Book Description
If you ever see them, don't be afraid.
Talk to them, be nice to them,
and they will bring you luck.

The world of the little people is no farther than the patch of woods beyond the last house. Yet it is a place of mystery, closely connected to nature. From the little people come rain and wind. From their cooking pots comes food that never runs out. They themselves are small, but their strength and wisdom are great, providing a source of lasting power for average-size humans.

Here are twenty-two not-quite-folktales in an unusual collection gathered from the Mohawk, the Cherokee, the Zuni, the Inuit, the Maya, and other Native American groups. Though each tale is different, the little people themselves are recognizable from one story to the next. They are capable of playing tricks, yet offer help when someone is in trouble. They run and hide, yet want to make friends, even propose marriage.

Are the little people real? Or do they live only in stories? The answer to both questions is a resounding yes, as explained by folklorist John Bierhorst in a fascinating introduction exploring the history and meaning of the little people in Native American culture.

Complementing the tales are perceptive illustrations by Native American artist Hilbert Coy, demonstrating that the helpful (and sometimes not so helpful) little people are everywhere -- at least to those who have eyes to see them. ... Read more

Book Description
In this beloved Eskimo legend, an idle sleepyhead becomes the champion who saves his people from famine and disaster.

The Legends of the World opens readers' minds to the diverse cultures of Native America, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and the Americas through enchanting tales passed down through countless generations.Each book in the series features geographical, historical, and cultural information.Illustrated in full color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Eskimo legend of Ka-ha-si, the Strong One
I think of the Loon as the state bird of Minnesota, which it is, so the idea that it makes its way to the frozen North makes sense since I live in the frozen South.This volume in the Native American Legends series tells the story of Ka-ha-si, an Eskimo boy who lived with his mother in s small hunting village near the sea but who spends all of the day asleep by his lamp.Then one morning, before the sun was up, he was awakened by a beautiful black bird with white speckles on its back.The Loon had brought him a message from Ka-ha-si's grandfather.But first Ka-ha-si must do things to make himself strong for when his grandfather calls for him.

When a season of hunger comes to the village, the Loon tells Ka-ha-si to help his people.The other villagers doubt that the boy they call Lazy One can do what the best hunters cannot, but he surprises them, not once, but twice.Several more times the Loon awakens Ka-ha-si to tell him of a crisis that is affecting his people, and each time Ka-ha-si rises to the challenge.Finally the day comes when the Loon takes Ka-ha-si to his grandfather, and we learn why Ka-ha-si is known as the Strong One.

Of course, I like that at the end of this story the legendary figure of Ka-ha-si has an obvious corresponding figure from classical mythology, and hopefully young readers will pick up on the similarity.I am not sure if "Ka-ha-si and the Loon: An Eskimo Legend" provides an explanation for the way things are that many myths do, but it is still an entertaining tale.Then in the back of the book there is a look at the Eskimo culture, with maps and photographs (the latter coming mostly from the Smithsonian Institution and the University of Washington Special Collections Division) covering their homeland, people, food, clothing, and shelter.This section also talks about the Eskimos today, with a list of important dates, and a glossary of terms from "caribou" to "umiak."

The watercolor illustrations by Reasoner show the variety in style and color of the parkas worn by the Eskimos.One of the strengths of this series is how it combines stories that are fairly detailed and complex with information on the history and customs of the Native Americans from which the story comes, which makes it stand out from other similar series.Other volumes in the Native American Legends series by Cohlene and Reasoner includes "Clamshell Boy: A Makah Legend," "Dancing Drum: A Cherokee Legend," "Little Firefly: An Algonquian Legend," and "Quillworker: A Cheyenne Legend." ... Read more

Book Description
Native American elders will tell you there is as much to see in the night as in the familiar light of day, and here Abenaki storyteller and American Book Award recipient Joseph Bruchac offers twelve unforgettable stories of the living earth seen from the sky."Sky Bear (also known as the Big Dipper) circles the Earth each night, and these 12 poems tell of what she sees and hears....A thoughtful collection that eloquently bears out the theme of unity of all creatures."-- School Library Journal"From the Mohawk and Missisquoi peoples of the Northeastern United States to the Pima, Cochiti Pueblo, and Navajo people of the Southwest to the Subarctic Inuit, these pieces reflect an awe and appreciation of the natural world. Locker's deeply hued paintings burst with the beauty of night."-- The Horn Book"Engrossing."-- Kirkus Reviews ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Earth Under Sky Bear's Feet
My grandaughter is interested in the constellations -- this book combines information on the constellations with Indian poetry -- it is a lovely tribute to the sky.

