Product Description

Product Description
The intertribal pow-wow is the most widespread venue for traditional Indian music and dance in North America. Heartbeat of the People is an insider's journey through the dances and music, the traditions and regalia, and into the functions and significance of these vital cultural events.Tara Browner comes to the pow-wow as a participant--she is a dancer of Oklahoma Choctaw heritage--as well as a scholar. Focusing on the Northern pow-wow, which derives from the northern Great Plains and Great Lakes region, Browner presents an in-depth discussion of the pow-wow's roots and traditions, protocols, and order of events. She also describes footwork, styles of singing, and the diversity of participants' regalia. Browner centers her discussion of the Northern-style pow-wow around the Lakota Sacred Hoop and the Anishnaabeg Sacred Fire.Browner traces the history of specific events such as the Grass and Jingle Dress dances and distinguishes among various dance types, including Traditional, Fancy, and "special" exhibition dances as well as ceremonial honor dances, giveaways, and memorials. She also discusses women's changing roles within pow-wow performance and thoughtfully examines how continually changing musical repertories, dance styles and regalia, and customs foster a vibrant state of transformation that coexists, often uneasily, with more traditional Native mores. She closes her study with a series of interviews with members of two families of pow-wow dancers, one Lakota and one Anishnaabeg. Marked by meticulous scholarship and firmly grounded in Browner's extensive experience as a pow-wow participant and observer, Heartbeat of the People is a unique and powerful celebration of the vibrancy, continuity, and evolution of an ancient music and dance tradition. ... Read more

Product Description
Native performance is a multifaceted and changing art form as well as a swiftly growing field of research. Native American Performance and Representation provides a wider and more comprehensive study of Native performance, not only its past but also its present and future. Contributors use multiple perspectives to look at the varying nature of Native performance strategies. They consider the combination and balance of the traditional and modern techniques of performers in a multicultural world. This collection presents diverse viewpoints from both scholars and performers in this field, both Natives and non-Natives. Important and well-respected researchers and performers such as Bruce McConachie, Jorge Huerta, and Daystar/Rosalie Jones offer much-needed insight into this quickly expanding field of study.

This volume examines Native performance using a variety of lenses, such as feminism, literary and film theory, and postcolonial discourse. Through the many unique voices of the contributors, major themes are explored, such as indigenous self-representations in performance, representations by nonindigenous people, cultural authenticity in performance and representation, and cross-fertilization between cultures. Authors introduce important, though sometimes controversial, issues as they consider the effects of miscegenation on traditional customs, racial discrimination, Native women’s position in a multicultural society, and the relationship between authenticity and hybridity in Native performance.

An important addition to the new and growing field of Native performance, Wilmer’s book cuts across disciplines and areas of study in a way no other book in the field does. It will appeal not only to those interested in Native American studies but also to those concerned with women’s and gender studies, literary and film studies, and cultural studies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This is the one
The crises on Native american plays are very convincing and many of them provide new perspectives.
It's not easy to find such a good critical collection. ... Read more

Product Description
Some of the most savage war in world history was waged on theAmerican Plains from 1865 to 1879. As settlers moved west following the CivilWar, they found powerful Indian tribes barring the way. When the U.S. Armyintervened, a bloody and prolonged conflict ensued.Drawing heavily from diaries, letters, and memoirs from American Plainssettlers, historian Thomas Goodrich weaves a spellbinding tale of life and deathon the prairie, told in the timeless words of the participants themselves."Scalp Dance" is a powerful, unforgettable epic that shatters modern myths.Within its pages, the reader will find a truthful account of Indian warfare asit occurred. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

Enthralling historical accounts presented clearly! Enlightening
I bought a copy of this book in paperback when it was first released (in paperback) years ago and was completely absorbed by the book! My paperback copy is covered in highlighter marks & notes in the margin.I therefore later bought a nice hardback copy of the book for a "keeper" just because I LOVE THE BOOK so much!
The author relies heavily on "first person accounts" ...written when the bullets and arrows were still in flight. The book does display both sides of the story (whites and Indians) though of course it relies more heavily on the accounts of whites (captives, soldiers, settlers, etc) as the whites were literate, and most Indians of the time were not.
Sure some of the accounts of the era depict the Native Americans in a terribly negative light...but what can one expect during the time frame this took place.Generally the book is balanced and fair.The strongest points of this tome in my view however, are the way the author weaves both historical accounts with his own description of the "big picture" of what was taking place, from the Red Cloud war to the Fetterman massacre, the "Battle of the Washita", 2nd battle of Adobe Walls, etc.
One learns a lot from the book, even an long time and dedicated student of Native American vs. Anglo history.
I give this book 5 stars only because there are not ten stars to give.If you have the least interest in the struggle for the west, as it relates to the wars with the Indians, please read this book.Another I highly recommend is "The Captured" by Scott Zesch.

