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Reviews (11)

Tecumseh: A Life...Better the Second Time Around
John Sudgen's "Tecumseh: A Life" is one of the more recent biographies of the famous Shawnee leader. Upon first reading of this book, I was not greatly impressed as the text was rather dry and languid. However, after delving more deeply into other works on Tecumseh's background and history of the War of 1812, I felt this work perhaps deserved another look.

Tecumseh of course is the famous Shawnee war leader who resisted American expansion into the Northwest Territory in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He has been the subject of many books and movies, many of them fanciful presentations of the mythical image that has grown up around the man that many have called the greatest Indian leader of all time. Tecumseh's dream of a powerful pan-Indian confederacy was visionary in scope as he hoped to unite not just a few, but ALL the Indian tribes east of the Missisippi and beyond against the flood of white settlers pouring across the Appalachian Mountains. Tecumseh came closer than any others to succeeding in that vision, but the British defeat in the War of 1812 and Tecumseh's death at the Battle of Moraviantown in 1813 ended that dream forever.

Sudgen's book helps to dispel many of the myths and tries to present the known facts about Tecumseh's life. While not nearly as engaging as Allan Eckert's "A Sorrow In Our Hearts", this book serves as a decent, if still somewhat slow going telling of the life of an undeniably capable leader. Sudgen also takes time to bash research of other historians who have done work on Tecumseh, ostensibly to help clarify the many myths and misconceptions that have grown up around the Shawnee leader in the past 200 hundred years, but the chapter comes off as more of a rant against other authors and diminishes the impact of the book. After reading Sudgen's work, I would recommend checking out not only Eckert's books on Tecumseh, but also "A Wampum Denied" by Sandy Antal and "The Shawnee Prophet" by R. David Edmunds for a more in-depth understanding of Tecumseh's life and times.

A well balanced and thoroughly researched life and times
John Sugden's "Tecumseh" is more than a well researched biography of the great Indian chief; it is also a moving story of the clash of cultures in the Old Northwest in the late 18th and early 19th century. At no time are the Indians portrayed as the "gentle children of nature" oppressed by the wicked white man...a portrayal that has become all too common in our era where history is too often written from the viewpoint of the underclass. Instead, the Indians are portrayed as human beings ( at times noble and at times savage ) struggling to survive the whirlwind of the white world that was destroying their way of life.

Tecumseh's life and character are well documented and his dream of an Indian confederacy, united to resist the American seizure of Indian land, is the centerpiece of the book. Other Indian leaders, as well as Tecumseh's brother The Prophet, figure in the narative, as do the different approaches the various tribes took in dealing with the Big Knives. An understanding of Tecumseh's life is not the only reward derived from a reading of this book. One also comes away with a much deeper understanding of the divisions within the Indian world and the various problems they faced within a way of life on the road to extinction. At the end, one senses the true depth of the tragedy, and gains an admiration for a man of great character and nobility, who gave of all his energy, in an attempt to save his people and their way of life.

Maybe the best on Tecumseh yet
As a history student whose interests are in the Colonial period to the Civil War I was intrigued with this book on Tecumseh. It was well written and very informative of the Shawnee Chief's career. Not only was this a wonderful resource guide but most importantly it was an easy read, which is essential for college students. True, Tecumseh spread a lot of blood on the plains of Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky but his teachings along with his brother Tenskawatawa are the important keys to understanding the will of Tecumseh.

Rehash of better works. Don't bother with this one.
The author says in his preface, "this is the first book on Tecumseh to be grounded in thorough research into the history and historical culture of Tecumseh's people, the Shawnees." Just whom does he think he's kidding? That means he thinks that none of the other authors--such as Bil Gilbert, author of the 1989 biography of Tecumseh entitled GOD GAVE US THIS COUNTRY--did their research. Honestly, Gilbert did a much better job, both in the text and the notes. Sugden's school-marmish style worries more with minor aside details and private agendas than in telling us the story of Tecumseh. Nothing new of note is presented in this mundane work.

Good on facts, but somewhat dry.
This appears to be a thoughly researched book, but could use a little more editing. The author sometimes takes a much-to-long time to make his point (such as the many, many words devoted to whether Tecumseh's mother was maybe a Creek indian--the point is made and then repeated over and over). Also, I thought it would be impossible to make the story of Tecumseh anything but exciting. Sugden does it occasionally, however, and is sometimes a bit dry and even boring at times. A little editing would help here. This book would be better at 3/4 its present length. That said, this book is very good otherwise and is a great historical piece of work; and very enjoyable and readable for the most part. The most irritating thing about the book is Sugden's apparent ego. At the end of the book he lets us know that his research is right, everyone elses is wrong and all other books don't come close to matching his wonderous writings. Leave that part out, Sugden, and I wouldn't been as critical of the rest. This self promotion on Sugden's part ruined the book for me. Knocked the book from a 4 to a 1 for me. One of the books Sugden condemns is Allan Eckert's "A Sorrow in Our Heart." Yes, Eckert's book gets a bit flowery at times, but never is it dry or boring. And both Sugden's and Eckert's books present the same general facts. Only details are different, which could be expected when writing about someone who died nearly 200 years ago. Gee whiz, Sugden, let your work do the talking--why the put down of not only Eckert but seemingly everyone who has wrote of Tecumseh? What are you--the perfect historian? Don't ever get any facts wrong from piles of conflicting research material? And the worst part of it is, you attack the authors of previous works, not the work. If you have found an error in others' work, just say so; why the personal attacks on the authors? You are a little man, Sugden. ... Read more

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Nasdijj is back!
In his previous books, THE BLOOD RUNS LIKE A RIVER THROUGH MY DREAMS & THE BOY AND THE DOG ARE SLEEPING, Nasdijj offered glimpses of his childhood, now in GERONIMO'S BONES he takes you into the crazy, dangerous, pre-politically correct world of alcoholic migrant farmers in 1950s America, when learning to read saved two brothers from certain death.