Beautiful Poetry, Beautiful Illustrations, Beautiful Cultures
The lights of the night, especially the stars and the moon, have captivated Native American peoples across North America and elsewhere for centuries.Joseph Bruchac, an Abenaki storyteller, has collected in this companion volume to Thirteen Moon's on Turtle's Back a series of stories what these celestial bodies mean to diverse Native American cultures; he then retells them in lyric poetry. Included are "Sky Bear" of the Mohawk, "Song to the Firefly" of the Anishinabe, "Flute Song" of the Pima (which evokes the myths of Kokopeli), "The Northern Lights" of the Missisquoi, "Mother's Bragging Song" of the Winnebago, "The Scattered Stars" of the Cochiti Pueblo, "The Seven Mateinnu" of the Lenape, "The Tale of Pinon Gatherers" of the Chumash, "A Summer Song" of the Inuit, "The Old Wolf's Song" of the Lakota, "Dawn House Song" of the Navajo, and "Spirit Dance Song" of the Pawnee.Mr. Bruchac, in an Author's Note at the end of the volume, explains what these stories mean to all Native American peoples, children and adults alike.He reveals that the constellation we know as the Big Dipper (the Drinking Gourd in African-American folklore) is also seen as a great bear, the Sky Bear of his poetry, something many of us all too often take for granted. ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides an introduction Native American religious traditions, placing them within their historical, social, and political contexts. The book focuses on three diverse indigenous traditions: the Lakota of the Northern Plains, the Diné (Navajo) of the Southwest, and Coast Salish of the Pacific Northwest. This book highlights their distinct oral traditions, ceremonial practices, the impact of colonialism on Native religious life, and the ways in which indigenous communities of North America have responded, and continue to respond, to colonialism and Euroamerican cultural hegemony. For people interested in the study of Native American Religious Traditions.

Customer Reviews (3)

Enlightening Observations from All of History
In this book, people who have read alot into Native American history will see the more famous Indian testimonials that have appeared in many other places, like those by heavily published persons like Black Elk, Tecumseh, and Charles Eastman (Sioux). You also get many anonymous accounts and the testimony from obscure persons who were only known to give their thoughts to a few white people. What sets this book above the rest, however, is that it doesn't just cover the time periods that are shown in most Native American histories, which would either be ancient pre-European times, or the famous era of the Indians' destruction and valiant efforts to maintain the old ways of life. This book also covers those areas, as it should, but continues into the modern reservation days, and even captures the thoughts of recent activists on the future of Native Americans. All people will be enlightened by the non-Western interpretations on history, religion, politics, and culture that are generously detailed in this book.

Interviews Out of Time
This book is a collection of interviews with and stories from everyday people as they lived out their lives.I first read this book several years ago, yet I find that there are interviews and stories that I go back andreread again and again.If you are a Native or a student of NativeAmerican History, this is a good book to have on your shelf.

The seldom told stories of our history
Nabokov has done a superb job of collecting individual Native American memoirs from the last half millenium and weaving them together to paint the sad portrait of Indian-White relations.In between the tales from each successive time period in history is enlightening commentary, usually an historical overview of the period written by the editor.These commentaries help give a unity to this work.But this is not simply a bad guys vs. good guys book.Nabokov's stories reflect the complexity involved among Native Americans who frequently disagreed with each other about what would be the best path to trod for all concerned; and they also tell the stories of proud peoples who continued to survive and carry on.This book illuminates history in a way that most school textbooks do not. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

