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Originally published in 1972, this pioneering book hasbecome a classic in visual anthropology. Worth and Adair set out toanswer the question, What would happen if someone from a culture thatmakes and uses motion pictures taught people who have never made orused motion pictures to do so for the first time? They taughtfilmmaking and editing to a group of six Navajos in Pinetree,Arizona. This book explains what happened, what they and the Navajossaid and thought about what happened, and how they analyzed the filmsin a cultural context. The films, still available for rent, aredescribed in detail and illustrated with still photographs.

Richard Chalfen, a research assistant on the original project in 1966,has updated the book with a thorough discussion of the importance ofthe Navajo project and a critical assessment of the reactions to it. ... Read more

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A classic and quietly radical innovation
"Through Navajo Eyes" examines the importance of cutural perspective in ethnographic filmmaking. Sol Worth and John Adair's study of the Navajo made a simple innovation. Previously, filmmakers had usually pointed the camera at others in order tocreate an audiovisual representation of their world. In essence, Worth and Adairinstead handed over the camera to see what would result. The results were fascinating, and elude definitive interpretation to this very day. This "experiment" has been repeated many times, and in many places, which is perhaps the greatest testament to the power and originality of a simple, yet ultimately radical, shift of control over the perspective and re-presentation of reality in film. ... Read more

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This is an intimate portrait of a family's decision to return to the Navajo reservation and reclaim its cultural identity. Stacia Spragg-Braude photographed and interviewed the Begay family over the course of a decade, providing a window on a culture not often seen by outsiders. Uplifting and moving, this book examines the spiritual healing that can take place when cultural identity is honored and restored. ... Read more

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Every summer day, Tony makes the long drive into Gallup with his mother.He works at the local trading post, and he's saving all his money to buy something very special: a beautiful, dark leather saddle with nuggets of turquoise laced into the rawhide.If Tony can save enough money to purchase the saddle, he'll be able to stay home and help his father tend the flocks of sheep and goats.Just when Tony has almost enough money, everything begins going wrong.Tony's uncle breaks his foot, the bills become difficult to pay, and Grandmother pawns her precious silver and turquoise bracelet - the one she has worn since she was a young woman.Then Grandmother becomes ill, and Tony knows he must do something to help out.But will he be able to sacrifice his own dream to help his family? ... Read more

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Excellent pictorial guide to the evolving arts of the Navajo
This is the book for both the layman and expert collector of Native American (Navajo) arts. The authors have divided the book into sections ranging from rug weaving, sand painting, pottery to jewellery and ornamentsand many more. The pictures can only be classified as exquisite - very welltaken and the pieces are typically of museum quality. Indeed most of theworks are either collectibles or award-winners in private collection ormuseums. This volume is bound to be a feast for the eyes of the artcollector/amateur alike. The authors also went to great lengths tointerview various well-known artists regarding their works and lives. Ipicked this book up after I purchased a sandpainting and wanted to read upmore about this art form. The artist whose work I bought, Joe Benally, hadhis works described in this book. And I was able to not only view some ofhis other works, but also learn about the origin and evolution ofsandpainting as it is today. A great buy at the discount price at Amazon. ... Read more

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This personal and historical account traces the origins and progress of the twentieth-century legal battle, Healing v. Jones, between the Hopis and Navajos over the control of the joint-occupation reservation originally set aside by President Chester A. Arthur in 1882. David M. Brugge has contributed a new afterword to update the federal case and land issue. ... Read more

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This CD contains 53 Rare and Fascinating Historic books detailing Native American Religions and Mythologies.Some of the titles in the CD include: Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson [1929]; The Soul of the Indian by Charles Eastman [1911]; Myths and Legends of the Sioux by Marie L. McLaughlin [1916]; Eskimo Folk-tales collected by Knud Rasmussen, translated and edited by W. Worster [1921]; Death and Funeral Customs among the Omahas by Francis La Flesche [1889]; The Iroquois Book of Rites by H.E. Hale [1883]; Haida Songs by John R. Swanton. [1912]; Many Swans: Sun Myth of the North American Indians by Amy Lowell [1920]; Sacred Formulas of the Cherokee by James Mooney [1891]; Origin Myths of the Navaho Indians by Aileen O'Bryan; Truth of a Hopi by Edmund Nequatewa, [1936]; Aw-aw-tam Indian Nights (Myths and Legends of the Pima) by J. William Lloyd [1911] and many others.This CD is a collection of PDF files with a navigation system that utilizes your web browser on your computer. It will run on Windows and Macintosh platforms. ... Read more

