Tim Tingle
Tim Tingle is an award-winning author, sought-after storyteller, and an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. His great-great grandfather, John Carnes, walked the Trail of Tears in 1835, and passed-down memories of this family epic fueled his early interest in writing and storytelling.
Tingle now performs his lively Rabbit trickster tales and compelling historical stories for students from kindergarten to college, at campuses throughout the United States and Canada. From 2002 to the present, he has performed a traditional Choctaw story before Chief Gregory Pyle's Annual State of the Nation Address at the tribal gathering in Tushkahoma, Oklahoma, a Choctaw reunion that attracts over thirty thousand people. Tingle has also completed eleven speaking and storytelling tours for the U.S. Department of Defense, performing for children of military personnel in Germany.
Tim has performed as a featured storyteller in festivals covering a 35-state area, including the National Storytelling Festival. In June of 2007, he will perform at the Native American wing of the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. Tingle often accompanies his storytelling with the Native American flute, plus an assortment of rattles and drums, adding a haunting musical dimension to a concert. His recent performance highlights include a full-length theater piece, "Rolling Way the Rock," based on the story of Choctaw Clarence Carnes, who at age nineteen became the youngest inmate ever sentenced to Alcatraz Federal Prison. Tingle premiered the piece at the 2006 International Symposium of Artists of Conscience in Victoria, British Columbia.
An avid collector of tribal stories, Tingle has guest-lectured on numerous college campuses on Native American folklore, and in 2003 earned his Master of Arts degree in the English Department at the University of Oklahoma, focusing on contemporary Indian narratives. He currently teaches an onsite summer storytelling course through the university, "Oral Literature of the Southwest," consisting of morning classes and afternoon guided tours of the pueblos and sites surrounding Santa Fe, New Mexico. In 2004, Tingle founded the Choctaw Storytelling Festival, an annual event in McAlester, Oklahoma, that gathers Choctaws of all ages for several days of sharing memories and traditions.
Author of six books, Tingle's newest release is the colorful children's picture book, When Turtle Grew Feathers, a new twist on the tale of the tortoise and the hare that has been passed down for generations of Choctaw People — one of five major tribes of the southeastern United States. This lively read-aloud book encompasses the oral tradition of storytelling, and includes character skills, values, morals, history, tradition and feathers! The whimsically illustrated story is sure to be popular with children of all ages.
Last fall, August House released Spirits Dark and Light, a haunting collection of Native American tales about the connection between the spirit world and the natural world. "The Lady Who Changed," a short story from SDL, was selected as "2007 Best Short Story for Adults" by Storytelling World. The twenty-five stories feature shape-shifters, spirit dogs, and even a few friendly back-from-the-grave "walking people," providing both entertainment and insight into a variety of Native American cultures.
In January of 2007, Tim received the prestigious Notable Book Award from the American Library Association for Crossing Bok Chitto. In addition, he has won Book of the Year Awards in Oklahoma and in Alaska. Tim's work has also been recognized by former President George H. Bush and included in his Presidential Library‘s Education Program. Tingle is a strong advocate for literacy, and his one-hour keynote address on the importance of reading is among his most moving and often-requested presentations.
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