how legal system was used to control Native Americans by early California settlers
Whereas the Spaniards and the Mexicans aimed to control the Native Americans of California by converting them to Catholicism, the Americans when they took over the territory in the 1840s after the Mexican War and the Gold Rush aimed to control them by cynical use of the law and related means of incrimination and enforcement. Gunther sees the lighter sentences Native Americans were frequently given in the numerous legal cases she reviewed (cited both in the notes and the bibliography) as an indication that the law was used primarily as a means of harassment of the Native Americans. The other side of this practice of using the law as an instrument of coercion of the Native American population and advancement of the desires of the newcoming Anglos with respect to acquisition of land and finding manual labor, for example, was that Anglos implicitly and explicitly got preferential treatment. It wasn't until 1875 that a Native American could give testimony against an Anglo; though the Indians could file complaints as is evident from the author's extensive documentary research. Yet before and even after this date, patent crimes committed by Anglos usually went unpunished. In such circumstances, laws enacted to remove Indians to reservations seem altruistic and enlightened; when in fact, they were devised to clear the Native Americans out of an area more quickly and easily than the relatively slow-acting discriminatory legal means. Gunther--with a Ph.D. in Native American history--shows how the law especially was a tool used intentionally and systematically by Anglos with the cooperation of the courts at different levels as a hegemonic tool against the Native Americans to further the Anglos' designs while at the same time, as surely as the violence, disease, and alcoholism, it worked to disintegrate the traditional indigenous cultures. ... Read more

Book Description
In the tradition of Black Dog & Leventhal's successful Chinese Natural Cures, Healing Secrets of the Native Americans brings the age-old knowledge and trusted techniques of Native-American healing to a wider audience. From this clear, reliable, and beautifully packaged book, learn how Native Americans have used the bountiful gifts of nature to heal the mind, the body, and the spirit. Discover how the Native-American tradition uses plants and herbs, heat, movement and sound, visualization, and spirituality to heal dozens of everyday ailments and illnesses--from back pain to insect bites to flu and sore throat and much more.

Broken into sections, the book covers such topics as "The Healing Spirit" (including dream therapy, spirituality, and prayer), "The Native American Spa" (healing with heat, massage, sound and movement, and nutrition), "The Native American Pharmacy" (including more than 40 herbs and plants, how to obtain them, and how to use them), plus remedies for more than 40 ailments from acne to wrinkles. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Offers a glimpse into the world of Native American healing
The original peoples of North America lived in a harsh and unpredictable environment. It is fascinating to learn how they managed to thrive while maintaining their sense of reverence for the earth and all living things.

I treasure this book because it is a reminder of how to live in harmony with nature. ... Read more

Book Description
While Native American communities remain culturally innovative and continue to struggle for survival, researchers, teachers, and students lack texts that both represent the breadth of contemporary experiences and look toward the future. Editor Duane Champagne has assembled a volume of top scholarship reflecting the complexity and diversity of Native American cultural life. Section introductions provide background and analyses of the issues. Informative and critical studies offer experiences and perspectives from a variety of Native settings. This book and its companion volume, Contemporary Native American Political Issues, edited by Troy R. Johnson, are ideal teaching tools and resources for anyone working in or with Native communities. ... Read more

Book Description
American Indian words define the North American landscape. This volume combines historical research and linguistic fieldwork with Native speakers from across the United States to present the first comprehensive, up-to-date scholarly dictionary of American placenames derived from Native languages.

Accomplished linguist William Bright assembled a team of twelve editorial consultants--experts in Native American languages--and many other contributors to prepare this lexicon of eleven thousand placenames along with their etymologies. Bright's introduction explains his methodology and the contents of each entry. New data from leading scholars makes this volume an invaluable reference for students of American Indian culture, folklore, and local history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A scholarly 'bible'
New in paperback is a college-level reference that is perfect for any serious Native American library: a survey that is the most important place names guide in print. American Indian words define North America: this reference blends history and linguistics with insights from Native speakers across the country, creating a scholarly 'bible' of reference detail key to any comprehensive Native American collection - and now very affordable in its new paperback format.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (4)

The best I've ever read
I have both of Theresa's books and I have to say that they have to be the best books I've ever read; my daughter and I are constantly swapping these books back and forth. They are beautifully written, have wonderful illustrations and are very easy to follow. I love the history she inputs into every chapter and I have learned so much from these books. Please Theresa, write another one!