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Newlyweds Sallie Wagner and Bill Lippincott came to the Navajo Reservation in 1938. Before they knew it, they owned a trading post at Wide Ruins, Arizona. The years they spent there were the best of their lives, and this lively, honest memoir recalls them in detail. Trading post life combined business with the kinds of experiences generally associated with anthropological field work. Like many traders, Sallie Wagner influenced the weavers whose rugs she purchased. She was one of the traders who persuaded weavers to use vegetal dyes, leaving a permanent legacy in Navajo weaving. Tourists discovered Indian reservations in the 1930s, and the Lippincotts were visited often by friends and strangers alike, many unable to navigate reservation roads. ... Read more

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BEST book on Navajo Traders
"Wide Ruins" is a wonderful reading experience on an interesting topic.Sallie Wagner weaves a personal tale of her experiences as the trader at Wide Ruins, Arizona, in the 1940's.Her story progresses quickly and she seems to provide enough detail of her experiences without lingering too long on any one topic. She vividly describes the role of the trading post and of the traders.The trading post was a general store, a pawn shop, and a safety deposit box.The traders were resourceful businessmen who could conduct business without any actual money trading hands. They were esteemed residents who helped the Navajo people survive a difficult time in America's history.

This memoir is a significant piece of literature because it was written by one who actually lived in a world that few non-Navajos ever get to see.She decribes the Navajo people and the Navajo culture in a way that makes their time and place real.It is not an academic study by a distant scholar of the culture.It is a personal account of a world that no longer exists, and as such, it is a treasure.I would also recommend "Navajo Trader" by Cladwell Richardson in addition to "Wide Ruins". ... Read more

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Kayenta Anasazi built and occupied Betatakin and Keet Seel, the largest cliff dwellings in Arizona, a.d. 1250-1300. Navajo people now reside in the Tsegi Canyon system where these remarkably preserved ruins are located. Photos by George H. H. Huey. ... Read more

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Grace Garretson and Kee Notah fall in love, marry, and raise a daughter, Rena.Grace, a courier service driver, is robbed of priceless museum artifacts, the keys to a 400-year-old treasure on the Navajo Reservation.The thieves' quest for the treasure is thwarted by thirteen-year-old Rena's discovery of a secret that dates back to the time of the Anasazi.Not only is the case of the stolen artifacts solved, but also a forty-year-old trading post murder, and a revelation that changes the personal lives of the Notah family. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Karen Penn- TCM Reviews
Whistler's Gold has, at the heart of it, a love story.

Grace Garretson and Kee Notah meet at school, fall in love, marry and raise a daughter. The love story itself is enjoyable, but Whistler's Gold is much more than that, with several mysteries rolling out seamlessly alongside the romance.

Grace, a part-time courier driver, is one day robbed of her priceless cargo, and while trying to reclaim something that was stolen from her mother during the attack, their thirteen year old daughter Rena discovers the answer to a secret that stretches back 400 years.

Wayne Winterton has managed to blend the genres of mystery and romance together in a book that is entertaining on many levels.

I look forward to reading more books by Mr. Winterton.

A Watercolor Portrait of Life on a Navajo Reservation
Wayne Winterton's book, Whister's Gold, is a modern western. It reminds me of the magnificent Zane Grey books I read as a child. Whistler's Gold is a delicate watercolor portrait of life on a Navajo reservation circa World War II and then moves forward to the 1980s in New Mexico, when the main part of the storyline unfolds. I was particularly intrigued with the youngest character - teenaged Rena. Winterton perfectly captures this young girl. Rena, donning her shorts and running shoes for a jog while taking a break from her sheep herding duties, will hold a special place in my memory. I highly recommend this book for readers young and old who want a mystery mixed with light touches of romance and western history.

