American history books often portray the Spanish missions of California as havens of civil coexistence between the Spanish conquistadors, the Catholic priests, and the native Indians who had long inhabited the area. In reality, the "civilized" Christian life that was forced upon the natives was steeped in cruelty and violence.
Debra Barton's The Cry of the Lone Coyote is an unflinching portrayal of the devastating effects that the Catholic mission life and the colonization of California had on Native Americans during the nineteenth century. As told through three generations of an Indian family, this story tells of a native people enslaved in forced labor and prostitution and subjected to rape, starvation, and mob killings.
The story of Cheveyo and Domona, their daughter, and their grandson during the establishment of the mission at San Jose and the lawless greed of the gold rush is a chilling reminder of America's violent past. Like The Trail of Tears-the tale of the decimation of the Cherokee people-The Cry of the Lone Coyote is crucial reading for understanding Native American history.