Volume Two(690 pages) - Opens in 1864. 'The Sooner State,’ Oklahoma, booms as 50,000 people claim gold- and oil-laden land. It continues to give unique insight into prejudice. Skin color (whether white, brown, yellow, red or black) does not immune anyone from his or her struggle to learn that there is 'unity in diversity.’
As each of the six founders of 'Place of Peace' move to The Upper World – Heaven, they smile with peaceful satisfaction knowing that their descendants will strive to live 'unity in diversity.’ Connor and First Light Bradigan's sons, Eagle Heart Sun Patrick and Robert's Feather embark on their Manhood Quests and Rite of Passages. One son discovers and lives by Dog Medicine or Loyalty. The other son struggles to live by Snake Medicine or learning to achieve Wholeness. The Bradigan's youngest, Eagle Dove makes 'Place of Peace' a haven for descendants of 'The Trail of Tears.’ Connor and First Light's grandson Daniel, finds his way to the Philippines. He is completely enchanted with these Islands and the people. He is a soldier in Dewey's 'One Day Battle' and 'The Boxer Rebellion.’ Another soldier, Jonas Heinrick sees the Filipinos as only 'a means to an end.’
Daniel Bradigan and Angelica fall deeply in-love. Their marriage is for eternity with their wedding in full, festive Filipino tradition including 'The Sanctus,’ 'Yugal' and the 'Unity Candle.’
Their son Daniel Bradigan ('Danny') finds a very special friendship with Constance Heinrick. Their bond grows despite coming from families so opposite in values. The attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7th, 1941 changes everything and everyone. Danny, Constance, other 'half breeds' ('Mestizos') and Americans must cast aside their childhoods and in their early teens they become determined and keen survivors. Bullets, starvation, disease, bigotry and atrocities truly tax their hope to stay physically and emotionally alive.
Myriads of feelings are portrayed by teen-aged Guerrilla (Jungle) Fighters, refugees and soldiers. The 'Bataan 90-mile March;’ powerful nations breaking promises; bigotry; heinous atrocities committed by people of all racial backgrounds and the Atomic Bomb cannot break the war victims' spirits to live by one code: 'There must be Unity in Diversity, for Civilization to reach its highest potential.' Volume II's adventures, lessons and romances, pour into Volume III, which opens in 1949 and closes in 2018.
Scroll back up to the Menu to find out more about Joanne Galliher
Volume Three (*about 820 pages covering 1949 - 2017). - In 1949, Danny Bradigan and Constance Heinrick marry and she is not 'the bride in white', nor is he 'the knight in shining armor.’
They desperately need some manuals - 'How to Have a Happy Marriage' and 'How to Raise Kids without Killing them.' As if all that’s not more than enough… Danny and Constance are haunted by WWII. Back in their homeland, the Philippines, Danny was a Guerrilla Fighter (from 13 -17) and Constance was a starving refugee (from 12 -16). Even though they immigrated to America, the nightmares never stopped. But, because of that War, they vowed to pass a ‘gift’ to their children… That is, to never have any racial, religious, age, gender or socio-economic prejudices.
Catherine's conception leaves them a bit shell-shocked.
Then, Rosarita Beach’s wild surf sets them on fire with hot passion. And Dawn Bradigan's birth is their 'Lucky Charm.'
Danny wonders why he can't raise a child like he so easily mixes his Scotch 'n water. Meaning---raise a child who is powerfully smart and the other child who has an inordinate desire to save the world from itself. Having Catherine and Dawn keeps Danny forever frazzled with frustration.
Constance, a greyhound at the gate unstoppably races, as she climbs her career ladder. Her goal is to succeed, at being being both the best and the wealthiest of her peers. And as a result housewives of the 1950's/1960's chastise her.
Their Hayward home becomes a laboratory and they each add parts to the often, Bradigan Family's Emotional Atomic Bomb. Ironically other kids see the Bradigan's home as an Oasis – a place of peace, laughter, acceptance, philosophical talk and Life direction.
For Catherine, the world is her oyster. Yet, with Dawn? Well, she knows she's not the sharpest tool in the shed. But how they flourish, as teenagers during The Flower-Power 1960's. How they question a president's assassination & the Vietnam War.