Learning to read Nasdijj is to learn to listen, all over again, to the raw & lyrical language of the heart & of the soul. He will give your visions & stories which will move you to tears & laughter & to goosebumps of anticipation...& to the cracking open of your safe heart. This time, in his trademark poetic & soul-searing language, he tells us about his younger brother, Tso, & their life on the road & their bond of brotherhood.

GERONIMO'S BONES will take you into two worlds -- the white one where you will find meanness of spirit & paucity of hope, & the Navajo one, where the brothers find their soul, & learn to "walk in beauty".

Rebeccasreads highly recommends anything by this author who powerfully writes about love, without an ounce of sentimentalism, in the rhythms of a master storyteller. His stories will shine in your mind for the rest of your life ... Read more

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Pop Chalee was one of the first Native American women artists to achieve national fame, recognition and commercial success. Her popularity sprang from the strength and charm of her personality as well as her unique artistic style. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

AN OUTSTANDING NATIVE AMERICAN ARTIST
One hallmark of Native American art, a reverence for the earth, is gloriously celebrated in the work of Taos Pueblo artist Pop Chalee, now displayed in a beautiful volume, The World Of Flower Blue.

While it is regrettably true that a score of Native American women artists receive scant attention, Pop Chalee was one of the first to gain national recognition and commercial success. The daughter of a Native American father and Swiss mother, Pop Chalee, who adopted her Tiwa name, Flower Blue, utilized her rich multi cultural heritage to create an enchanted world rooted in ceremonial and daily activities.

It's said that Jackson Pollack, one of the great Abstract Expressionists, may have been influenced by Native American sand paintings, others try to categorize Native American art as expressionism or postmodernism. Chalee's work defies such narrow perimeters, as is seen in her exultant renderings of dancing figures and nature.

A graduate of the noted 1937 class of the Dorothy Dunn Studio at the Santa Fe Indian School, Chalee was trained in what is known as "Traditional Indian Painting," representations of native scenes painted in flat colors with clear outlines. Among the school's goals "was to encourage the study of tribal cultural traditions while allowing for individualism." Chalee was more than an individual, expanding her oeuvre beyond paintings to jewelry, textile designs, and murals.

Chosen by the artist to be her biographer, poet Margaret Cesa has delivered a sympathetic yet candid portrayal, a journey into the world of Native American artists that few visit. In doing so, she, too, helps to smooth the path for those who follow Pop Chalee.

A debt of gratitude is owed to "Flower Blue," who broke down barriers and left the world a rare heritage of magical beauty.

Award Winning Artistic Biography of Native American Painter
Pop Chalee was a Native American artist trained at the Santa Fe School of Indian Art during the seminal 1930s. Her style was traditional, and consequently her work has been ignored in recent years. This book should restore her reputation. Superb color plates. Winner, Border Regional Library Association's 1998 Southwest Book Award. ... Read more

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Reviews (7)

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!!!
I found it very hard to close this book! I was riveted to Chief Mankiller's every word and finished her book still wanting more. Her knowledge of Cherokee history and legend is vast and taught me many things I never knew. Also, her strength and enduring spirit is inspiring to me as a Cherokee. She succeeded, through her own life story, in instilling a new sense of pride in me that has made me become more involved in keeping native american culture alive and well. After reading her book I truly felt proud to be Cherokee. She should be an inspiration to us all. Highly recommended reading!

Our Uncommon and Common Cherokee History by Mankiller
I spent a whole weekend not just reading but absorbing this work of Wilma Mainkiller.On Sunday I could only describe feeling wonderfully enriched by the experience both personally, as a Euro- and Native American person and also as an American. All of us have been denied major parts of our comon American history with the repression of Native American History. The mid section of the book is purely historical, and so much of it was news to me! (I thought that I knew Native history and yet it would prove that I had alot to learn that weekend.) The interection of Cherokee and African American history is fascinating ! It is a reoccuring theme. What history books cover that? The focus is usually Euro-American to Native American, or Euro-American to African-American. At a personal level the experience was tremendous. Putting personal information together with her history, I learned that I have a matrilineal clan affliation (bird). I feel that as the result of her work I myself ,my family, and descendents have connected with something that would have otherwise been lost. Generations ago, two orphaned Cherokee boys were adopted by a white family in Georgia. One later went "white' the other "red". This is not just my personal background. This is a metaphor for so much of American history. Truely, Cherokee culture is the best kept secret in America today, as the author writes. It is our common cultural heritage, like jazz, like democracy. I relish reading other works by this author ! Doris Hale

Excellent account of the history of the Cherokees
First of all, I would encourage anyone who is interested in the history and culture of the Cherokees to read this book. The average American is taught very little about the native peoples who inhabited this land before the white men took over. The first reviewer, gsibbery from Baton Rouge, LA, shows the mentality of most whites today. The native Americans have been trying to share their views and feelings for years but most people do not care to listen, and in general, do not care about the circumstances these people have had to endure. I commend Mrs. Wilma Mankiller for the effort and time she spent in writing this book and I thoroughly enjoyed it and have shared it with others. I think we all need to try to see things from another's perspective sometimes. It was a great book!!

Interesting
I enjoyed reading about Wilma Mankiller and her activities to better the lot of her people. She is obviously a very strong woman with deeply-held beliefs and convictions which she does her best to apply in everyday life. Still, there was more than a hint of modern-day victim mentality, which considering the culture that she has come from is sort of insulting. The identification with the past generations of Indians does little to help her cause. Tradition and heritage may be important to some people, but it's hard not to scoff when you hear her say "I feel the pain of my ancestors". Maybe she does, in a small way, but it's also a clever political tactic that I don't altogether approve of. Native Americans need to learn to move forward instead of always moaning about how they were forced under by superior numbers. So much of this seems like whining that it can be a little hard to take in places, especially considering that Native American culture before the whites came was no less brutal than that of their oppressors. Still, this was an interesting sojourn into a little-known aspect of American politics and culture that few are aware of. All in all not a bad book, although it could be better.

