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A fascinating compilation of original sources recounting the history, culture, and societies of Native American groups of the Great Columbia Plateau. Edited and annotated by award-winning writer Clifford E. Trafzer, this is a magnificent collection of oral stories of the Yakama, Nez Perce, Whisram, Klickitat, as well as several other tribes. Rich in detail, the stories form the basis for Plateau Indian history, offering readers traditional native narratives that allow people to enter a sacred world of words and stories. At the beginning of time -- for all times -- these stories were told and retold for generations by all the Grandmothers and Grandfathers. These stories set animals, plants, and places in motion, and they help spin the cosmos into being. They keep the traditions alive and recreate the world with each telling.This unique collection is representative of oral traditions that are still much a part of Plateau Indian culture today. Trafzer provides a provocative introduction that ties the oral traditions of the people to their history and culture, inviting readers to use the stories as windows that will offer a better understanding of Native Americans and their relationship with the natural world. Trafzer simply asks readers to enter the Native American world through the teachings and tellings of the Wahteetash, the first peoples. ... Read more

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It might have been expected that the Indians of North America would have many Folklore tales to tell, and in this volume I have endeavoured to present such of them as seemed to me to best illustrate the primitive character and beliefs of the people. The belief, and the language in which it is clothed, are often very beautiful. Fantastic imagination, magnanimity, moral sentiment, tender feeling, and humour are discovered in a degree which may astonish many who have been apt to imagine that advanced civilisation has much to do with the possession of such qualities. I know of nothing that throws so much light upon Indian character as their Folk-tales.
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TO THE READER

Those who wish to know something about how the people lived who told these stories will find their ways of life described in the last chapter of this book.

The Blackfeet were hunters, travelling from place to place on foot. They used implements of stone, wood, or bone, wore clothing made of skins, and lived in tents covered by hides. Dogs, their only tame animals, were used as beasts of burden to carry small packs and drag light loads.

The stories here told come down to us from very ancient times. Grandfathers have told them to their grandchildren, and these again to their grandchildren, and so from mouth to mouth, through many generations, they have reached our time.



CONTENTS

TWO FAST RUNNERS
THE WOLF MAN
KŬT-O-YĬS´, THE BLOOD BOY
THE DOG AND THE ROOT DIGGER
THE CAMP OF THE GHOSTS
THE BUFFALO STONE
HOW THE THUNDER PIPE CAME
COLD MAKER'S MEDICINE
THE ALL COMRADES SOCIETIES
THE BULLS SOCIETY
THE OTHER SOCIETIES
THE FIRST MEDICINE LODGE
THE BUFFALO-PAINTED LODGES
MĪKA´PI—RED OLD MAN
RED ROBE'S DREAM
THE BLACKFEET CREATION
OLD MAN STORIES
THE WONDERFUL BIRD
THE RABBITS' MEDICINE
THE LOST ELK MEAT
THE ROLLING ROCK
BEAR AND BULLBERRIES
THE THEFT FROM THE SUN
THE SMART WOMAN CHIEF
BOBCAT AND BIRCH TREE
THE RED-EYED DUCK
THE ANCIENT BLACKFEET
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Customer Reviews (1)

Blackfeet Indian Stories
Good book, short but sweet stories. Great to be able to pick and put right back down. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent
This book is groundbreaking. It collects several of Hymes' articles in one place. Important articles like Breakthrough into Performance are present and expanded. Anyone interested in the poetry of Native American verbal art should read this book. Hymes is at pains to show that a close (linguistically motivated) analysis of Native American verbal art reveals much of that poetry (whether it be the structuring of intitial particles or the uses of sound symbolism). However, for all that is important about Hymes' commentary, the most important feature is the the stories he presents. Vicoria Howard's 'Seal and Her Younger Brother Lived There' (in Chapter 8) is a modern classic. This is an important book for linguists, Native Americanists, anthropologists, and folklorists and is widely influential. It is a pity that it is currently out of print. Shame on the University of Pennsylvania Press. ... Read more

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Published in 1905, the preface to this book states: It might have been expected that the Indians of North America would have many Folklore tales to tell, and in this volume I have endeavored to present such of them as seemed to me to best illustrate the primitive character and beliefs of the people. The belief, and the language in which it is clothed, are often very beautiful. Fantastic imagination, magnanimity, moral sentiment, tender feeling, and humor are discovered in a degree which may astonish many who have been apt to imagine that advanced civilization has much to do with the possession of such qualities. I know of nothing that throws so much light upon Indian character as their Folk-tales. ... Read more

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The adventures of the irrepressible trickster Coyote continue in this collection of tales originally told by native Americans. By the author of Earthmaker's Tales. ... Read more

