Clue No 3: Pages from a diary describing a search for gold in ‘Injun’ country
In July 2016 Mark Frost shared a video meant to promote his novel ‘The Secret History of Twin Peaks’. The promo video offers clues to Twin Peaks fans, eager to find out more after more than 25 years.
New Video – ‘The Secret History of Twin Peaks’
Mark Frost’s teaser video shows the findings of a female FBI Agent T. P. who investigates the content of a box, found at an undetermined crime scene.
Twin Peaks Season 3: Clue No. 3
So where is the new Twin Peaks TV show heading? One of the documents that are shown in the teaser video might be telling us about the origins of the town of Twin Peaks. It consists of two pages from a very old diary.
The two handwritten pages are seen immediately after the photo of a Native man is shown in the video. They tell the story of two men looking for gold “six days north out of Spokane”.
The author tells about setting up camp near a big fast stream, where he and his friend DB found traces of gold. They’re following a map that was promised to lead them to a mine, a cave with veins of gold. The guy who handed them the map claimed an ‘Injun’ gave it to him.
Six days north out of Spokane, lots of pine wood, a big fast stream… – Sounds familiar, no?
New Twin Peaks TV show: Connection to Native American history?
The author describes “plenty a strange shit in these woods”. Strange shit, scarecrows, platforms with dead bodies. Have the two men accidentally trespassed a Native American ritual cemetery?
Deputy Hawk, to play an important part in new Twin Peaks TV show?
Reading about Native American death customs, you will find most tribes believed that the souls of the dead passed into a spirit world. They became part of the spiritual forces that influenced every aspect of their lives.
Rites among Native Americans tended to focus on aiding the dead in their afterlife. Many tribes believed in two souls: one that died when the body died and one that might wander on. Twin Peaks fans have heard Deputy Hawk explain these basic Native American beliefs to agent Cooper in Season 1 & 2.
If Twin Peaks Season 3 focusses further on this Native American aspect, chances are Deputy Hawk will have a far bigger part in the story compared to back in 1990-1991. He might even play the hero part. This would explain why Michael Horse appeared so prominently in Season 3’s first promo video.
Does Denver Bob tell us about the origins of Killer BOB?
The author of the diary speaks about his friend Denver Bob – initials D.B. – who is surveying the land while he sets up the tent. Denver Bob thinks the platforms are graves or some religious shit, the author writes.
Twin Peaks fans can’t help thinking of ‘Killer BOB’ when hearing the name Denver Bob. Perhaps Denver Bob became an early – possibly the first – vessel for the evil in Twin Peaks woods?
Maybe in search of the gold, they found Killer BOB’s dwelling place. Was the map that was supposed to lead to a gold mine actually sending these two men to the Owl Cave? Denver Bob might have turned into Killer BOB when he entered the Black Lodge, after deciphering the Owl Cave’s petroglyphs.
New Twin Peaks TV show: Great Northern Hotel built on ancient Native American burial place?
The author of the diary mentioned a Native American burial place near where he set up camp. A place near a big, fast stream. Was the camp of this region’s first new entrants situated near the White Tail falls? At the exact same location where in 1923 Joseph Horne would build the Great Northern Hotel?
The Shining’s Overlook Hotel was built on an Indian burial ground
Many film critics agree that the hidden theme of Stanley Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’ is the repressed history of Native American genocide. First referred to by the hotel manager as he explains to Jack and Wendy: “The site is supposed to be located on an Indian burial ground, and I believe they actually had to repel a few Indian attacks as they were building it.”
Just like the Great Northern Hotel, the Overlook Hotel features Indian artwork in wall decoration, carpets and ornaments. The blood that wells out of the elevator shaft in one of the most frightening scenes of ‘The Shining’, is the blood upon which this nation was built, as was the Overlook Hotel.
Great Northern Hotel: Early references to ‘The Shining’ and Overlook Hotel
Both have plenty of Native American references
The Shining – From interior decoration to food brands and Wendy’s outfit
Twin Peaks – From interior decoration to Johnny Horne’s outfit
Exact same phrase
The Shining – All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
Twin Peaks – All work and no play make Ben and Jerry dull boys
Supernatural elements in both The Great Northern and Overlook Hotel
The Shining – An unfriendly spirit dressed like a waiter pays a visit
Twin Peaks – A friendly spirit dressed like a waiter pays a visit
Talking backwards
The Shining – The Boy talks backwards
Twin Peaks – The little man from another place talks backwards
Will Native American mythology be a big theme in the new Twin Peaks TV show?
It certainly looks like the legends of Deputy Hawk’s people will play an important part in Season 3’s storytelling. As they did in Season 1 and 2. Keep in mind Deputy Hawk is first to mention the White Lodge and the Black Lodge.
We’re just guessing, but there’s a chance we will learn The Great Northern Hotel was built on an old, Native American cemetery. Just like the Overlook Hotel in The Shining, which bears many similarities to Twin Peaks’ most famous hotel.
What do you think? Leave us your comments. – We look forward to reading about where you think the new Twin Peaks TV show is heading! In our next blog post we will be exploring more of the material shown in ‘The Secret History of Twin Peaks’ video!