Love this book!
I own many beading books, but this one is a favorite I go back to over and over for the beauty and originality of the designs, as well as for the clear instructions. Projects are suitable for beginners who want to build their skills, as well as for the more advanced. The designs are Native American in theme, yet with just enough of a modern twist to be unique and a great jumping off place for one's own designs. I highly recommend it!

Bead tales and design
"Beadwork has an amazing history through the millennia. Even with so many brilliant examples of beadwork found on all continents except Antarctica, the Native American style of beading remains extremely popular worldwide. It is characterized by bright colors, bold designs, and extravagant beauty with natural themes. Embedded in the designs are symbols of spiritual significance to the native cultures originating them."

"People who do beadwork readily acknowledge that their beads 'speak' to them. Beads are like letters that are merely abstract symbols for composing words of human expression. They form a universal language that appears to cross all cultures."

from Native American Beadwork, Theresa Flores Geary

Theresa Flores Geary weaves tales and plant lore with drawings and patterns, as well as practical advice like how to finish your knots, in two lavishly illustrated books on Native American beading techniques and projects. She also nourishes a creative space with plenty of opportunity for improvisation and design on the part of the beader.

Much of a beader's time is spent looking closely at beads. Full-color photographs throughout the books breathe detail into the process of creating about three dozen beaded projects for beginners to advanced beadworkers. The photographs include finished beadwork pieces by many artists, as well as close-up shots of the bead projects at various stages of completion and diagrams which are easy to understand.

Of Tewa and Aztec ancestry, Geary started doing beadwork at 14, taught by her mother, Anna Flores, and later received advanced instruction from elders of the San Carlos Apache tribe while working as a clinical psychologist. For the past ten years she has devoted herself to full-time beadwork, writing books and teaching.

About a project with a traditional Thunderbird pattern, Geary writes: "A famous Kiowa poet, N. Scott Momaday, describes a different beast that roams the sky during a thunderstorm... Momaday's beast has a horse's head and a fish's tail. From its mouth lightning flashes, and its tail embodies the hot wind of a tornado. During a particularly violent monsoon-like season in southern Arizona, his description comes to life."

Geary's descriptions bring to life many projects, including a round peyote-stitched hatband for advanced beaders, Apache weave (or brick stitch) earrings, loom designs, Huichol lace, miniature ears of corn using a corn stitch, and eyeglass and badge holders. The range of designs makes the book useful to experienced beaders and to those just starting out. Lists of materials and instructions are clear, and most show ways that the patterns can be adapted to other projects.

Some of the stories Geary spins are old and pass on culture, and some are new, told in a clear and personal voice. The whole is a delightful how-to on beading techniques for any level of experience in a rich cultural context.

Creative Native American Beading
I have a Master's Degree in Museum Studies, and have devoted much of that study to the care and well-being of beadwork from all over the planet.I also interned at the Bead Museum in Glendale, AZ during the summer of 2000, where I learned much of this knowledge, but also I have worked for the Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center in Omaha, Nebraska, where I learned preventive conservation techniques.I, myself, am an accomplished beadworker, and have found this book to be filled with many great designs and techniques; ranging from very simple, to difficult.The average beader will find this work to be most rewarding, while beginners and advanced beaders alike will definately learn something new.It is one of the best technical books out there, with lots of helpful, clear photographs.

I am familiar with many of the projects in the book, however, I immediately sat down and began working on the Blue Violet Flower pattern and fell in love with the outcome!Many of the projects are pieces you will find for sale on some reservations today, as I also worked for the White Mountain Apache Tribal Museum and Cultural Center -- and have seen them there first hand.The purchaser of this book is getting the authentic thing, and that is rewarding in a time when beadwork is moving further and further away from its Native roots.

Good Work Theresa!