Barely a single sentence in the author's own words
I am stunned by the many positive reviews of this book. Eighty percent of the book is comprised of long block quotes lifted from other sources. No more than two or three sentences link each block quote, most of which are between half a page and a whole page long. This is not writing; it is cutting and pasting.Worst yet, the author often lifts his quotes not from primary sources, but rather from secondary works - taking the exact same block quote from these works and placing them in his book. How does he obtain most of the "original" source block quotes for his chapter on Reynolds' Powder River campaign? He lifts them from J. W. Vaughn's book on the subject.

Come on people. The quotes themselves may be lively and fascinating, but this represents no original work on the author's part. Mr. Goodrich should be ashamed of himself.

A GRAPHIC History of Indian Warfare on the High Plains
Scalp Dance: Indian Warfare on the High Plains, 1865-1879

In his book "Scalp Dance: Indian Warfare on the High Plains", author Thomas Goodrich gives several accounts of conflict with the native tribes in the Great Plains region of the American West post-Civil War era all the way until 1879. This book is not for those with weak stomachs or who just ate, for no detail is spared when describing the brutal warfare and atrocities committed on both the living and dead. This book opened my eyes to both sides of the conflicts. Goodrich does not bash the Native warriors for their barbarity nor does he make them out to be the peace lovers often portrayed in todays cinema(the reverse to movies back in the 1950's). The truth is both sides engaged in savage butchery but this book gives the accounts of the soldiers and settlers who experienced it first hand. If you're looking for a book that gives only atrocites committed by whites and gives an account of the "Noble Redman" then read this book anyway and learn both sides of the story.

Unvarnished
This is the story of the Indian Wars and battles fought on the Plains between 1865 through 1878. Focusing on the actions in Kansas and Montana, Thomas Goodrich weaves an interesting tale told from the diaries, newspaper accounts and letters of white participants. While much of the subject matter has been covered by others, these often first hand accounts are unsanitized, not politically correct versions of the events as seen and understood from the settlers' and Army's point of view. As a result, it is quite passionate, eliciting emotions that were felt on one side of these tragic events.

As a plus, Goodrich covers lesser known or reported clashes during these wars that settled the American West. A good, quick read well written.

Great First Hand Accounts of Conflict on the Plains
The author does an excellent job providing a history of violent contacts between the Plains Indians and whites and between Indians themselves through the use of first hand accounts. What is unique about this format is that the accounts seem to flow freely through the book adding to the story and not detracting from it. The accounts are primarily from whites who were direct witnesses to Indian raids in Colorado, Red Clouds War the Kansas War, The Great Sioux and Cheyene War and the Northern Cheyene's desperate flight back to their homeland. The descriptions discuss not only combat with Indians but the violence extended to victims including gruesome desercations of the victims body, thought to have necessary significance for Indians for an advanatge in the afterlife. The discovery of mutilated bodies understandably created a vengeful lust among friends and family of the deceased. Surprisingly, these accounts include mistreatment of captured women. This seems in sharp contrast to the way northeastern tribes treated prisoners during the mid 18th century where prisoners were used as slaves, barter or assimiliation purposes (see "White Devil" by Stephen Brumwell). The impression the book leaves you is that there was very little of this option with the Plains Indians, which directly speaks to the old proverb "Save the last bullet for yourself". Although the book is primarily from the white perspectives, it does cover the controversial massacre of Sand Creek by Major Chivingtonas it appears that violence begets violence whether justified or not(The massacre perspective is challenged in "The Battle of Sand Creek: The Military Perspective" by Michael Michno). One thing of note is that General Sheridan was disinclined to trade for white women prisoners if they were held in captivity too long assuming they were no longer fit for society (see "General Sheridan and His Generals" by Paul Hutton). The violent combat is not restricted just between whites and Indians but also between different tribes as one witness observed Crows torturing one of their enemies to death. The book has some balance as Captain Mills from Crooks' army expresses regret for a young Indian child's grief for her deceased mother who was caught in a cross fire at Slim Buttes. It is also noted that whites periodically took scalps (Buffalo Bill) and desecrated Indian graves. Many of the individuals quoted seemed to be very forthright as one scout who survived the siege at Beecher's Island stated that he did not know how many Indians he killed since their attacks were so fast and furious he couldn't follow his shots. The book also highlights the Fetterman Massacre (whites lost), Battle of Washita (some say massacre), Little Big Horn, Rosebud, Slim Buttes and assortment of other campaigns.All in all, the witneses attest to the hard, dangerous and violent life on the edge of the frontier.

