Who is Officer Jim Chee from Talking God and what is their importance?

Office Jim Chee is the very unusual combination of a young Navajo Tribal Police Officer who is also training to become a shaman, or medicine man. Chee follows the Navajo religion, called the Navajo Way, and other aspects of the traditional Navajo culture. This commitment to his people and his culture doom Chee's relationship with girlfriend Mary Langdon, a white teacher from Wisconsin. Mary realizes that the two are simply too different and can never be happy together, so she breaks up with Chee via letter early in the novel. By the last chapter, Chee also realizes that theirs is an impossible love. Chee is attracted to attorney Janet Pete, but she has also chosen Anglo-American culture over Navajo culture, at least for the time being.