David Bingell ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The BEST book on Native/Christian contrast I've read
I've read a ton of book on Native/Christian comparisons and contrasts, but this was by far the most stimulating and well-reasoned of them all. The ideology is reasonable and the research is dead-on, and the authors representtribal traditions with insight and clarity, even from perspectives outside their own tribal affiliations.

I was particularly interested in Tink's treatment of the Trickster ideology in Native cultures. As an Ojibway, I'm familiar with the works of Gerald Vizenor and commented to my wife (reading aloud to me on a road trip), "Oh yeah, Vizenor talks about stuff like this!" And Lo! and behold, but a paragraph later Tink references Vizenor while explaining the significance of Trickster characters in the development and maintenance of tribal mores. The recognition of Trickster stories in the Bible is something easily missed by Amer-European Christians, and yet for Indigenous people they are very apparent; I had even personally noted the Trickster story in the Jesus/Syro-Phoenician Woman account and then Tink alludes to it as well.

I found their treatment of things like land, panentheism, the roles of men and women, sexuality, and concepts of sin and salvation to be intriguing, and I have long preached a very Indigenist world view to Christians who often fail to recognize that such a world view is at the heart of, not contrary to, the systems of Native *and* Biblical premises, if one knows how to read or listen.

I wish I could spend an evening with Kidwell and Tink, just eating dinner and talking long into the night. I find their collaborative ideas to be fascinating and needed.

An exercise in understanding Native American theology
In A Native American Theology, Clara Kidwell, Homer Noley, and George Tinker effective collaborate to present an original exercise in understanding Native American theology. While observing traditional categories of Christian systematic theology, there is a reimaging consistent with Native American experience, values, and world view. The authors also introduce new categories from native thought-worlds such as the Trickster (eraser of boundaries, symbol of ambiguity), and Land. Highly recommended reading for Native American studies, multicultural studies, and comparative religion, A Native American Theology concludes with the authors addresses contemporary Native American issues including racism, poverty, stereotyping, cultural appropriation, and religious freedom. ... Read more

Book Description
Daughters of Mother Earth is nothing less than a new way of looking at history--or more correctly, the reestablishment of a very old way. It holds that for too long, elements unnatural to Native American ways of knowing have been imposed on the study of Native America. Euro-American discourse styles, emphasizing elite male privilege and conceptual linearity, have drowned out the democratic and woman-centered Native approaches. Even when the damage of western linearity is understood to occur, analysis of Native American history, society, and culture has still been relentlessly placed in male custody, following the western assumption that Euro-American men speak ably for all. This book seeks to redress that balance, allowing, as editor Barbara Alice Mann writes, "the Daughters of Mother Earth to reclaim their ancient responsibility to speak in council, to tell the truth, to guide the rising generations through spirit-spoken wisdom." The recovery of women's traditions is an important theme in this collection of essays that helps reframe Native issues as properly gendered. Thus, Paula Gunn Allen looks at Indian lifeways through the many stitches of Indian clothes and the many steps of their powwow fancy-dances. Lee Maracle calls for reconstitution of traditional social structures, based on Native American ways of knowing. Kay McGowan identifies the exact sites where woman-power was weakened historically through the heavy impositions of European culture, the better to repair them. Finally, Barbara Mann examines how communication between Natives east and west of the Mississippi came to be so deranged as to be dysfunctional, and outlines how to reestablish good east-west relations for the benefit of all. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A fine approach which adds different perspective to Native history and issues
College-level collections strong in Native American studies will welcome Daughters Of Mother Earth: The Wisdom Of Native American Women. It goes beyond women's studies alone, maintaining that elements unnatural to Native ways of knowing have been imposed on the study of Native America elements consisting of European prejudice and male privilege. This focus on women's traditions provides essays which examines Indian lifestyles and history through women's lives and eyes. A fine approach which adds different perspective to Native history and issues.
... Read more

