Best of
Native-Americans

1999

All Our Relations: Native Struggles for Land and Life


Winona LaDuke - 1999
    Hers is a beautiful and daring vision of political, spiritual, and ecological transformation."All Our Relations" features chapters on the Seminoles, the Anishinaabeg, the Innu, the Northern Cheyenne, and the Mohawks, among others."One of the pleasures of reading "All Our Relations" is discovering the unique voices of Native people, especially Native women, speaking in their own Native truths."-"Women's Review of Books"..".as Winona LaDuke describes, in moving and often beautiful prose, [these] misdeeds are not distant history but are ongoing degradation of the cherished lands of Native Americans."-"Public Citizen News"..".a rare perspective on Native history and culture."-"Sister to Sister/S2S""Hers is a beautiful and daring vision of political, spiritual, and ecological transformation. "All Our Relations" is essential reading for everyone who cares about the fate of the Earth and indigenous peoples."-"Winds of Change""No ragtag remnants of lost cultures here. Strong voices of old, old cultures bravely trying to make sense of an Earth in chaos."-"Whole Earth"

RavenShadow: An Adventure of the Spirit


Win Blevins - 1999
    Time, that big boss that runs the white world. Time, which pushes you hither and yon like dust in front of a broom. Yet you are insensitive to the larger grander motions of time made by the natural world—whether the tide is in or out, the moon new or full, when cows are calving, when ice rims the creeks, when willows are green and supple…most of all you know nothing of timelessness. I say this with a shamed face. I have lived that way myself.”Before he was born, Joseph was chosen to carry the sacred ways of his Sioux people. But, instead of walking the good, Red Road of his people, or even the thorny Black Road, he put his feet on the White Road of basketball and booze, women and the blues.Awaking at nearly forty, a man who has lost himself, Joseph seeks redemption. He sets out again on the path of the sweat lodge, the vision quest, and the sacred pipe. The journey delivers him to Wounded Knee, where is must relive the trials of his ancestors, and through his visions understand the past and heal the present.“Historical detail serves a charming treasure.”- Kirkus Reviews”Blue finds himself, but the reader finds even more in Blevins's tales of Lakota lore and his reexamination of one of the darkest episodes in American history. Blevins's prose is razor-sharp, his characters are clearly defined, and his heart, like so many, is at Wounded Knee. An outstanding novel."--Booklist“RavenShadow has the impact of a hurled war lance."--Dee Brown, author of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

The Visitant


Kathleen O'Neal Gear - 1999
    Maureen Coles finds herself excavating a mass grave in New Mexico filled with the brutalized bodies of women and children.From the internationally bestselling authors of People of the Masks comes a novel of terrifying power about madness and murder eight hundred years ago.

Spirit and Reason: The Vine Deloria, Jr. Reader


Vine Deloria Jr. - 1999
    Author of such classics as Red Earth, White Lies, and God is Red, Deloria takes readers on a momentous journey through Indian country and beyond by exploring some of the most important issues of the past three decades. The essays gathered here are wide-ranging and essential and include representative pieces from some of Deloria's most influential books, some of his lesser-known articles, and ten new pieces written especially for Spirit & Reason. Tellingly, in the course of reviewing his body of work, Deloria found much that he had written in the past remained current and compelling because "people have not made much progress in resolving issues." Whether disputing theories of religion and science, examining the problems of modern education, or expounding on our understanding of the world, Deloria consistently urges readers toward an intimate connection with the world in which we live. For those familiar with Deloria's works as well as those discovering him for the first time, this essential anthology will teach, provoke, and enlighten in equal measure.

Spirit's Song


Madeline Baker - 1999
    And he was the best darn tracker in the territory. For the half-breed bounty hunter, it was an easy choice. His had been a hard life, with little to show for it except his horse, his Colt, and his scars. The pampered, brown-eyed beauty would go back to her rich husband in San Francisco, and he would be ten thousand dollars richer.But somewhere along the trail out of the Black Hills, sometime during the long star-studded prairie nights, everything changed. Now, he would give his life to protect her, to hold her forever in his embrace. Now the moonlight poetry of their loving reflected the fiery vision of the Sun Dance: She must be his ... Spirit's Song

American Indian Healing Arts: Herbs, Rituals, and Remedies for Every Season of Life


E. Barrie Kavasch - 1999
    Barrie Kavasch. Here are the time-honored tribal rituals performed to promote good health, heal illness, and bring mind and spirit into harmony with nature. Here also are dozens of safe, effective earth remedies--many of which are now being confirmed by modern research.Each chapter introduces a new stage in the life cycle, from the delightful Navajo First Smile Ceremony (welcoming a new baby) to the Apache Sunrise Ceremony (celebrating puberty) to the Seminole Old People's Dance.At the heart of the book are more than sixty easy-to-use herbal remedies--including soothing rubs for baby, a yucca face mask for troubled skin, relaxing teas, massage oils, natural insect repellents, and fragrant smudge sticks. There are also guidelines for assembling a basic American Indian medicine chest.

