The story of 6-year-old Johanna in author Paulette Jiles' novel, "News of the World," is a piece of historical fiction. However, the native Kiowa Tribe, which captures the young girl to raise as one of its own, is not.
Aiming to create an interactive experience for community members while bringing Jiles' book to life, the Poplar Bluff Municipal Library (PBML) has partnered with the Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum (AONHM) in Branson, Mo., and will feature artifacts of the Kiowa Tribe through March 20.
"The items we have on display are items Johanna would have played with or tools she would have used in the years she spent with the tribe," said PBML Director Sue Szostak. "As you're reading the book, you can imagine she would have had her hands on items like this."
The AONHM is part of Branson's outdoor destination Top of the Rock and is owned by founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops, John "Johnny" Morris, who personally gave his consent to loan the artifacts to the local library.
The historical items arrived last week, the result of a special delivery by the museum's curator and historian, Ethan Davis, who hand-selected the artifacts to suit the library's needs. The display features authentic Kiowa dolls and doll accessories a child would have used in the 1800s. He also included tools and weapons, among other relevant pieces, from the Kiowa Tribe.
Taking extreme care Tuesday morning, library personnel worked to arrange the display cases to best accent the intricacies of the bead work and the delicacy of each piece. They then placed placards, provided by Davis, beside each artifact to assist the public in understanding its history.
"This is a fiction story, but there are countless accounts of real people who were captured by native tribes," said PBML Assistant Director Shannon Midyett. "Sometimes they were captured to replace family members."
In the novel, Johanna spends four years immersed in the culture of the Kiowa Tribe and loses grasp of her natural language and customs. She eventually is recovered when the tribe turns her over, fearing the loss of government support and seeking peace.
"When she is turned over to Capt. Kidd, her language skills improve over time," Szostak said. "But everything she does, from hygiene to dress, she learned from her captors. It was difficult for her to make the transition."
"News of the World" has been selected as this year's Book in the Bluff, sponsored by Sterling Bank. Jiles will visit Poplar Bluff at 7 p.m. on March 8 for a speaking engagement at the Tinnin Fine Arts Center. The event is free and open to the public. Colorful yard signs advertising the event have recently popped up around town. For more information, or to attain a yard sign, visit the library's website at poplarbluff.org or call 573-686-8639.