Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of racism and graphic violence.

Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. are the editors of Never Whistle at Night and the authors of the stories “Behind Colin’s Eyes” and “The Longest Street in the World,” respectively. The project came together after calls for an Indigenous horror anthology. Shane Hawk, in particular, sees horror as a means of bringing people together in much the same way comedy can, saying that the horror genre allows him to work through difficult times and events by connecting with others: “Beyond a good time, Hawk uses horror writing to deal with hardships in the hopes that other Indigenous people will relate” (“For These Indigenous Writers, Horror Fiction Offers More Than a Good Fright.” Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, 27 Oct. 2024). In Never Whistle at Night, many stories, though written by authors of different backgrounds, feature similar themes and references, evidencing Hawk’s claim that the horror genre can help both readers and writers process traumatic topics such as ethnic cleansing or residential schools. 

At the same time, Never Whistle at Night features stories written by authors of many Indigenous nations, in both rural and city settings, showcasing the diversity of Indigenous life and experiences. Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. sees the diversity of the stories as a strength and a way of showcasing Indigenous voices, who represent a low percentage of published writers: “[I]t was important that we had this really broad representation in the stories from Indian country, which is the most diverse place that I can think of” (Karabaic, Lillian. “Dark Anthology Shines a Light on Diversity of Indigenous Traditions.” Oregon Public Broadcasting, 19 Nov. 2023).