An enlightening version of Cherokee history and a woman.
The author does an excellent job of reviewing Cherokee history and explaining how the Cherokee individual has assimilated into today's American culture. It was pointed out that education has always been highly valued in the Cherokee tradition and the tribe has remained alive and well because culture never dies when there is communication. The Cherokee people highly value the history of their matriarchs. Women were respected and valued in the tribe. That tradition has surfaced in this century with the leadership of Ms. Mankiller. On a personal note, it was enlightening that Wilma shared much of her personal life with us, the readers. She is blessed to have found a life-partner with Charlie. He comes from a good family. I used to watch the Soap boys play basketball in school. Thanks for a good book about a great people. ... Read more

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The Storyteller
Thomas King in the Truth About Stories provides us with a Refreshing and Wonderful collection of Stories to be Enjoyed and Savored. Elegantly Simple reflections of Life are are offered to us with Creative Vibrancy. This book is truly a Magickal Journey through Thomas Kings literary River of Life. The Flow of Spirit throughout these Stories makes this an Absorbing and Captivating Journey.

The Truth About Stories is a Wonderful Gem of Depth and Versatility. Kings Landscapes of Layered Dimensions show us the Pride , Courage , Honour and Integrity of Indiigenous Peoples. This book is a Gift and a Blessing Pulsating with Life. Drink Deeply from these Literary Waters as the Words will Nourish your Spirit. The Thoughts and Feelings expressed in this book are Worthy of High Regard.

Mr.King should be Applauded for Sharing the Stories within his Heart. Each Story is a Teaching from the Spirit whose Unique Flavor quenches ones thirst for Meaning and Wisdom. Thomas King has a Unique Brand of Creativity which Celebrates Life and Invites Inspiration. These Stories are a Vibrant Seascape of Imagination , a True Delight for the Mind.

Thank you Thomas King.

I have Heard this Story and I will Live my Life Differently! ... Read more

Book Description

The year is 1892. An Iñupiat Eskimo mother finds herself far from the village at winter camp. And now her husband has died. Although Qutuuq (coo-took) is far along in pregnancy, and her children are only seven and nine, the little family sets out toward the Bering Sea coast. Weak from effort and starvation, they plod along each bend in the frozen river until Qutuuq goes into labor. Certain that her own death is imminent, the woman makes a decision that will haunt her forever. Likewise, this powerful narrative will haunt readers long after they close the book.

Shared by Qutuuq's great-granddaughter, this true story has been handed down from generation to generation in a culture sustained by its oral history. Family photos round out our understanding of harsh living in this remote region.

Loretta Outwater Cox is an Iñupiaq woman, born in Nome, Alaska, and raised in various villages around the Seward Peninsula. She holds a bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree in education administration. Now retired, Loretta taught school in western Alaska for twenty-three years. She and her husband, Skip, have three children and three grandchildren. ... Read more

Book Description

A disillusioned young man journeys to a remote Greek island in search of renewal. By chance, he is introduced to an elderly hermit who over time helps him in his quest. This sage turns out to be none other than Robert Lax, major spiritual poet of the 20th century and friend of Thomas Merton (Merton’s classic autobio-graphy of faith, The Seven Storey Mountain, mentions Lax more often than any other contemporary.)

The Way of the Dreamcatcher relates the story of a unique friendship between the hermit Robert Lax and a young Californian, Steve Georgiou, as they talk about art, faith, spirit and commitment during their visits spanning a period of seven years.On the holy island of Patmos, where St. John wrote The Book of Revelation nearly 2,000 years ago, a contemporary young man experienced his own revelations with the help of a creative mentor steeped in ancient and modernspiritual traditions.

The result is a fascinating portrait of the man that Thomas Merton said "was born with the deepest sense of who God is." It is also a fascinating book about a young searcher who encounters deep wisdom and affectionate mentoring at an important time in his life. ... Read more

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Spirit lessons from Patmos
The author has written a fine book about Robert Lax and about most of the issues that come up in discussions of the spiritual life. Lax, who passed away in 2000, was an elderly hermit-poet who lived on the island of Patmos in Greece. The author is an artist-theologian, a California type who finds in Lax a kindred spirit with whom he spends many hours. In the first chapter we find out much about Lax's early life, his education, and how he came to Patmos, where he spent the last 35 years of his life. This is followed by two chapters that give the essence of Lax's philosophy of art. Here we learn how he developed his own minimalist style. The next chapter is more directly devoted to the spiritual life, and here the central element is, as it should be, love, which includes our relation to transcendence (God) and also the way we treat each other. In their conversations Lax and Georgiou return frequently to the idea of love. They both believe strongly in it. The book is well written and it is an enjoyable read. Definitely recommended.

The Way of the Dreamcatcher
The Way of the Dreamcatcher is deceptively easy to read - it flows and it is very easy to go with the flow. And going with the flow is a major theme running through the book as Steve Georgiou records his conversations with Thomas Merton's friend and contemporary from Columbia days, Robert Lax. The book is organised into what appear to be four conversations loosely titled 'Origins,' 'Craft,' 'Art' and 'Spirit' and sandwiched between a prologue and an epilogue and with a brief forward by Patrick Hart - Merton's secretarial assistant at Gethsemani at the time he left for Asia in 1968. The conversations range far and wide discussing Lax's life and how he came to be a hermit on the Greek island of Patmos. Along they way they talk about writing, miracles, heaven & hell, life after death, angels, dreams and the purifying properties of yoghurt! And much more besides. Jack Kerouac and the Beats, and Bob Dylan too. And, of course, Thomas Merton. Lax does most of the talking, prompted and guided by Georgiou's questions, comments and contributions - so in a way it's his book as much as it is Georgiou's.