Utah's Black Hawk War


John Alton Peterson - 1999
    Grant and Robert E. Lee met in the parlor of Wilmer McLean’s brick home in Appomattox Court House, Virginia, to negotiate the conclusion of the Civil War. That same day, far to the west, a handful of Mormons and northern Utes met in the central Utah town of Manti in an attempt to achieve a peace of their own. Unlike the negotiations at Appomattox, however, those in Manti failed, and the events that transpired there are viewed as the beginning of Utah’s Black Hawk War, the longest and most serious Indian-white conflict in Utah history."—From the bookSo begins the story of Black Hawk, Ute Indian warrior chief and brilliant strategist, and Brigham Young, sagacious religious and political leader of the Mormons. Two powerful and unyielding men forged by hardship and conviction, both revered and both reviled in their times. One, orchestrating a remarkable campaign to turn back the tide of white expansion and prevent the extinction of his people, the other, attempting to keep his exiled church and its thriving utopian society sovereign and intact. Two men of distinct races, beliefs, and cultures, but sharing a determination to keep U.S. soldiers out of their bloody conflict for control of land and other resources in the Utah territory.From 1865 to 1867, the warrior Black Hawk, also known as Antonga, led a combined force of Utes, Navajos, and Paiutes in a series of intense stock raids on the Mormon settlements in Utah territory. Black Hawk astutely judged that political conflict between the federal government and Mormon Utah would keep U.S. soldiers from chastising his band. Moreover, the antagonism of Washington toward Utah’s polygamy, theocracy, and isolationism made Mormon leader Brigham Young wary of seeking federal help. In fact, to keep the government from using the war as a pretext for sending more troops to Utah, the Mormons withheld information, making the Black Hawk War an almost secret war as far as the rest of the nation was concerned. As directed by Brigham Young, Utah’s Latter-day Saint citizens mobilized a church militia, the Nauvoo Legion, to repel Indian attacks. Yet Black Hawk and others were able to carry on their activities for almost eight years without incurring the federal military reprisals that Indians on all four sides of the Mormon heartland experienced. Bloodshed on both sides plunged Mormons and Indians into a war of vengeance—years of killing and raiding that continued until federal troops stepped in 1872.In this unprecedented volume, historian John Peterson provides the first comprehensive analysis of a unique and compelling chapter of western history and of the violent and protracted conflict it engendered. Utah’s Black Hawk War not only explores political intricacies and broader implications, scrutinizing the Mormons' Indian policies—most notably Brigham Young’s extraordinary "better to feed them than fight them" teachings—but also presents vivid narrative accounts of various raids and battles. The result is a masterfully researched and engagingly written account of Utah’s secret war, a war largely unknown among western history students, scholars, and enthusiasts—until now.

Saqiyuq: Stories from the Lives of Three Inuit Women


Nancy Wachowich - 1999
    Their memories and reflections give us poignant insight into the history of the people of the new territory of Nunavut. Apphia Awa, who was born in 1931, experienced the traditional life on the land while Rhoda Katsak, Apphia's daughter, was part of the transitional generation who were sent to government schools. In contrast to both, Sandra Katsak, Rhoda's daughter, has grown up in the settlement of Pond Inlet among the conveniences and tensions of contemporary northern communities - video games and coffee shops but also drugs and alcohol. During the last years of Apphia's life Rhoda and Sandra began working to reconnect to their traditional culture and learn the art of making traditional skin clothing. Through the storytelling in Saqiyuq, Apphia, Rhoda, and Sandra explore the transformations that have taken place in the lives of the Inuit and chart the struggle of the Inuit to reclaim their traditional practices and integrate them into their lives. Nancy Wachowich became friends with Rhoda Katsak and her family during the early 1990s and was able to record their stories before Apphia's death in 1996. Saqiyuq will appeal to everyone interested in the Inuit, the North, family bonds, and a good story.

Native Americans


Judith Simpson - 1999
    Integrated, highly visual approach sure to engage "video-age" kids. Authoritative, up-to-date information plus games, quizzes, puzzles, and activities.

Igniting The Sparkle: An Indigienous Science Education Model


Gregory Cajete - 1999
    

Buffalo Dreams


Kim Doner - 1999
    The family leaves on a spontaneous pilgrimage in their camper to take gifts to the newborn. The children had grown up with the story of the White Buffalo Calf Woman, the powerful spirit who saved a starving tribe in ancient times, and had been reborn in the form of a white buffalo.   But the white calf is protected by its large mother. What will happen to the children in the moonlight inside the corral? A contemporary story that resonates with young readers of all backgrounds is based on an oral story passed down in the Bearpaw family.  The White Buffalo Calf Woman, the powerful spirit who had saved a starving tribe in ancient times, had been reborn in the form of a white buffalo calf. Now that story seems to be coming true for the Bearpaw children. The book includes the retelling of the original legend of the White Buffalo Calf Woman as well as step-by-step instructions with illustrations showing how to make your own dreamcatcher.

