Hosteen Nakai is Jim Chee's uncle, whose sage counsel Chee seeks after Delbert Nez's murder.

Jack Burning is a film and television actor who has appeared on the TV series Blue Murder, Giant Mine, Highlander: The Raven, and Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal. He has also appeared in the feature film Silent Tears.

In Hillerman's words:
...[Chee] was thinking about the Ghostway. He didn't know it. Frank Sam Nakai, who was a respected hataalii and Chee's maternal uncle and mentor in all things metaphysical, didn't know it either.

Coyote Waits, Chapter 11