For me reading the book was like a breath of fresh air (a cliché, I know, but true) - it completely transported me out of my own world with its immediate concerns and tribulations, and I found myself with the young disciple and the sage, listening to their evening conversation as the fire flickered in the hermitage overlooking the port town of Skala on the sacred isle of Patmos. "Go with the flow" is the major message that comes through - become who you are, find out a little more everyday about who you are and become that person. Like the ageing hermit of the Aegean, living his simple life, writing his poems, becoming a little more holy everyday. As I said, deceptively easy. But I also found the book tremendously challenging - in a gentle but insistent way. It made me ask questions about my own life and why I do what I do. Questions about who I am. And more than that it raises disturbing questions about the world and culture in which we live, the culture of activity and busy-ness, the strenuous struggle to survive. Going with the flow is all very well on the tranquillity of Patmos but how do you go with the flow when everyday existence is a raging torrent? The answers are not contained in this book though there are plenty of hints and pointers - perhaps not least the need to be asking the questions in the first place. ... Read more

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A world-renowned Pomo basket weaver and medicine woman,Mabel McKayexpressed her genius through her celebrated baskets, her Dreams, hercures, andthe stories with which she kept her culture alive. She spent her lifeteachingothers how the spirit speaks through the Dream, how the spirit heals,and howthe spirit demands to be heard. Greg Sarris weaves together stories from Mabel McKay's life with anaccount ofhow he tried, and she resisted, telling her story straightthe whitepeople'sway. Sarris, an Indian of mixed-blood heritage, finds his own story inhissearch for Mabel McKay's. Beautifully narrated, Weaving the Dreaminitiates thereader into Pomo culture and demonstrates how a woman who worked most ofherlife in a cannery could become a great healer and an artist whosebaskets werecollected by the Smithsonian. Hearing Mabel McKay's life story, we see that distinctions betweenmaterial andspiritual and between mundane and magical disappear. What remains is atimelessway of healing, of making art, and of being in the world. ... Read more

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Great book
I read this book for an anthropology class that i am taking, and i found it to be very good. We get a first hand account of what role Mable McKay played for the Pomo Indians as a medicine women and as a basket weaver. Everything that she did was for a purpose, even though at times she had to deal with not everyone accepting her. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in Native American ways of life ... Read more

Amazon.com

American Indian Ballerinas includes authorized mini biographies of ballerinas Rosella Hightower, Yvonne Chouteau, Maria Tallchief (who recently published her autobiography), and her sister Marjorie Tallchief. All four dancers share a common ethnicity (Native American) and state of origin (Oklahoma), and all came to prominence at the roughly the same time, the 1940s-1960s--though the four had markedly different temperaments. Without working too hard to compare them, the book shows how their common heritage of dance and spirituality suffused their respective artistic careers. ... Read more

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Fascinating
This book gives a very nice over-view of the four American Indian Ballerinas, tracing their careers and rise to stardom in a parallel fashion. You get a sense of where each dancer was in her training and her performance years with respect for the others. The easy going style paints a clear and accurate picture that dancers and non-dancers alike can enjoy. ... Read more

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The tale of a Native elder, by her adoptive daughter.

Abandoned by her mother when she was three years old, Mary Elizabeth Thunder survived abuse, a broken marriage, and a heart attack to become one of the most highly esteemed leaders in the Native American movement -- healer, visionary, teacher, and chosen successor in a native tradition. Her story is also the true tale of a remarkable elder, Grandma Grace Spotted Eagle, who adopted her and guided her to spiritual awakening as a messenger. At once harrowing and uplifting, this memoir takes us from her early life and experiences with the legendary elders Chief Leonard Crow Dog, Wallace Black Elk, and Rolling Thunder, through a near-death experience that utterly transformed her, to nine remarkable years spent traveling America by van, culminating in her inclusion in the Sun Dance, one of the world's oldest and most venerable initiation ceremonies.Intimate, painfully honest, essentially and overwhelmingly spiritual, this is a book about a woman's quest for meaning amid two cultures and a compelling account of the visionary underpinnings of Native American life. ... Read more

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The best book about learning by walking Nativ Tradition
What I like the most about this book is that Mary Thunder tells us all about her mistakes that she made walking this path. It is a very honnest book and the writer shows us what it means to be a Human Being.Even when we are a Spiritual Person, she shows us we are not perfect. A very personal book, I could not stop reading so I finished it at once. There is a lot of funny stories in there.

An open and revealing book about Native American magic
It is highly uncommon to find an humble visionary, but that is exactly what you will find in this book, coupled with a witty and sharp perspective that strikes home to us all. A real Native American Medicine Woman's life adventure, coupled with a good dash of her own teaching for those of you who are wanting to learn. A New-Age must for all who are seeking a way to reach beyond what you can see, into what you know is really there!!!

Spiritualy onest
With this book ,Mary Thunder reawakens the heart. Her life is a model of endurance and faith ,in addition,her training as a Lakota warrior is the kee that opens the doors of awareness. ... Read more

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This life history of a Navajo leader, recorded in the 1960s and first published in 1977, is a classic work in the study of Navajo history and religious traditions.