... Read more

Product Description
Third in the acclaimed Tales of the People series, this tale of a young girl's first Butterfly Dance captures the spirit of Hopi culture.

With its bright, stylized illustrations and distinctive Native voice, this appealing book gives a vivid sense of stepping into another culture. It chronicles one important day seen through the eyes of a young Hopi girl named Sihumana, or "Flower Maiden," who is a member of the Rabbit Clan and winningly portrayed as a rabbit. After going with her grandfather to greet the sun and bless the day, Sihumana travels with her family to another village to take part in the traditional Butterfly Dance, performed late each summer in order to bring rain to the dry lands of the Southwest. The tale ends happily with the sound of rain on the roof and the promise of butterflies in the days to come.

28 illustrations, 18 in full color ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent and accurate book
This is the story of a young Hopi girl who will be in her first Butterfly Dance.This children's book is an accurate presentation of the Hopi culture and the Hopi world view. It is written and illustrated by a Hopi man of the Sun Clan.This book is suitable for all children, including Hopi children, as it does not discuss sacred matters. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

none
It was not what I really needed, but so far I have enjoyed reading it.

Un classicodell'antropologia
irrinunciabile e suggestiva opera di notevole approfondimento scientifico. imperdibile la galleria delle misteriose"booger masks. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an exemplary respectful description of an urban native American teenager and her family. School, homework, and preparation for a performance make up her busy days. ... Read more

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War Dance at Fort Marion tells the powerful story of Kiowa, Cheyenne, Comanche, and Arapaho chiefs and warriors detained as prisoners of war by the U.S. Army. Held from 1875 until 1878 at Fort Marion in Saint Augustine, Florida, they participated in an educational experiment, initiated by Captain Richard Henry Pratt, as an alternative to standard imprisonment. This book, the first complete account of a unique cohort of Native peoples, brings their collective story to life and pays tribute to their individual talents and achievements.

Throughout their incarceration, the Plains Indian leaders followed Pratt's rules and met his educational demands even as they remained true to their own identities. Their actions spoke volumes about the sophistication of their cultural traditions, as they continued to practice Native dances and ceremonies and also illustrated their history and experiences in the now-famous ledger drawing books.

Brad D. Lookingbill's War Dance at Fort Marion draws on numerous primary documents, especially Native American accounts, to reconstruct the war prisoners' story. The author shows that what began as Pratt's effort to end the Indians' resistance to their imposed exile transformed into a new vision to mold them into model citizens in mainstream American society, though this came at the cost of intense personal suffering and loss for the Indians. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The true story of Kiowa, Cheyenne, Comanche, and Arapaho chiefs and warriors
War Dance At Fort Marion: Plains Indian War Prisoners is the true story of Kiowa, Cheyenne, Comanche, and Arapaho chiefs and warriors who were held as prisoners of war by the U.S. Army from 1875 to 1878 at Fort Marion in Saint Augustine, Florida. The prisoners participated in an educational experiment, as introduced by Captain Richard Henry Pratt, as an alternative to standard imprisonment. While they were incarcerated, the Indian leaders followed Pratt's rules and met his educational demands, while keeping hold of their own identities. Author and history professor Brad. D. Lookingbill draws from primary sources, particularly Native American accounts, to piece together the story of the war prisoners, as well as portray Pratt's evolving vision to mold Indians into model citizens of American mainstream society - an undertaking that came at a cost of personal suffering and cultural loss for the Indian generations so molded. Of particular note are the coping strategies that Plains Indian leaders used to survive their internment with dignity and return to lead their people with pride. Highly recommended.
... Read more

Product Description
The Ghost Dance Movements of 1868-72 and 1888-91 have fascinated historians, sociologists, and anthropologists since the time they first occurred. Embraced by American Indians of the Plains, Great Basin, and the Northwest Plateau, the Ghost Dance promised that all dead families and friends would return, the white men would disappear, and buffalo and other game would again roam the earth. Its effect united many hitherto scattered tribes. Materials concerning the Ghost Dance movements are available from many sources, among them the Indians, the military, settlers, newspaper reporters, and historians. Osterreich has collected and annotated a selection of this material. Included are most of the major works on the Ghost Dance and its attendant features. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Review of Cherokee Dance book
I thought some of the illustrations were less than professional looking.I have not read all of it yet, but the information is pretty good so far.

