Kansas, around 1870. He was the youngest of eight children in his family.
Walker was a descendant of William Walker. This William Walker was an important Wyandotte leader. He became the first temporary governor of the Nebraska Territory. This territory included what is now Kansas. Bertrand Walker was first given another Wyandotte name. Later, he chose the name "Hen-Toh," which means "he leads." This name was also used by his relative, Chief John W. Greyeyes.
In 1872, Walker's father, Isaiah Walker, moved their family. They moved from Kansas to a place called Indian Territory. This area is now Wyandotte, Oklahoma. The house his father built there is now a special historical site. Bertrand Walker went to a Friends’ Mission School nearby. This school was later renamed the Seneca Indian School.
From 1890 until he passed away in 1927, Walker worked for the government. He was part of the Indian Service. He started as a teacher. After 1901, he became a clerk. He worked in Kansas, Oklahoma, California, and Arizona. Between 1918 and 1923, he spent time writing. He also took care of his family's farm. In 1923, he began working for the Quapaw Indian Agency in Miami, Oklahoma. He stayed there until his death.
His Writings
Walker loved to read many different books. He also collected traditional stories from older Wyandotte people. One person he learned from was Catherine "Kitty" Greyeyes. She was the wife of Chief John W. Greyeyes. A Canadian expert named Charles Marius Barbeau thanked Walker for his help. Walker helped Barbeau with his book Huron and Wyandot Mythology (1915). Barbeau said Walker gave him valuable myths. He also helped him connect with other storytellers.
Using his name Hen-Toh, Walker published two books. Both were released by Harlow Publishing Company in Oklahoma City.
- Tales of the Bark Lodges (1919) was a collection of twelve stories.
- Yon-Doo-Shah-We-Ah (Nubbins) (1924) was a book of poems. These poems mostly described people and told stories.
He also wrote for other magazines and journals. These included the Indian School Journal and Chronicles of Oklahoma. Many of his stories and poems were written in a special way. He called it "the broken dialect." This was how "old time Indian" people spoke English. Experts have noted that Walker knew Wyandotte history and culture very well. He also understood the way they spoke English.
Even though he didn't publish many books, Walker's work is important. His writings have been included in many collections. One such collection is Robert Dale Parker's Changing is not Vanishing (2010). This book features American Indian poetry written before 1930. In 2022, a bookseller found many of Walker's unpublished writings. This collection included 30 poems and 20 stories. It more than doubled the amount of writings known by B. N. O. Walker. This important collection was sold to a research library.
In Popular Culture
- A famous photograph by George Bancroft Cornish shows Walker in 1909. It is called "Hen-Tah, Wyandot Chief." Cornish spelled Walker's name wrong ("Hen-Tah" instead of "Hen-Toh"). He also mistakenly called him a chief. Another picture by Cornish, likely from the same time, is in the front of Walker's book Yon-Doo-Shah-We-Ah.
- A portrait of Walker was painted by Acee Blue Eagle. This painting was part of a set of "Famous Oklahoma Indians" glassware. Knox Oil Company made these in 1959.
- One of B. N. O. Walker's stories was turned into a comic. It was called "A Prehistoric Race." Tom Pomplum wrote the script, and Tara Audibert drew the art.