"A skillful, meticulous, and altogether praiseworthy contribution to Navajo studies. . . . Although the focus of Mitchell’s autobiography is upon his role as a Blessingway singer, there is much material here on Navajo history and culture in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Mitchell attended the government school at Fort Defiance, worked on the railroad in Arizona, served as a handyman and interpreter at several trading posts and the Franciscan missions, and later served as a tribal councilman in the 1930s and as a judge in the 1940s and 1950s. His observations on these experiences are relevant to our understanding of contemporary Navajo life."—Lawrence C. Kelly, Western Historical Quarterly ... Read more

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Indispensable companion to Black Elk Speaks
Steltenkamp does a superb job of describing Black Elk's years as a devout Catholic -- Black Elk converted in 1904 and remained a praying Christian until his death in 1950 -- and demonstrating that the Lakota holy man's Christianity was an organic continuation of his earlier years as a Lakota traditionalist. This book thus provides a necessary complement to Black Elk Speaks, which avoids discussing the second half of Black Elk's life. Not to be missed by anyone who wants to learn about the real Black Elk -- and thus give a great saint and prophet his due.

Was Black Elk a Noble Savage?
This is a mild revisionist biography of Black Elk. The account has a definite ring of truth. The book received the *Alpha Sigma Nu Award* in 1994. Based on extensive ethnohistorical research of archival sources and extensive interviews with the daughter of Black Elk, author Steltenkamp (who has a Ph.D. in anthropology) shows that many of the biographies of Black Elk are highly mythologized. Most interesting, it turns out that Black Elk was a committed Catholic and Christian missionary to his own people for the last 46 years of his life (he died in 1950 at about age 90). Why did the previous biographers fail to tell that? Why keep secret that Black Elk was a Christian? Steltenkamp concludes that it would have compromised his Indianness. For example, John Neihardt, who wrote the classic biography *Black Elk Speaks* (1932)--which I personally read several times by the time I had graduated from high school in 1953--avoided the issue by focusing on Black Elk's 19th century life. (Black Elk participated as a teenager in the Custer Massacre and witnessed the 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee.) Neihardt instead "highlighted 'the end of the trail' and 'vanishing American' themes" (19, xiv). Steltenkamp reviews the work of the Jesuit missionaries among the Lakota in a good light. He leads his reader to understand the lay public's bias against missionaries, seeing them as part of the ethnocide of the Lakota, and how the mythological accounts of Black Elk, the "traditionalist who will lead his people back to cultural revival," supports this view. But of course if Black Elk was a Christian trying to lead his people into American Catholicism, this would ruin everything. Like the famous Chief Seattle (see the July 1993 issue of Reader's Digest), Black Elk was used to perpetuate false romantic myths of Noble Savages. key words: missiology, ecological Noble Savage, revisionism, myth of primitive harmony, New Ageism, idealization of primitivity

A Truly Unique Representation of the famous Oglala Sioux
Michael F. Steltenkamps research of this widely researched Indian is a fascinating for lack of a better word. He shows the man's later coversion to Catholicism in the 60 years following "Black Elk Speaks." A great resource!

Read this book as an example of an author's religious bias.
Steltenkamp continues the tradition of looking at Indians through the lens of Christian prejudice. The book neglects to explore the fact that Black Elk's daughter, Lucy, was kept from any knowledge of Nick Black Elk's medicine training and practice. Nor does the text examine the shame and shock inducing behavior of the Christian priest who barged into the middle of Black Elk's healing of a patient, discarding the healer's tools, ridiculing him and depriving the patient of healing, literally yanking him out of practice, nor the other priests who continued to badger this medicine man, (a man revered by his people) until he gave in for the safety of his family. The book also fails to give the details behind the fact that Lucy's brother was knowledgeble about and supportive of Nick's practice as a medicine man. For those who are willing to give the text a close reading, you'll see how the author unwittingly reveals the methods of Christian clerics' destruction of an ancient culture, the results of that destruction, and how Nick Black Elk, deposed and put in service of the priests, was at least able to tap their pockets and provide for his family. As an example of yet another writer's Christian bias toward the Indians with examples of their brainwashing and coercion, so thorough, that even the child of this famous healer was kept in the dark about the truth of her own father, this book is worth a read.

A realistic, non-commercial, likely unpopular,portrayal!
I was required to read an excerpt of Neihardt's work on Black Elk. Choosing, as usual, to go beyond the scope of my text, I searched carefully for a meaningful book about Black Elk, and this was certainly it! I was so fascinated by the fact that the two most popular books written about Black Elk "conveniently" didn't address the last 60 years of his life, and failed to mention that he had totally rejected his "Holy Man" status in favor of embracing Catholicism. How fortunate we are that the author, Michael Steltenkamp, connected with Black Elk's only surviving daughter and was able, at her insistence, to set the record straight. Had this not occurred, we would likely still buy into the fallacies of other, earlier publications touted as the authorotative sources not only about Black Elk's life, but holding his life as they portrayed it as the standard for Native Americans! We learn that Black Elk was NOT a teary eyed, old Indian, pining away for pre-reservation days, awaiting death at any moment, but that he lived, and lived FULLY, embracing the new world around him. While this portrayal is probably not when Indian Movement Advocates want to acknowledge, it is a fair, balanced, accurate portrayal, carefully researched and corroborated. My appreciation to Mr. Steltenkamp for his diligence in undertaking this project. This word was extremely stimulating and thought provoking. ... Read more

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Book Description

My Life at San Juan Pueblo is a rich, rewarding, and uplifting collection of personal and cultural stories from a master of her craft. Esther Martinez's tales brim with entertaining characters that embody her Native American Tewa culture and its wisdom about respect, kindness, and positive attitudes. Sure to bring a smile to readers of all ages, this enchanting glimpse of an oral tradition passed from grandfather to granddaughter also features a CD of the stories as told by Esther Martinez herself. ... Read more