Book Description
Native American Music in Eastern North America, a case study in the Global Music Series edited by Bonnie Wade and Patricia Shehan Campbell, is one of the first books to explore the contemporary musical landscape of indigenous North Americans. This volume looks at how performance traditions of Native North Americans have been influenced by traditional social values and cultural histories, as well as by encounters with other indigenous groups and newcomers from Europe and Africa. Drawing on case studies from communities in eastern North America such as the Iroquois, the Algonquian -speaking nations of the Northeast, and the Inuit of the far north, this book discusses the specific histories and locations of Native North American musical practices including intertribal celebrations, contemporary popular music projects, and other expressive domains such as dance, art, and film. The author also looks at how performance contexts and styles have responded to economic, social, and environmental changes brought about by the arrival of non-natives, how technology has mediated contemporary cultural communication, and how traditional ideas about social roles and gender identities have been altered through music. Designed to be used as one of several short and inexpensive case study volumes in the Global Music Series, this volume is appropriate for undergraduate courses in world music or ethnomusicology and Native American anthropology. Based on the author's own fieldwork, the text features interviews with tribal elders and First Nations performers, eyewitness accounts of performances, and vivid illustrations. The included 70-minute CD contains examples of music discussed in the text; these include unique and rare recordings. ... Read more

Book Description
Did you know that natives of the Northwest used dried sharkskin to sand totem poles? Or that horses were called medicine dogs, because dogs had been used to aid in hunting before horses were introduced by Europeans? In D is for Drum: A Native American Alphabet, readers will get an A-Z introduction to the many customs and cultures of the first people of this beautiful land. Bison, teepees, Kachinas and dugout canoes will all help to paint a fascinating picture of the more than 500 indigenous tribes inhabiting the Americas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Seasoned Teacher of third graders
As part of the Third Grade curriculum we study several California tribes.This is an excellent source of information about other Native Americans that I like to introduce to my students.They enjoyed listening to the descriptions and looking at the various illustrations. It was filled with interesting facts that made learning about various tribes and their symbolisms meaningful and part of the curriculum.

great book
We bought this for a Native American Music instruments report and my daughter totally enjoyed it and is still actively learning about Native Americans.

D is for Delightful
Michael Shoulders is a dedicated author and educator and his books for Sleeping Bear Press reflect that dedication. Readers -- young and old -- should learn all they can about Native American culture, and D is for Drum is a great place to start. ... Read more

Book Description
Here First is an important new collection of essays by Native American writers compiled by Arnold Krupat and Brian Swann, the editors of I Tell You Now: Autobiographical Essays by Native American Writers. In Here First, authors such as Sherman Alexie, Greg Sarris, and Elizabeth Woody tell the stories of their lives and their art. Each essay demonstrates the breadth of experience of twenty-seven individuals united in the creative expression of a Native American heritage. Each has a different relation to that heritage, and in describing it through personal and family history, with verse and in anecdotes, the writers give a strong image of the different cultures that have shaped them. This is living history and the kind of collective memoir that makes for fascinating and rewarding reading--one of the most vivid and diverse portraits of Native American culture available today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Truly fantastic book!
This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. Each chapter is written by an author who shares some of his or her life with the reader - each from different tribes and nations.Not your typical "mystical, Lakota focused, written for a white audience" book.I purchased this book to help other non-Native people like myself understand and develop a broader awareness of the experience of literary Native America and it was well worth the time.I highly recommend this book.It's a great way to introduce yourself to new authors as well. ... Read more

Book Description
Why was I born? Why must I die? How can I interact with the universe? Are there really visions? Is there a Deity? The First Americans had the same questions. In Exploring Native American Wisdom, you are invited into a mystical dimension, where humans communicate with the Oldest Spirit of Creation, Grandmother Earth, animals, fire, wind, and water. The wisdom of the Old Ones unravels the mysteries inside us waiting to burst forth with a new understanding of our place in the circle of life. Enemies become worthy opponents. Pain becomes purification, and strife disappears. There are no problems, only challenges, when we discover that everything is sacred and that our souls are very old. Trudging becomes dancing as we gain the strength and perseverance to make our lives new each day. Exploring Native American Wisdom reveals how to live fully in a rapidly changing world, while reopening the ancient door to the divine power and wisdom within. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Exploring Native American Wisdom
This book has very little substance -- a very brief and superficial outline. Not worth $11.

