
Although I use to kid him about it, I never pushed him to join the tattoo brotherhood. Besides, Nokosee doesn't need any tats to please me. He's the coolest guy I ever met, a real action hero, fearless as all get out who could kill with his "leetle pinkie" if he had to.
But you already know that if you've read my books. You also know Nokosee and I are "renegades on the run" what with Uncle Sam on our tail and all. Heck, I and Haalie-- our little girl-- rarely see him and when he does show up, it's unannounced, you know, to keep "law enforcement" guessing. So when I saw Nokosee pop up one morning in the Embassy with the tat, I couldn't believe it because I never had a chance to tell him about it. He told me not to worry, that-- and this is where he goes all Movie Indian on me with his clipped "pronouncements:" Indian know all. That might creep out somebody else-- or offend one of those tight ass PC Indigenous types-- but it doesn't bother me at all. In fact, it made me laugh. And Hallie too (for better or worse, she's real good at impersonating daddy). Makes growling sounds when she looks at it. She doesn't like the slashed skin part of the tat though. Has a hard time wrestling with the symbolism. Pop tells her the colors beneath his skin bleed the colors of the New Seminole flag: white, black, yellow, and red. Aside from that she loves the tat. Says she wants one, an alligator-- "gAtaw" in Haalie speak-- since her full name Haalpatee means alligator.
Hopefully Delwin Lewis, the Dine (Navajo) tat artist will be alive and well and prospering at what he does so well when it's Haalie's turn. You can get in touch with him and check out his work at Kreations Ink.
BTW, the pix was taken in the lobby of the Miccosukee Embassy. FBI Special Agent Micco Mann: eat your heart out. You'll never catch Nokosee. Or get "sanctuary" lifted to haul me and Haalie out of the Embassy no matter how hard you try. But even if you do with the help of our new fascist prez, you still won't be able to catch us. We'll be long gone before you break down the doors of the Embassy.