A KEEPER
Some would say that this book is where the author left off in his prior book on How To Make Cherokee Clothing.However, the book is much more.

In the book, the author goes farther than he has in the past.He gives better illustrations and goes more into detail about Cherokee culture.

I still say that the author fails in delineating what time period of Cherokee Culture that he is talking about when he is showing an item for example.I also still say that his patterns are lacking.

With that said, his models have improved considerably.The illustrations are more professional than in his prior book.Indeed, this is just an all around better book.

There are a few things that do not jive with the prior book that he has written.For instance, in the prior book he talked about how the chief used deer toes around his ankles.In this book, there are no deer toe anklets and the moccassins of the chief now have turkey spurs.Another oddity is that in his prior book he talked about how the bear dance was lost forever from the Cherokee people...yet in this book he talks about what to wear and how to do the bear dance.

Any reader of this evaluation should note that this book WILL NOT teach you how to do Cherokee dances.There are no foot steps, no musical notations, etc.In fact, some pictures show people in a dazed and confused pose with captions noting that the models are "trying" to recreate the dances.Truly, the most that you can hope for is learning a chant or two.And, in some regards, you have to be skilled in crafting without a pattern (often relying on your own knowledge of Cherokee crafts) if you can even begin to hope for a specific project to turn out like something from the book.

Indeed, the author's skills are evolving.But, there is still much room for improvement.Yet, I am confident that the author has what it takes to be the first in American history to to a comprehensive anthology of Cherokee culture with the history, delineated period dress, stories, healing methods, dance steps, written music, chants, writings, culture, etc.

At present, the author is a blib on the radar of Cherokee culture.I feel that he can be so much more.

This is not to say that I give 5 stars to this book because it is a great book or that the author is a great writer.In reality, the book is poorly written, poorly organized, and seriously lacking in many respects.However, what it excels in is that it is an excellent piece in preserving certain aspects of a rapidly dying Cherokee culture.Often, what you find in this book you will not find elsewhere.Too many authors are trying to lump us together with other tribes and even the Mayans and Aztecs.This author stays CHEROKEE and does all things Cherokee.For that, this book is deserving of 5 stars and a sincere "THANK YOU" for its contribution to Cherokee history and cultural preservation.

Very Good Book
This book is great!It has descriptions of costumes of dances which will help me with my dance ceremonies. THIS BOOK IS GREAT! ... Read more

Product Description
In today's Alaska Yup'ik Eskimo communities, villagers still gather together to sing, drum, and dance, carrying forward the ancient traditions of their forebears. DANCE ON A SEALSKIN is the heartwarming fictional story of Annie's "first dance," a coming-of-age ceremony to signify her official entry into the community.

As the northern lights dance above, Annie's father places a silvery sealskin at her feet, and it is finally her turn to dance out a story with family and friends. Readers young and old will feel the exciting drama of Annie's special night. And the authentic color and detail of the illustrations in DANCE ON A SEALSKIN make the Yup'ik potlatch come alive.

Named a Notable Children's Book in the Field of Social Studies, DANCE ON A SEALSKIN beautifully depicts to students the similarities between them and children of another culture. "Combines powerful writing and vivid illustrations to capture the joy of giving and sharing among the Yup'ik Eskimos."-The School Library Journal"The Story and pictures mesh nicely. . . . A welcome addition to Arctic and Eskimo units."-Booklist ... Read more

Product Description
Zitkala-Ša (Red Bird) (1876-1938), also known as Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, was one of the best-known and most influential Native Americans of the twentieth century. Born on the Yankton Sioux Reservation, she remained true to her indigenous heritage as a student at the Boston Conservatory and a teacher at the Carlisle Indian School, as an activist in turn attacking the Carlisle School, as an artist celebrating Native stories and myths, and as an active member of the Society of American Indians in Washington DC All these currents of Zitkala-Ša's rich life come together in this book, which presents her previously unpublished stories, rare poems, and the libretto of The Sun Dance Opera.Zitkala-Ša is the author of American Indian Stories and Iktomi and the Ducks and Other Sioux Stories, both available in Bison Books editions. P. Jane Hafen (Taos Pueblo) is an associate professor of English at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the coeditor of A Great Plains Reader, available in a Bison Books edition. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