Love and mystery, my favorites, Sept. 8, 2006
Such a fun book to read. It was hard to put it down. And it was made up of my two favorite things, love and mystery.It is justcrying for a sequal, Mr. Winterton, please.Grace and Kee are in my head and I cannot get them out.

Diane Limberg, SLC Ut.

Whistler's Gold
I think Whistler's Gold is a fabulous book. Excellent story line & plot stucture. It was hard to put down to give my old eyes a rest. I think the author should consider a sequel & revisit "Whistler's Gold" again soon. I must add that I am not swayed by the fact that I am a high school classmate of Wayne Winterton, I proudly say & I look forward to other books by Wayne--Milt Lowe Casa Grande, Az.

Fascinating journey into intrigue
Wayne Winterton has managed, in one book, to catch the reader and then deliver a fascinating account of intrigue, Spanish gold, legend, murder, a blending of both Navajo and Anglo cultures, and love.
Along the way, he's introduced us to a remarkable blended family, which I know we'll be hearing a lot more from in the future. This book could only have been written by someone who has been there, and Winterton obviously has. I look forward eagerly to the next one!
Slim Randles, Albuquerque. ... Read more

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Profusely illustrated with stunning photographs of over 500 profile and figural spoons along with historical images, this book is the first to examine the production of silver spoons by Navajo artisans beginning in the 1880s and continuing to World War II. The silversmiths brought the highest level of skill and invention to functional teaspoons, servers, and sugar shells, sought after by travellers to the Southwest and traders. Many of the rare spoons are engraved with dates and names. ... Read more

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Especially for those who enjoy fine silverwork
Navajo Spoons: Indian Artistry And The Souvenir Trade, 1880s-1940s by Native American artifact and antiquities dealer Cindra Kline is an informative and attractive combination history and art that tells and showcases the story of some truly fine silverware created in an era when the railroad helped open up and streamline travel and trade with the American West. The cross-cultural elegance of Navajo silverware is amazingly displayed in the beautiful, full-color photographs of Navajo Spoons, while the "reader friendly" text offers deep insight into these artifacts and the people who created them. A superb artbook especially for those who enjoy fine silverwork, Navajo Spoons is a recommended addition to Native American Studies supplemental reading lists and reference collections, as well as an invaluable single volume introduction for collectors and dealers of Navajo silverwork. ... Read more

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First published in 1992 and now available only from the University of New Mexico Press, this is a firsthand account of life at a famous archaeological ruin. Married to Richard Wetherill, the rancher and amateur archaeologist who ran a trading post in Chaco Canyon from 1896 until he was murdered by a Navajo in 1910, Marietta Wetherill got to know her Navajo neighbors as intimately as an Anglo could. While Richard was excavating at Pueblo Bonito, Marietta managed the trading post. She befriended a singer who adopted her into his clan and gave her a close-up view of Navajo medicine and religion. ... Read more

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The Navajo nation is one of the most frequently researched groups of Indians in North America. Anthropologists, sociologists, historians, and others have taken turns explaining their views of Navajo history and culture. A recurrent theme throughout is that the U.S. government defeated the Navajos so soundly during the early 1860s that after their return from incarceration at Bosque Redondo, they were a badly shattered and submissive people.

The next thirty years saw a marked demographic boom during which the Navajo population doubled. Historians disagree as to the extent of this growth, but the position taken by many historians is that because of this growth and the rapidly expanding herds of sheep, cattle, and horses, the government beneficently gave more territory to its suffering wards.

