Dave Walks-As-Bear


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Biography


"Son of a Confederate Veteran" Obion County, Tennessee.	Born in 1957 in Muskegon, Michigan, David Walks-As-Bear is a product of a diverse background. Because of this, his life has been flavored by three distinct cultures; the culture of the "Old South", the culture of the Mid-West and the culture of the Native American.
His parents hail from the South and his Southern roots have colored much of his life. The fourth of four boys, his oldest brother was born in Tennessee, the next in Michigan, the following in Tennessee, and finally, David entered the world in the Great Lake State of Michigan. His family traveled back and forth, always seeking to maintain the Southern ties. His philosophy and outlook on life has been molded by values often deemed "Southern". His ancestral ties hark back to Southern manners and the Old Confederacy. In this way, the American South has played a vital role in his life.
"Water Cop" Deputy Sheriff - Lake Michigan	Once his family settled in Michigan permanently, David lived in the panorama of the Winter-Water-Wonderland State. In 1976, he married the former Maureen Halloran and the couple has raised five children. The earthy values of the Mid-West combined with plenty of hunting and fishing in the state's abundant natural resources have equally played a role in his world. It was because of this exposure to nature that he entered the field of recreational law enforcement.
Finally, the addition of his American Indian heritage sums up the writer and the man. David's mother traces ancestry to the Blackfoot and Cherokee. His father was Shawnee and a member of the Kispoko Sept, or warrior group, of that Native American nation. His Indian outlook has always dictated his life. From daily morning prayers to his love of the Great Good Spirit and all that He has created, David has remained true to the Shawnee creed. Given the Christian name of David Wayne Davis at birth, he was shortly thereafter given the Shawnee moniker of "Walks-As-Bear".
"Winter Coast Guardsman" USCG Base, Yorktown, Virginia	On the warrior side, David has served in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve for 20 years. It was while serving as a Coast Guard photojournalist that he honed his writing skills. When he began writing for civilian publications, he used the combination of his Christian and Shawnee names of "David Walks-As-Bear" to help keep the Indian culture alive for his children. He credits his wife with his efforts as a writer today because it was she, that encouraged him to put pen to paper, over and over again.
His experience as a military writer has been a strong catalyst but regardless of the job he did, David has always felt the need to serve. In this manner, he was simply following family tradition. His oldest brother, served on an Army patrol boat during the Bay of Pigs. His father carried a BAR and fought across Europe with the 314th Infantry Regiment. He had uncles in World War One, the Spanish American War and Great Grandfathers who fought for the Confederacy in the War Between the States. These last two of his ancestors probably epitomize much of Walks-As-Bear's feelings about the warrior code and all that it means to him. These men, like the Indians before them, did not fight because of politics, a military draft or to rid the world of tyranny. These great grandfathers fought only for their people and the very home in which they lived. One of them, enlisted in the 48th Alabama Infantry at age 15. He fought in most of the climatic battles of the Civil War from Manassas to Gettysburg. He and his unit were at Appomattox Court House when Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia. The other Great Grandfather, rode with the Cherokee Mounted Rifles, a cavalry unit made up entirely of American Indians. He too, saw many battles and it was the Mounted Cherokee Rifles that were the last Confederate soldiers to surrender at the war’s end. Prior to that, all of the warriors in David Walks-As-Bear’s family wore face paint, feathers and buckskin. But one way or another… they all served.
David attended Army ROTC and entered the Coast Guard as a Direct Petty Officer. He holds degrees from two Michigan colleges and numerous certificates from different institutions. He has served as the president of the Native American Preservation Council and, when appointed by the state governor, as a Selective Service Board Member. He is listed with the Michigan Association for Media in Education through the Library of Michigan.	"Rotzie Cadet" Fort Knox, Kentucky
David has written for the military, various newspapers and magazines. He is the author of How To Become A Swamp Creature, and presently, an artist is illustrating his children's book entitled, Mystery of the Medicine Pipe, which will be out in 2003. He has worked as a police officer, park ranger, game warden, forest ranger and private detective. He has also taught high school journalism and adult education. As one would expect, many of these life experiences are reflected in his writing. Today, he keeps his hand in journalism by writing a column for a local newspaper. Whatever the reception for his first novel, David has determined to pursue his ficion writing. He says it's just too much fun not to. He and his family split their time between Michigan and Hawaii, where he is working on his next novel which is a sequel to THE MURMURINGS.

Red Heart… Red Blood… the Red Road .

For my People and me I do pray,
To live my life as an Indian,
As the Creator has shown the way.
That my Heart and Spirit are one with nature,
My each and every day.
To do what is right no matter the cost or outlay.
To honor The Great Good Spirit,
In all that I do and say.
To protect those that I must without sway,
I swear my blood oath to Mother Earth,
To live fully… the Shawnee way.

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