A People's Ecology: Explorations in Sustainable Living


Gregory Cajete - 1999
    Each contribution calls on us to reclaim our human heritage of caring for our home fires -- a metaphor that can inspire the revitalisation of our connections to the earth, all living things, and each other. The writers examine the underlying ecology of sustainable living rooted in the historical traditions, environmental practices, and a sense of place of peoples of the Southwest; and they describe the impact that disruption of this way of life continues to have on health, well-being, communal identity. Drawing on an indigenous paradigm of healthy environment, healthy culture, healthy people, this book explores possibilities of applying the principles of sustainable living in both traditional and non-traditional communities.

Fire on the Plateau: Conflict And Endurance In The American Southwest


Charles F. Wilkinson - 1999
    Examines the sometimes violent conflicts between indigenous populations and more recent settlers, the political machinations by industry and the legal establishment, the contentious disputes over resources and land use, and provides a compelling look at the epic events that have shaped the region.

Oneida Indian Journey: From New York to Wisconsin, 1784-1860


Laurence M. Hauptman - 1999
    To shed light on this vital period of Oneida history, editors Laurence Hauptman and L. Gordon McLester, III,  present a unique collaboration between an American Indian nation and the academic community. Two professional historians, a geographer, anthropologist, archivist and attorney join in with eighteen voices from the Oneida community—local historians, folklorists, genealogists, linguists, and tribal elders—discuss tribal dispossession and community; Oneida community perspectives of Oneida history; and the means of studying Oneida history.Contributors include:  Debra Anderson, Eileen Antone, Jim Antone, Abrahms Archiquette, Oscar Archiquette, Jack Campisi, Richard Chrisjohn, Amelia Cornelius, Judy Cornelius, Katie Cornelius, Melissa Cornelius, Jonas Elm, James Folts, Reginald Horsman, Elizabeth Huff, Francis Jennings, Arlinda Locklear, Jo Margaret Mano, Loretta Metoxen, Liz Obomsawin, Jessie Peters, Sarah Summers, and Rachel Swamp

Horse Sweat and Powder Smoke: The First Texas Cavalry in the Civil War


Stanley S. McGowen - 1999
    The regiment was the first Confederate unit organized in Texas and the longest to serve, participating in Indian skirmishes on the frontier as well as in full battles against the Union.In Horse Sweat and Powder Smoke Stanley S. McGowen describes and honors one of the most unique and successful military units in Texas history. He provides the first complete history of the 1st Texas Cavalry Regiment, documenting their origins from the Confederate Committee on Public Safety’s request for mounted units to the appointment of Henry McCulloch to colonel of cavalry.McCulloch, a former Texas Ranger, was swift and effective at motivating his fellow Texans to arms, notably Captains James B. “Buck” Barry and Thomas C. Frost. The regimental commanders, McCulloch, Augustus Buchel, and William Yager, were acknowledged for their emphasis on precise discipline and gentlemanly conduct, and their training methods were valuable in that soldiers learned both cavalry and infantry maneuvers, as well as saber fighting and the proper care of horses and equipment. As many commanders maintained lax rules of propriety and organization, the 1st Texas Mounted Rifles remained a cohesive and loyal unit, disbanding only under the proper orders. Even after, as the Confederacy fell around them, the troops remained steadfastly loyal to their fellow fighters.McGowen examines the vast range of territory that the unit covered, including Louisiana swamps, the Red River Valley, along the Rio Grande, as well as the Gulf Coast line. He discusses their involvement in the controversial campaign known as the Battle of the Nueces, casting doubts on the common interpretation of the German immigrants, sympathetic to the Union, as defenseless farmers. McGowen asserts that while there was bloodshed on both sides, the Germans were not the innocent victims that many historians have claimed, and that the cavalry was not the bloodthirsty gang many thought.Horse Sweat and Powder Smoke clearly portrays the heroism and individuality of Texas’ first mounted unit in the Civil War. By combining the history of the unit with profiles of the men who led it and who gave it its unique spirit and character, as well as accounts of the battles, raids, and skirmishes in which the unit participated, McGowen provides a valuable history of men whose recognition is long overdue from those whose homes, values, and way of life were defended by their actions.

Utopian Legacies: A History of Conquest and Oppression in the Western World


John Mohawk - 1999
    This book examines the hidden dynamic within utopian thinking and the danger it poses when it is adopted by groups who use it to serve their interests.