New voice on the Lakota Ghost Dance
Rani-Henrik Andersson's book offers a wonderful new way of writing history. Dr. Andersson has truly captured the excitement and tragedy of the Ghost Dance by offering various viewpoints to the events that led to the Wounded Knee massacre. This impassionate but comprehensive study really tells the story of the Ghost Dance in the context of the late 19th century United States. Not only does he tell the history of the Ghost Dance and Wounded Knee, he also seeks to undertand the white and Indian point of view. In this, I believe, he succeeds excellently. While the tragedy of Wounded Knee and the Ghost Dance are known to most people interested in Native American history, this study helps us to understand so many new aspects and nuances of the Ghost Dance that it really does make the reading experience a delight. I recommend this book to everyone interested in Native American history, and especially to those who want to find new approaches and new interpretations of the past. ... Read more

Product Description
The religious fervor known as the Ghost Dance movement was precipitated by the alleged prophecies and teachings of a Paiute Indian named Wovoka--who claimed revelations promising harmony, rebirth, and freedom for Native Americans through repeated performance of the traditional Ghost Dance. Wovoka's life and message are explored in this expanded edition which includes new information. 33 photos . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A scholarly survey.
A thorough and scholarly review of the subject, with many references and footnotes. This book is not written for popular consumption, but is essential reading for anyone interested in the life and times of Wovoka. Warning: Not easy reading.

'Informitive But A Labor To Read'
The author himself states that over half the material in this book is quoted from other sources, hence nearly every paragraph has note references' after one or more sentances. The notes and addtional information are over 100 pages. Once more specific information is repeated some times verbatim and/or more than once. To give an example: in one chapter he'll state a quote from some whitness statement, the next chapter he may repeat part of that statement, then in the back of the book in the additional sections the whitness statement appears in its entirety. The author offers no explination or opinion to the varying whitness accounts. He simply presents the infomation. For me this created more questions without even a sugestion of an answer. For instance: Who is Tom Mitchell? He's not mentioned until you read the whitness statements in the back of the book. There two seperate accounts are given claiming that Tom Mitchell was a contempary of Jack Wilson living in the same area proported to have equal or greater powers than Wilson. The two supposedly tried to join forces and Wovoka (Jack Wilson) was betrayed and killed by Mitchell. One of these accounts is from Mitchells' own grandaughter! Yet the author does'nt even mention Tom Mitchell! In my life I've whitnessed many close encounters (in the double digits) during one such encounter in June of 1991 I watched one of these objects for roughly 40 minutes, it displayed many things, I watched as it drew clouds toward itself and made fast moving clouds stop around it. At some point it emparted to me, directly to my brain, that it could effect the weather and that we could cumunicate while I'm in a dream state, for direct contact tends to overwealm a human beings ability to cope with such contact. There's much more to my story but I feel that a similar situation is at the root of "Weather Shamanism" in general and I'm searching for literature that coresponds to this theory and for all I read about Wovoka there seems to be one story he told to "Native Americans" and another story he told to everyone else.

great
attention mike hittman please contact david andrews northern nevada paiutefor the next book of yours. he has alot of investigations of the recentleades of the northern nevada tribes. good reading and i will bet a bestseller! contact kay fowler and the special collections unr ... Read more

Product Description
In this fascinating ethnohistorical case study of North American Indians, the Ghost Dance religion is the backbone for Kehoe’s exploration of significant aspects of American Indian life and her quest to learn why some theories become popular. In Part 1, she combines knowledge gained from her firsthand experiences living among and speaking with Indian elders with a careful analysis of historical accounts, providing a succinct yet insightful look at people, events, and institutions from the 1800s to the present. She clarifies unique and complex relationships among Indian peoples and dispels many of the false pretenses promoted by United States agencies over two centuries. In Part 2, Kehoe surveys some of the theories used to analyze the events described in Part 1, allowing readers to see how theories develop, to think critically about various perspectives, and to draw their own conclusions. Kehoe’s gripping presentation and analysis pave the way for just and constructive Indian–White relations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

I am ambivalent about this book.
Ms. Kehoe did a good job at tracing the practise of the ghost dance from the time that Wovoka (A Paiute medicine man) was given this ceremony to the masacre by the military at Wounded knee creek South Dakota in 1890 to the second incident at Wounded knee creek in 1973.