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Product Description
Martin Finds His Totem is a sequel to Martin's Quest (Blue Heron Press, 1995).Twelve-year old Martin Romero inherits the traiteur (treater or healing) tradition through his Grandmother Eulalie. The Cajun traiteur healings, still practiced in southwestern Louisiana and the setting of the book, were derived long ago from Chitimacha Native American tribal shamans. Martin's problems are set into motion by a hurricane and the acquaintance of Tim, abandoned at an evacuation center. Tim's abusive father is an African American voodooienne.Martin brings Tim to his home for care and becomes fascinated by voodoo, which begins to hinder Martin's healing abilities. Tim's father becomes a menace, threatening the lives of Tim, Martin and Renee, Martin's girlfriend. The book incorporates the history and culture of both Chitimacha Native American and Cajun healing traditions. ... Read more

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A collection of legends about the cunning trickster Coyote, taken from a variety of Native American sources. ... Read more

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This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
The Indians of North America would have many Folklore tales to tell. This book presents such of them asbest illustrate the primitive character and beliefs of the people. The belief, and the language in which it is clothed, are often very beautiful. Fantastic imagination, magnanimity, moral sentiment, tender feeling, and humour are discovered in a degree which may astonish many who have been apt to imagine that advanced civilisation has much to do with the possession of such qualities. Nothing that throws so much light upon Indian character as their Folk-tales. A book to be enjoyed by all cultures. ... Read more

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Featuring never-before-published material, The Telling of the World contains legends and stories from many Native American nations collected from both traditional and contemporary sources. These inspirational tales follow the path of life--from creation and birth, through adolescnce, love and marriage, to death and the renewal of the spirit. 120 full-color illustrations. ... Read more

Product Description
It might have been expected that the Indians of North America would have many Folklore tales to tell, and in this volume I have endeavoured to present such of them as seemed to me to best illustrate the primitive character and beliefs of the people. The belief, and the language in which it is clothed, are often very beautiful. Fantastic imagination, magnanimity, moral sentiment, tender feeling, and humour are discovered in a degree which may astonish many who have been apt to imagine that advanced civilisation has much to do with the possession of such qualities. I know of nothing that throws so much light upon Indian character as their Folk-tales.
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Customer Reviews (3)

A Response to the Nasty Reviewer a "Chicago Indian"
My mother went to high school with Twyla, graduating around 1932, and my mother met Twyla's medicine man grandfather. My mother was telling me about the grandfather when I was in elementary school in the 1960's and totally impatient with being taught about Seneca history. Twyla was very far from a "new ager" as the nasty reviewer writes. Twyla was talking about the information in her books long before the concept of new agers even existed. In the late 1980's I began to see the criticism of Twyla by Seneca MEN who were primarily interested in controlling the tribe through the U.S. Government imposed democratic system of government, rather than the historical clan mother dominated Seneca system. The reason for these MEN's desire for control was money, pure and simple. The wanted Indian gaming just like California tribes. The tribe is now secular and corrupt, run by people whose only interest is money. Of course, the nasty reviewer didn't bother to disclose those facts, but the Tonawanda Seneca, Cattaraugus Seneca and Salamanca Seneca know all about them.

Silly Nonsense From a New Ager Posing as a Native Elder
This book should come with a warning or disclaimer: Silly New Age Nonsense Within, Does Not Represent or Tell the Truth About Native Beliefs".

Nitsch is NOT a Seneca elder at all. The Seneca can't stand her and have barred her and her New Age businessses from the reservation. She's made a lot of money from selling "adoptions" of ceremonies to every gullible New Ager that she could pull in. She's also branched out by "commissioning" white New Agers to act as her salespeople. A lot of pay to pray offensive nonsense from her. Avoid at all costs, unless you want to wind up a victim too.

Must Have for anyone seeking answers on a spiritual path
As a long-time student of Grandmother Twylah Nitsch, I cannot begin to express how valuable a tool she has given us with her book, Creature Teachers. There is so much we can learn from our fellow inhabitants ofMother Earth, the animals. This book will aid all in finding their kinshipto their own personal "Creature Teachers". ... Read more

Product Description
Coyote has just created the world and all the creatures in it. Now he turns his attention to fashioning the Lord of the Animals, who is to rule over his creation. This is a retelling of a traditional Californian Miwok legend. Fiona French is the author/illustrator of "Pepi and the Secret Names". ... Read more