At 35 Dawn ploughs a new 'Road in her Life.’ She and her 9-year-old daughter make Australia their new home. No job, no furnishings and very little money... Dawn lives the song's lyrics: 'Don't mess with the girls out here. It's a wild 'n crazy chick frontier...' She savors rainforests, the 'Outback,’ living simply (but fully)... She passes on that ‘Gift’ given to her by her parents --- to never ever have racial, religious, age, gender or socio-economic prejudices.
Here you'll find each volume's summary.
*It is 690 pages
Eagles of the Rainbow Forever, Volume 1 - “A pen mightier than prejudice”—ABC Radio journalist, Jane Cowan
This scintillating story is set in 19th Century America, known as the Cherokees’ ‘Turtle Island.’ Its genres are many—romance, history, soul searching, Nature, adventure, action and war.
Here’s a peek into it—
Chief Double Heart proclaims. “White people swarm, like greedy bees to honey, throughout our homeland. Their Nunnah dual Tsuny, ‘Trail of Tears’ amputates our spirits. They can’t see... We are one with the deserts, plains, forests and rugged mountains. The cacti and the wildflowers are our fingers. The tall green and yellow grass is a part of us, as is our hair. The trees are us standing tall and proud. The hills, plateaus and mountains are our very legs. The streams, rivers and lakes are our very blood!”
“It’s a stifling dawn, in ‘the Moon of the Green Grass Up,’ or summer, in 1838. An 11-year-old Cherokee, First Light, springs to her feet. There is no time to dress. There is no time to put on her elk skin boots. From every direction, soldiers ride into the village, yelling like barbarians. Fear chills every inch of her tiny naked body. She flies out of her family’s hut like a hummingbird caught in a fire with her heart screaming, “I can’t die!”
She laments for years. “Will I ever stop hating white people? As long as I do not live in harmony, the spirits of the massacred Cherokees I love, stay trapped ‘Where the Dogs Run,’ that empty space between Mother Earth and the Upper World.”
One dawn, when she is 16, an Irish 18-year-old US soldier, Connor Bradigan, wrestles to capture her. She fights like the fiercest mountain lion. He shackles her wrist; but she shackles his heart. Lovestruck, he tells himself, Aye. To be sure. I’ve never seen a vixen so tiny, beautiful and brave. It ‘tis barmy me thinking white can mix with brown!
The more they learn about each other, the more they become the first two colors in this tale’s racial rainbow. More ‘colors’ come as they meet more Cherokees and Irish, European immigrants, and even ex-soldiers.
Is it possible for these humans to pluck out their generationally ingrained racial, religious, age, gender and socioeconomic prejudices? Can they be as smart as eagles? They instinctively know when it is time to pluck out their old, useless feathers, beaks and talons.
Just imagine if these humans stare deep down into their souls and admit their racial, religious, age, gender and socioeconomic prejudices need to be permanently plucked.
They would feel irrepressible inner peace if these five unity in diversity principles radiate in their thinking, talking and interacting. Forget about skin color. See Nature as Church, and One God is a universal religion. Seek wisdom from young and old. Treat women and men as equals. Measure wealth by acts of kindness, not by material quantity.
Their path to that peace gets less arduous as they mess their customs. They gain extraordinary lessons and love with each of the Cherokee Seven Sacred Ceremonies. Their bond cements every time they bring their own cultural ideas to every Oktoberfest, Christmas, Saint Patrick’s Day, wedding and funeral ceremonies.
The Irish, German and ex-soldiers adopt the Cherokee Animal Spiritualism. They glean inordinate wisdom as they also talk with Nature. They ‘hear’ the Spiritual Messages from every animal, reptile and insect they come across. This Animal Medicine quickens healing from prejudice for the Cherokees, Irish, German and ex-soldiers.
These humans envy how eagles so masterfully and readily fly above storms. They relentlessly ask themselves ‘will I let these storms, the Trail of Tears, American Civil War and Ireland’s Potato Famine weigh me down until my hope and trust are buried in bitterness?
This tantalizing tale continues as a compelling trilogy, Eagles of the Rainbow Forever Volume 1, 2 and 3 portraying amazing events, peoples’ soul transformations… all between 1833 to 2017. The settings are global—America, the Philippines and Australia.
It is exciting and gratifying to see in Eagles of the Rainbow Forever Volume 3 Dawn Bradigan, First Light and Connor Bradigan’s great great granddaughter living in a forest, free from modern distractions, such as any electricity and indoor plumbing, as she lives guided by their Five Unity in Diversity Peace Principles.