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In this fair-minded and highly readable book, Victoria Freeman traces her European ancestors’ involvement in settling lands occupied by indigenous peoples in what would become New England and Ontario. It is a story of land fraud, broken treaties, displacement, massacre, and warfare, yet Freeman portrays her forebears with compassion and understanding. The result is a meticulously researched history, filled with photos and maps and a passionate discussion of how whites and American Indians have worked with, fought, courted, befriended — and, too often, killed — one another over four centuries. Among other memorable characters, readers meet Thomas Stanton, a fur trader who participated in a genocidal war against the Pequots and later became one of the most trusted intermediaries between the colonists and the Native Americans. "[Freeman] puts a uniquely personal spin on 400 years of ethnic cleansing by tracing her own family’s role as perpetrators." — Toronto Star ... Read more

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From a Boy to A Man
This book is a great compilation of the story of a young Indianboy who grows up to learn the traditions of his family. It was veryinformative and a great read. It would also be beneficial for people intereted in Native American history or just those wanting to read a good novel. ... Read more

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A review of Two Leggings
This book was prepared by Nabokov from notes from interviews between the ethnographer and collector Wildschut and the aged Crow warrior Two Leggings. Those looking for a general account of plains Indian life in the mid to late 19th century may be disappointed. This book deals almost solely with Two Leggings spirtual pursuit of 'power' or 'medicine' to give him success in horse raids. And by extension status within his tribal society. The book highlights the significance of dreams to the Plains Indian and the impact they had on the real world. The book documents Two Leggings various attempts to acquire 'power' through fasting or vision quests and also gives accounts of numerous horse raids he made against his tribal enemies. The end of the days of freedom on the plains and the reservation period are largely ignored for, as far as Two Leggings was concerned, nothing of interest happened after the buffalo disappeared and horse raiding ended.

All in all an excellent book which reveals how the spritual world and warfare were so interwoven in the mind of the Plains Indian. ... Read more

Book Description

Government officials and missionaries wanted all Sioux men to become self-sufficient farmers, wear pants, and cut their hair. The Indians, confronted by a land-hungry white population and a loss of hunting grounds, sought to exchange title to their homeland for annuities of cash and food, schools and teachers, and farms and agricultural knowledge.By 1862 the Sioux realized that their extensive kinship network and religion were in jeopardy and that the government would not fulfill its promises.

With their way of life endangered, the Sioux turned to Little Crow to lead them in a war for self-preservation, a war that Little Crow had tried to avoid during most of his adult life.Within a year, the Sioux had been evicted from Minnesota, Little Crow was dead, and a way of life had vanished.Through his life-his biography-the complex interrelationship of Indian and white can be studied and, in some measure, understood. ... Read more

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Seminal Work on Little Crow
Gary C. Anderson is an expert on Dakota/Sioux history. His doctoral dissertation, published under the title "Kinsmen of Another Kind," discussed Dakota/White relations from the 17th to the 19th century. In "Through Dakota Eyes," Anderson collected dozens of Indian narratives concerning the 1862 Dakota uprising in Southeastern Minnesota. This book, "Little Crow: Spokesman for the Sioux," finds Anderson delving deep into the archives in order to present a better picture of that enigmatic Dakota chief Taoyateduta, known to history as Little Crow.

The main thesis of Anderson's "Kinsmen of Another Kind" was the importance of kinship ties within the Dakota tribes as well as with outsiders. Traders formed kinship ties with the Dakota because the ties allowed the traders to use the Dakotas to gather furs for them. Dakotas benefited from kinship ties because the ties involved gift giving. Whites had to give gifts to the Dakotas if they wanted to maintain trade and relations. As more and more whites moved into the region, kinship ties slowly disintegrated because whites no longer needed to deal with the Dakotas on an equal basis. It is important to understand these kinship ties when reading "Little Crow," as Anderson again makes these relationships central to his study.

Anderson begins his biographical analysis of Little Crow with an overview of Dakota culture. According to Anderson, it is impossible to understand anything about Little Crow's life and actions unless we understand his cultural underpinnings. Anderson discusses hunting, gift giving, medicine sacks and medicine societies, Dakota religion, and the role of a chief in Dakota society (chiefs, according to Anderson, held little actual power over the warriors; it was the position of speaker that held greater power, something Little Crow found out when he led the Dakota warriors during the 1862 uprising).

Little Crow's life is truly fascinating. Anderson discusses in great depth the role of Little Crow's grandfather and father in their relations with the Americans at Fort Snelling. Little Crow's grandfather and father took an accommodationist stance towards white encroachment on Dakota lands, trying to toe the fine line between keeping the Dakota people happy while dealing with the whites. Anderson argues that Little Crow, despite the bad reputation he earned due to the uprising, was an accommodationist just like his father and grandfather. Time and time again, Little Crow worked with the white Indian agents and soldiers to try and benefit his people. Little Crow was intimately involved in signing several treaties with the government, worked hard to placate the government after the Inkpaduta affair of 1857, and tried to prevent war in 1862. That Little Crow failed in his dealings with the government and failed to stop the uprising is certainly a tragedy, but should not overshadow his attempts to do the right thing for his people. Ultimately, no Dakota leader could have prevented the coming doom.

Little Crow is best known for the destructive war against whites in 1862. Anderson covers the war and its aftermath in succinct detail. Actually, this may be the best account of the war I have read. Anderson discusses Little Crow's failure to successfully organize his warriors, his failure to gain support with mixed-blood and Upper Agency Indians, and his failure to form an Indian alliance during his exile in North Dakota and Canada. When Little Crow returned to Minnesota in 1863, he knew his time was short. Little Crow died from a gunshot wound while picking berries with his son. Little Crow's remains, horribly mutilated by angry whites, ended up on display at the Minnesota Historical Society until the 1970's, when they were finally given a proper burial.

