Marty's thoughts

Journeys of Grayhawk follows an Oneida principal who moves his family from their reservation to New York City after being offered a prestigious post at Midtown High. The family faces culture shock, legal constraints, and deep internal rifts: Jay rebels and longs to return home, Lila awakens to adolescence, Mara and Grayhawk’s marriage strains under ambition and distance, and Thundercloud, the aging grandfather, grows ill while lamenting the city’s lack of nature. Their journey shifts when they meet Ben Whitefeather, a Mohawk organizer who shows them how Native traditions can adapt and thrive in the city, connecting them to the hidden history of Mohawk skyscraper ironworkers. Through conflict, resilience, and the blending of heritage with modern life, the family discovers that their spirit does not vanish in the “iron mountains” of New York—it endures, weaving a new tapestry of tradition, identity, and unity.