In the Urban Fantasy novel Trail of Lightning, Rebecca Roanhorse draws on Navajo lore to create a post-apocalyptic urban fantasy. What I found most fascinating is the monster she calls tsé naayée.
Golems
Golems are the most similar monster to the tsé naayée, which literally translates to “rock dinosaur” (“Tsé”; “Naayée”). According to Hebrew folklore, “golems started as lumps of clay that were formed into figures brought to life by means of a charm or a combination of letters forming a sacred word” (“Golem”). Not only are the tsé naayée made of earthen materials (e.g., rock), they are created through Navajo witchcraft.
Physical Appearance
Golems are typically portrayed as monsters who stand upright and have a rock-like exterior and incredibly long arms. (For the Pokemon fans out there, think of Graveler.) Similarly, the tsé naayée are “big, broad-shouldered and thick,” and have “arms that…drag on the ground.” Roanhorse puts her own spin on the traditional golem by describing them as having “knotting lumps like oversize tumors protruding from [their] back, shoulders, and thighs,” “skin so translucent it almost glows,” and “a mouth full of molars.”
Role and Motivation
The tsé naayée are your typical “brainless” monsters who seek to kill and maim. They have two main functions in the story. First, the main character, Maggie, interacts with them near the beginning of the book to show off her abilities as a monster hunter. Second, the tsé naayée are a clue in Maggie’s search for their creator.
Now what?
If you haven’t signed up for the monthly newsletter, sign up now! The next one will contain a writing exercise based on Rebecca Roanhorse’s monster.
Sources
- “Golem.” Merriam-Webster Dictionary. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/golem
- “Naayée.” Glosbe Dictionary. https://glosbe.com/nv/en/naay%C3%A9e
- Roanhorse, Rebecca. Trail of Lightning. Saga Press, 2018. https://bookshop.org/a/84371/9781534413504
- “Tsé.” Glosbe dictionary. https://glosbe.com/nv/en/ts%C3%A9