Anderson claims that Little Crow was an opportunist, a scheming sort of politician who always helped out because he wanted to elevate his own position within Dakota society. Anderson cites as evidence newspaper interviews with Little Crow which revealed Little Crow's propensity for pithy statements and his need for constant attention. That Little Crow had a knack for oratory should come as no surprise; he was a chief, and chiefs constantly debated issues with other leaders in the tribe. But is Little Crow a politician? I don't think so, at least not in the way we perceive the term. Is it possible that newspaper and other white accounts of the time framed Little Crow in terms whites understood? After all, documents show that many whites had no real conception about the true nature of Indians in the 19th century. White relations with Indians were based on a fundamental set of assumptions, most of them racist and false. To paint Little Crow as a sort of Huey Long type teeters dangerously close to error. After all, Dakota culture emphasized communitarian values, not the sort of individualistic elevation Anderson says Little Crow sought.

Anderson ends the book with an appendix discussing Little Crow's genealogy. This section is the most difficult part of the book due to the intricate relationships within Indian families and tribes. Terms like "father" and "cousin" do not carry the same connotation in Indian culture as they do in ours. A father's brothers can all be "fathers" to an Indian, and "cousins" are even more convoluted. A genealogical chart of Little Crow's family at the back of the book makes a medieval royal house look like a nuclear family. These genealogies are necessary to back up Anderson's claim that kinship is central to tribal life.

This is a scholarly book that manages to entertain while it teaches. It is definitely a must have for those seeking a deeper understanding of the Dakota tribes, or for those interested in the Minnesota uprising of 1862. If you don't come away with some sense of admiration for Little Crow, despite his failures, you did not read the same book I did.

Smooth read, good scholarship, realistic, compassionate.
Little Crow, Spokesman For the Sioux is a reissuing of a well-researched biography of the famous Mdewakanton chief from Kaposia (Minnesota), presented complete with period drawings, illustrations, and maps as well as an exhaustive genealogy of Little Crow (Appendix 2) which helps to explain his complicated series of alliances and growth to power. Little Crow, or Ta-o-ya-te-du-ta is presented as a reluctant war leader and a persistent accommodater, politician and tribal spokesman, a position earned partly by blood and good alliances and partly by sacrifice and risk. The Mdewakanton's experience of betrayal, disillusionment, cultural displacement and dissolution in the war of 1862 is central to the life experience of Little Crow. His death is presented as a metaphor for his life and that of his people. In "The Last Campaign" it is asked why Little crow returned to the Minnesota Frontier in September of 1862, where it was almost certain that he would be killed. Though he spoke of obtaining a horse for each of his children, it seems more plausible that he willingly headed towards his death as a deliberate sacrifice, being blamed for the war by both whites and Mdewakanton Sioux.

This is the tragedy of Little Crow's life.

Faithful to the conclusions suggested by his richly varied sources, Anderson presents a realistic yet compassionate portrayal of a great Mdewakanton chief. This is a scholarly work that reads smoothly and gives good tapestry detail. Colored plates of paintings enrich the text.

Nancy Lorraine, Reviewer

No longer just a name
I live in the city of Hutchinson, MN in McLeod County. Six miles north of this city is a marker identifying the site where Little Crow was shot by a local farmer. The farmer had no idea who he was shooting at, just that it was an Indian and he would collect a bounty for his scalp.

Our city has a bronze statue of Little Crow looking out over the Crow River near the dam on the Main Street. Up until the time that I read this book, that summed up most of what I knew of Little Crow, the Sioux legend. We choose to drop the name Sioux that was given this people by our own ancestors, the Ojibwe. In our language it means "Snake". Their word for themselves is Dakota. It means "Friend".

Now I feel as though I know him as a man. I know of his character, his integrity, his family, his people. I know a great wrong was done.

At the present time there is a group of people involved in planning and hosting a reconciliation and restitution concerning the events that touched this city in regards to Taoyateduta (Little Crow) and his people. A direct descendant of Taoyateduta (meaning His Red Nation) and a direct descendant of the man who shot him will be part of the event, asking forgiveness of one another. It is never too late to say, "I'm sorry. Will you forgive?"

This book has been instrumental in opening the door to the healing of this ancient wound that is still alive in many hearts.

The Life & Times of Little Crow, Spokesman for the Dakota
This is the story of the life and times of Little Crow, the man chosen to speak for the Dakota nation. He was one of the principal men who went to Washington, D.C. working on treaty negotiations for his people.

The Dakota people had suffered treaty abuses for many years, losing vast tracts of land with each treaty. The many treaties made between the Dakota Nation and the United States were soon broken. Money promised by treaty never made it intact to the Dakota people, being siphoned off by greedy merchants and military personnel. The small sums which finally arrived late were never enough to cover the inflated prices set by the traders. Those same traders tricked the Dakota people into signing papers which forced the available monies directly to the traders pockets, bypassing the Dakota people entirely.

Speculators were selling off parcels left and right before the treaties were even signed. With encroachment, the natural dynamics of the land were destroyed, ruining the traditional hunting and gathering places. With no traditional food sources available, the Dakota were forced to buy from the traders.

One fatal year, during the Civil War, the treaty monies were extremely late. The traders would not allow the abundant food in the storehouses to be distributed without payment in hand. The people were starving. Desperate men, worried about their families, took matters into their own hands to liberate the food stored in the warehouses.

The Dakota went to war, up & down the Minnesota river valley forcing the inadequate army through it's paces. Individual warriors went on raids against the local settlers while the majority of the warriors organized themselves into war parties against the army.

Hundreds of Dakota warriors were tricked into surrendering as prisoners of war and imprisoned. Their families were impounded in miserable stockades. Those warriors who could, took their families and fled to Canada and the plains.

The Minnesota settlers demanded that all the warriors be summarily executed. The mock military trial comdemned any man who had participated in the war to death. Of the hundreds of men captured, 38 were hanged in Mankato in a mass execution the day after Christmas. The remaing warriors were imprisoned for up to five years before being released. Their families were shipped out to Crow Creek in South Dakota where they died of starvation and disease.