For people interested in seeing the ghost dance watch the dance in the movie "Billyjack" after Billyjack goes through the ceremony with the rattlesnake. I have heard that Wovoka's sonor son-in-law supervised that scene of the movie.

Basicly the people would dance until they would faint from exhaustion, and while unconscious they would see into the spirit world something similar to an OBE.

On page 62: Ms. Kehoe states that Nick Black Elk (Sioux holy man) was a practising Catholic. It is true that Black Elk went to mass after he married the second time. However; the prayer that Black Elk offered on Harney peak, and is recorded in the book "Black Elk Speaks" John G. Neihardt, it is abundantly clear that his spiritual beliefs in Wakan Tanka (Sioux name for the Great Spirit) never wavered. He may have went along with Catholocism for peace in the family, or to stop the proselytizing church members. I used the same tactic early in life.

Ms. Kehoe; made one statement on page 65 that made me angry! She implies that Nick Black Elk had partial blindess by using gunpowder in his yuwipi healing ceremony to fool the indians into thinking the spirit helpers had arrived by throwing a pinch of gunpowder in the fire.

With my understanding of Sioux spirituality, and the properties of gunpowder. I state categoricaly that this is impossible! 20 years ago; I used gunpowder to reload the cartridges for my high powered rifle.

In the Yuwipi ceremony the indians remove all furniture from the room, and place quilts over the doors and windows to block all light from entering the room, and the wicasa pejuta or wicasa wakan (medicine man or holy man) has his hands tied behind his back with rawhide, and then they usualy wrap him up in a star quilt like a mummy and the quilt is tied around his body. The wicasa pejuta or wicasa wakan is placed on the floor, and the lamp is put out leaving the people in total darkness (there is no fire, and the yuwipi man is tied up in a quilt; making it impossible to use gunpowder in this manner).

Ms. Kehoe may have meant the Inipi (sweat lodge) ceremony so I will describe that to you. A sweat lodge structure is built of saplings or willow limbs, and a large fire is built to heat rocks until they are red hot. Whilethe rocks are heating they dig a hole in the center of the structure to hold the rocks, and the removed dirt is used to build a mound to the east of the structure, then the indians cover the ground with sage, and quilts are put over the structure. Water is poured over the rocks making steam inside the structure. (It would be impossible for Nick Black Elk or any wicasa wakan to use gunpowder on the rocks. Everyone is drenched with steam, and is sweating profusely. Gunpowder will not burn or explode if it gets wet. This is the reason for the saying (keep your powder dry.).)

I am NOT asking you to take my word for any of this. You can read about the Inipi and Yuwipi ceremonies in "Lakota Belief And Ritual" James R. Walker, "The Sacred Pipe" Joseph Epes Brown, "Mother Earth Spirituality" Ed McGaa, and other sources.

I only wish Ms. Kehoe had bothered to properly research material instead of making outrageous statements such as this.

Please send E-Mail if you have questions or comments about this review. Two Bears.

Wah doh Ogedoda (We give thanks Great Spirit)

Revitalization indeed
Kehoe's excellent work on the Ghost Dance religion allows the reader to be witness to a textbook example of religious revitalization movements.From the Paiute prophet Wovoka Jack Wilson's revelation during an eclipse to "Live a good, honest life" to the massacre at Wounded Knee, Kehoe describes in detail the history and beliefs of the Ghost Dance and the benefits it provided to the American Indian communities who took it up, as well as the rejection of the Ghost Dance religion by groups like the Navajo.Kehoe further describes the continuance of a variant of the Ghost Dance religion at a reservation in Seskatchewan and talks about the revitalization movement driven by Handsome Lake amongst the Iroquois and how the re-imagining of their beliefs allowed them to become more successful in a radically altered world.

This rather short read by a pre-eminent author on the anthropology of American Indian societies is sure to both educate and provide deep enjoyment to the curious reader.

The essential book for understanding contemporary issues!
Anyone interested in North American Indians (Native Americans; First Nations) has to read Alice Beck Kehoe's book.She weaves together the past and present, religion and politics, and creates a book that offers moreinsight into contemporary issues than any other one ever written.And as aplus--for those interested in mysteries--she explains how the Ghost DanceReligion, thought to have died out in 1890, survived decades into thetwentieth century. ... Read more

Product Description
Have you heard the haunting melody of a Native American Flute being played? Would you like to play in this manner yourself? Well, you can! No musical background is assumed or needed to play the flute with beauty and grace.