An impressive and "reader friendly" new age guide
Collaboratively compiled and written by writer, teacher, artist, and natural health consultant Fran Dancing Feather and author and metaphysical studies expert Rita Robinson, Exploring Native American Wisdom: Love, Traditions, And Rituals That Connect Us All is an impressive and "reader friendly" new age guide to the supernatural that draws upon Native American traditions and Native American mysticism. Deftly guiding the reader on a journey into a spiritual plane of energy and power, Exploring Native American Wisdom is an insightful metaphysical treatise that is confidently recommended for students of Native American Studies and Metaphysical "New Age" Studies. ... Read more

Book Description
Legal and economic factors have thrust American archaeology into a period of intellectual and methodological unrest. Issues such as reburial and repatriation, land and resource "ownership," and the integration of tradition and science have long divided archaeologists and Native American communities. Both groups recognize the need for a dramatic transformation of the discipline into one that appeals to and serves the greater public. This book tackles these and other issues by elucidating successful strategies for collaboration. It includes detailed discussions of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), enacted in 1990 in effort to legislatively redefine ownership of cultural items. Perspectives range from Native American representatives from tribes throughout the U.S., professional archaeologists and anthropologists working for tribes, federal and state agency representatives, museum specialists, and private archaeology and anthropology consultants. Published in cooperation with the Society for American Archaeology ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Amazing Resource
This is an excellent book.I found it at the library to use for my senior thesis, and liked it so much that I wanted to buy it.:o)It contains a wide array of information from different fields of scholars in anthropology and Native peoples.

Great!
This book provides an excellent resource for students of Archaeology as well as professonals in the field.This book allows archaeologists and others to see issues surrounding their profession and more importantly whatto do when those issues arise.An excellent read and a must for any buddingarchaeologists! ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (3)

A decent introduction to Native American poetry...
...but I have to ask how 50 pages can possibly be considered to constitute an anthology.

I'll admit it was the poetry (which is mostly if not completely modern) rather than the traditional songs which attracted my attention. In particular, I quite liked "This Is No Movie of Noble Savages" by Adrian Louis and the poems by Sherman Alexie. One thing in particular that annoyed me with this book, however, was what would seem to be an anachronism perpetuated by the translator(s). Namely, several traditional Native American songs in the book from different tribes refer to 'the Milky Way'. Now, I don't know what the words are that these were translated from, but I'm fairly sure that there weren't any Native Americans (or anybody else at th time) that were calling anything a Milky Way.

A stirring gathering of voices
"Native American Songs and Poems: An Anthology," edited by Brian Swann, is an impressive volume overall. At 56 pages, it is a concise but rich anthology. The book can basically be broken down into two sections: (1) traditional ethnic songs from various cultures, and (2) poems by contemporary Native American authors, again representing many cultures.

The traditional material includes the Seminole "Song for Bringing a Child into the World," the Navajo "Hymn of the Horse," the Pima "Quail Song," and more. Contemporary authors included are Beth Brant (of the Mohawk people), Joy Harjo (Muscogee), Simon J. Ortiz (Acoma Pueblo), and others.

The book contains a useful bibliography. However, there is almost no biographical data on each contemporary author, and very little data on the various nations represented. The book would have been stronger if such data had been included. Still, this is a beautiful and enriching anthology. Topics covered include spirituality, animal and plant life, conflict with Eurocentric culture, Native language loss, and more. Some of the best poems include Joseph Bruchac's moving "Geese Flying over a Prison Sweat Lodge"; Maurice Kenny's sensuous, mystical "Sky Woman"; and Carter Revard's deeply spiritual "What the Eagle Fan Says." I recommend this book both for classroom use and for general reading.

Nice selection of poetry
This collection is a nice cross-section of Native American songs and poetry.It includes everything from traditional lullabyes to works by prominent modern Native American authors.Male and female authors are bothwell represented.This a good introduction for readers unacquainted withthis facet of Native American literature. ... Read more