Little Crow was blamed for starting the War and a price put on his head. He had escaped to Canada, but had come back at a later time with his son. They were picking berries when some settlers saw them and shot Little Crow.

Little Crow was dead. His body was mutilated and his bones were kept in the Minnesota Historical Museum collections for far too many years.

... Read more

Reviews (6)

Gain an understanding of the Sioux way of thinking
A beautiful book. You can learn about Siuox religious practie and beliefs. The reader will come away with a sense of how similar religios faiths can be. The Sioux it turns out are not so different from Christians, Hindus or any other group that uses faith to guide people through what is both difficult and beautiful in life.

Rituals Described in Great Detail
I recommend reading this book if you are interested in the rituals and culture of the Lakota. It provides clear and interesting discussions of major rituals that form important components of their way of life. The material is drawn largely from interviews with Black Elk, and the writing really explains significance of important details in the various practices. The book also provides a good basis for understanding how the cultural practices fit into Lakota history. This book is also a fine one to read in relation to "Black Elk Speaks," "The 6th Grandfather," and "When the Tree Flowered."

If you want peace, read this book
Joseph Epes Brown was fortunate in meeting men who possessed great human and spiritual qualities, especially Black Elk who had a unique quality of power, kindliness and sense of mission. Born in 1862, Black Elk grew up when his people had the freedom of the plains, hunted bison; he fought at Little Bighorn and at Wounded Knee Creek and knew Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, Red Cloud, and American Horse. He traveled with Buffalo Bill to Italy, France and England. During his youth Black Elk was instructed in the sacred love of his people by Whirlwind Chaser, Black Road and Elk Head from whom he learned the history and deep meanings of his people's spiritual heritage. Through prayer, fasting and deep understanding of his heritage, Black Elk became a wise man, receiving visions and acquiring special powers to be used for the good of his nation. Because of his sense of mission Black Elk wanted this book to be written so that the reader could gain a better understanding of the truths of the Indian traditions.

In his foreword Black Elk tells us: "There is much talk of peace among the Christians, yet this is just talk. Perhaps it may be, and this is my prayer, through our sacred pipe, and through this book in which I shall explain what our pipe really is, peace may come to those people who can understand, an understanding which must be of the heart and not of the head alone. Then they will realize that we Indians know the One true God, and that we pray to Him continually. I have wished to make this book through no other desire than to help my people in understanding the greatness and truth of our own tradition, and also to help in bringing peace upon the earth, not only among men, but within men and between the whole of creation."

The wisdom of the Indians is based on such concepts as "The Earth is your Grandmother and Mother, and She is sacred. Every step that is taken upon her should be as a prayer" and "Every dawn as it comes is a holy event, every day is holy." The Indians developed their own religion based on the gift of the sacred pipe given by a very beautiful woman who approached two Lakota Indians out hunting. One of them had bad intentions and he and the mysterious woman were wrapped in a cloud. When the cloud lifted the sacred woman was standing there and at her feet was the man who was nothing but bones and terrible snakes were eating him. Black Elk interpreted this as an eternal truth: "Any man who is attached to the senses and to the things of this world, is one who lives in ignorance and is being consumed by snakes which represent his own passions." The mysterious woman presented the tribe with a pipe and stone, explaining the significance of the gift. On her departure she said to the Standing Hollow Horn: "Behold this pipe! Always remember how sacred it is, and treat it as such, for it will take you to the end. Remember, in me there are four ages. I am leaving now, but I shall look back upon your people in every age, and at the end I shall return." These four ages find a parallel in the Hindu tradition during which true spirituality becomes increasingly obscured until the cycle closes with catastrophe, after which the primordial spirituality is restored and the cycle begins once again.

Through the rite of the keeping of the soul, the Indians purified the souls of the dead and increased love for one another. This rite is followed by the rite of purification, known to us as the sacred lodge. The ritual of "Crying for a Vision" was used long before the coming of the sacred pipe. Crazy Horse received most of his power through "lamenting" or crying for a vision for some great event or ordeal such as going on the war path. "But perhaps the most important reason for 'lamenting' is that it helps us to realize our oneness with all things, to know that all things are our relatives; and then in behalf of all things we pray to Wakan-Tanka that He may give to us knowledge of Him who is the source of all things, yet greater than all things." Chapters are devoted to the Sun dance - one of the greatest rites; to "The making of Relatives" reflecting the relationship between man and Wakan-Tanka; preparing a girl for womanhood; and the rite of "The Throwing of the ball." Through these ceremonies we learn how the Sioux have come to terms with God, nature and their fellow man.

If you question the superiority and validity of the goals of western society; if you are conducting a self-examination; if you are re-evaluating the premises and orientations of our society; if you are concerned about our environmental crisis; if you are concerned about the problems created by highly developed technology; if you are questioning our basic values concerning life, nature and the destiny of man; if you are open to look at the models represented by the American Indians; if you want talk about peace to become action about peace you will find something of value in this book.

A work of the Great Spirit
Black Elk has channeled a deeply spiritual work from the Great Spirit, and in my mind will become another of the worlds holiest scriptures. Black Elk has lifted his self to saint hood right alongside the great ones. I love his work. I would recommend this book to all spiritual aspirants.

The whole of creation is essentially one, all parts within the whole are related...realize that at the center dwells Wakan Tanka, and that center is really everywhere, it is within each of us... May we walk with love and mercy upon the path which is holy... "Mita kuye oyasin!"

Wonderful Book!
Mr. Brown actualy lived with Ben Black Elk's family for a period of time while gathering material for this book, and he has the accurate information.

This book has several nice photos of the famous holy man Nick Black Elk.

Questions or comments E-Mail me. Two Bears

Wah doh Ogedoda ... Read more