In Flute Dreams, you are shown that playing the Native American Love Flute is as much a spiritual expression as it is a physical one. In this guide to learning to play the Native American Flute, students are given the tools to express love through their playing. The Author combines West and East in this unique guide to learning to play the Native American Flute. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

East Meets West in this Book
Flute Dreams is a fusion of music and Eastern mystical traditions.In Eastern tradition, teachers tell their students stories and then it is up to the student to not only understand the meaning of the story, but to apply it to their own lives.This book offers several stories and then offers music as the bridge to understanding the story and finding a way to apply to your own life. You are invited to meditate on what you learned as a result of a story not as some westerners might think the words of the story and to write about this experience. This approach is very different from the way music is taught in the western world where the emphasis is on music theory, notation and reproducing the music someone else has written exactly.This book helps you to connect with the music inside your soul and how to breathe life into by playing a wooden flute.

One thing you will notice about this book is that it slim and it is powerful. All of the fluff has been removed only the important remains. If you come from a world where you experience information overload and routinely skim through information, you would do well to take a deep breath and read every word.For example, this book offers standard keyboard diagrams for how to produce notes. The convention that this book uses is that covered holes are white and open holes are black, as is noted on page xxvi. Being open to looking at things in a new way is one of the core ideas of this book.

I am reminded of a story of a student who sought a teacher. He wanted to impress the teacher with how much he had already studied and knew and spent a great deal of time explaining this to his teacher. The teacher listened for three hours to the student without interruption and when the student had finished, the teacher offered the student a cup of tea. They sat down at the table and the teacher filled the students cup but didn't stop pouring.Soon there was tea all over the table. The student jumped away in distress and exclaimed, "What are you doing? Can't you see there is no more room in the cup?You cannot add any more tea."

"And so it is with your mind as well," said the teacher. "You already know so much about this, there is no room in your mind for anything new."

If you have space in your mind for a new way to connect with the Native American Flute, music and meditation, you too will find great value in the stories ideas and suggestions in this book.As a bonus you will find that after working with this material for six to ten hours, you will have learned enough to really enjoy and play your flute for others.It offers a fingering chart for Amazing Grace at the end of the book and it also offers some blank charts where you can record fingerings for your own compositions. To find value in your own music, at the beginning of your music making journey is a wonderful gift indeed.

An Amazing Little Book
Wow, this book rocks.In addition to explaining how to play this great instrument in a very approachable (no musical knowledge is assumed) way, I loved the little bear story it was thoughtful and gave me much food for thought.I believe this book shows meditations that pave the way to bringing the Native American Flute deeply into your heart.

FLUTE DREAMS could be a nightmare
I do not enjoy criticizing anyone's efforts to write a book, but FLUTE DREAMS could make a nightmare out of
trying to learn the Native American Flute.For starters, there are typos throughout the book- "mediation" for the word meditation, and several instances of "quite" being used for quiet.I wouldn''t have written this review and returned the book just for these errors.The real problem is that the fingering diagrams in the book are all wrong.The instructions say that you are to cover the white holes, and leave open the black holes.That's completely opposite of every other Native American flute instruction book, and if you follow this book's fingerings you won't be able to produce the correct notes on your flute.

Also be aware that this book tries to teach you the five-hole flute, not the standard six-hole.

The idea of combining meditation with flute-playing is a good one.But most of the "meditations" feel more like motivational guides than they are about helping you to begin exploring the spirit of playing the Native American flute.

Again, I'm sorry to have to write this, but I bought this book to give to someone as a gift, along with a flute.If I hadn't checked it out, it would have been a nightmare for my friend to try to learn to play the flute using this beginner's book. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
This digital document is an article from JOPERD--The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, published by American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) on August 1, 2009. The length of the article is 3343 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The never-ending circle of life Native American hoop dancing from its origin to the present day: more than a demonstration of skill, this dance seeks harmony and balance with unity and equity.(The Native American Dance Legacy)(Critical essay)
Author: Rhea Johnston
Publication: JOPERD--The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 1, 2009
Publisher: American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD)
Volume: 80Issue: 6Page: 21(6)

Article Type: Critical essay

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more