Product Description
The stories in this collection are vessels of century-old Native American lore, some of them perhaps brought to this continent by the original Native American settlers over 12,000 years ago. These stories include tales about ancient times, young heroes, tricksters, magical beasts and much more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A wide range of stories clearly told...
Speaking as not only a Cherokee great-granddaughter, but also as a lover of stories, and as a youth services library clerk, I can say that I recommend this book to everyone. The collectors/editors themselves are of American Indian ancestry, and their respect for these stories is obvious. The language is clear, the imagery beautiful... Excellent for read-aloud, terrific for broadening children's horizons! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A seminal contribution to Native American studies.
Legends of the Delaware Indians and Picture Writing is beautifullyamplified by Deborah Nichol's introduction and brief biography of RichardC. Adams(1864-1921), a self educated Delaware (Lenape) Indian who devoted25 years of his life to the furtherance of causes of the many trialedDelaware tribe.The Legends are part of his scholarly and historicallegacy.The tales teach homilies on desirable attributes such aspride, courage, promise-keeping, modesty and courtesy as well as courtingcustoms, gambling games, and other pastimes.The picture writing andphotographs enrich and complement the text as do the appendices of Lenapetranslations of several of the legends by Lucy Parks Blalock and NoraThompson Deane. Legends Of The Delaware Indians And Picture Writingis a very valuable text both because of the enriched script of the talesbut also because of the complex, condensed history of the persecutionssuffered by the Delawares detailed in the introduction.The coverillustration gracing Legends of the Delaware Indians is a color paintingreproduction of Delaware Women by Ruth Blalock Jones.

Nancy Lorraine,Reviewer ... Read more

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A rich collection of uplifting Native American stories and creative nature activities that will inspire children to love and respect animals. Keepers of the Animals will help children to understand their interdependence with all living beings and life forms. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Incredibly insightful!
I discovered the "Keepers" series two years ago. At first I was unsure of the format, and it took me a while to appreciate all the activities, but now they are the foundation in my homeschool curriculum.The stories and activities are suitable for a wide range of ages so that they may be used for years with the same child.There is so much depth and insight to all of the Keepers books that it is a compliment to any style of homeschool.For naturalists, home schoolers, un-schoolers, classical educators or public schools - these books are absolutely a must for every child living in North America!I can't say enough about these books.

Keepers Series
Joseph Bruchac is a natural stort teller. This whole series is wonderful. I have used these books with children from the ages of four through fourteen. But of all of them the cassette of The Keepers of the Animals is my favorite and the only one that I cannot keep because I am continually giving it away. It is not only the quality of Bruchac's voice but also the cadence that he brings to the telling that adds a resonance, a native rhthym to the stories, that enhances understanding. This is the way that these stories should be told and should be heard. Native American culture has a rich oral tradition and the sounds, the rhthyms of the language are an important part of the telling of a story. We may not have the sounds of the language per se except in the names but we can hear a little of the native cadence in Bruchac's delivery. These are wonderful tapes for small children and again this is my very favorite.

Bringing Native Stories to Life
I've been lucky enough to see Michael Caduto perform theseNative stories in person.He brings Native beliefs to life inunexpected and delightful ways.The stories he and Josheph Bruchac have put together here do the same thing.They give young readers a chance to explore Native cultures while they learn and enjoy the stories! In addition to Native tales, this book provides factual information and activities on nature and animals.It's an outstanding resource for teachers, parents, and kids of all ages. ... Read more

Product Description
Native American tricksters can be buffoons, transformers, social critics, teachers, and mediators between human beings, nature, and the gods. A vibrant part of American Indian tradition, the trickster has shown a remarkable ability to adapt into the twenty-first century. In Living Sideways, Franchot Ballinger provides the first full-length study of the diverse roles and dimensions of North American Indian tricksters. While honoring their diversity and complexity, he challenges stereotypical Euro-American treatments of tricksters.

Drawing from the most influential scholarship on Native American tricksters, Ballinger shows how many critics have failed to consider both the specifics of trickster stories and their cultural contexts. Each chapter concentrates on a particular aspect of the trickster theme, such as the trickster's ambiguous personality, the variety of trickster roles, and the trickster's role as social critic. Ballinger further considers issues of sex, gender, and humor, the use of trickster tales as instructions on social values and community control, and the trickster as an emblem of modern Indian survival.

Living Sideways also includes illustrative trickster stories at the end of each chapter, a comprehensive bibliography, and discussion of the literary aspects of tricksters. Examining both the sacred power of tricksters and the stories as literature, Living Sideways is the most thorough book to date on Native American tricksters. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Brilliant
This book indeed offers various opinions on trickster with sufficient quotations and evidences.
Especially, if you are looking for books with rich bibliography on trickster. This is the one. ... Read more