While this interpretation is partly accurate, it centers on the role of the government, the legislation that was passed, and the frustrations of the Indian agents who rotated frequently through the Navajo Agency in Fort Defiance, New Mexico, and ignores or severely limits one of the most important actors in this process of land acquisition-the Navajos themselves. Instead of being a downtrodden group of prisoners, defeated militarily in the 1860s and dependent on the U.S. government for protection and guidance in the 1870s and 80s, they were vigorously involved in defending and expanding the borders of their homelands. This was accomplished not through war and as a concerted effort, but by an aggressive defensive policy built on individual action that varied with changing circumstances. Many Navajos never made the Long Walk to Bosque Redondo. Instead they eluded capture in northern and western hinterlands and thereby pushed out their frontier. This book focuses on the events and activities in one part of the Navajo borderlands-the northern frontier-where between 1860 and 1900 the Navajos were able to secure a large portion of land that is still part of the reservation. This expansion was achieved during a period when most Native Americans were losing their lands. ... Read more

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A welcome addition to Native American history reading lists
Robert McPherson's The Northern Navajo Frontier 1860-1900: Expansion Through Adversity is an amazing and informative examination of how the Navajos successfully defended and expanded their territory in an era when most Native Americans lost their lands. Focusing on the northern frontier borderlands and the "aggressive defensive" used to hold on to them, largely without making war, The Northern Navajo Frontier 1860-1900 is a revealing look at how it is possible for a people to survive even when they are outnumbered and outgunned. The scholarly, college-level text is meticulously researched and preoccupied with truly understanding what was truly happening on the Northern Navajo Frontier and why during the specified period of 40 years. A most fascinating and thought-provoking study, The Northern Navajo Frontier 1860-1900 is an impressive and welcome addition to Native American history reading lists and reference collections. ... Read more

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Richardson came from a long line of Indian traders and published nearly three hundred western novels under pseudonyms like 'Maurice Kildare.' His forty years of managing trading posts on the Navajo Reservation are now recalled in this colorful memoir. ... Read more

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Navajo Trader
Gladwell Richardson, a.k.a. Maurice Kildare, was perhaps the most prolific writer for western history magazines from the 1950s through the 1970s.Unfortunately, his legacy is tainted.The articles he wrote, though based in fact, are heavily fictionalized.He published a great deal of folklore and fabrications and passed them off as facts.He wrote many memoirs of his childhood, but they conflicted with each other.At different times he claimed to have grown up simultaneouslyin Oklahoma and Arizona.When called on this by a complaining reader to Real West magazine, he claimed to have grown up in both places.This memoir, and anything else he wrote, should not be relied on as history.Gladwell Richardson was a story teller, not a historian, and his articles should never have been published in magazines like True West and Real West, because much of what he wrote was neither true nor real. John Boessenecker

The Real Deal
This is a fine, anecdotal remembrance by Toney Richardson, a distant cousin of mine, and portrays with a great deal of verisimilitude the life that my Mother lived for several summers with her Dad, Joel Higgins McAdams, in Navajoland.Having grown up in Arizona, I can attest to that which I have experienced, especially the wryness, humor, and remarkable sagacity of the Navajos I grew up with off-reservation.Highly recommended if you're interested in the "real deal," at least as I see it.

Outstanding story of early Navajo trading posts.
This book was written by a man who was both a prolific writer of Westerns and operator of a series of Trading posts on the Navajo Reservation.It is an outstanding autobiographical picture of life as a trader in the early1900's, filled with mundane and fantastic personal experiences.

Highlyreadable and exciting, "Navajo Trader"brings the early tradingpost experience to vivid life. ... Read more

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TRUTHFUL
I appreciated the wisdom of this book. It touched on the history to the future. The wisdom of the elders are priceless, just as the sacredness of the land. A worthy book to put in one's personal library.

good, all around information straight from the source
This is a worthwhile volume to have on your shelf.complete with stories, folk tales, and factual information presented in a straight-forward approach and written by Native American authors, it gives a good look into culture not only with the subject matter but the ways in which it is approached. ... Read more

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Read the true story that inspired Windtalkers, a major summer 2002 release that honors the Navajo Code Talkers of World War II, directed by John Woo (Mission: Impossible 2) and starring Nicholas Cage and Adam Beach. Based on first-person accounts and Marine Corps documents, this newly revised edition of Navajo Weapon: The Navajo Code Talkers describes how the U.S. Marine Corps recruited young Navajo warriors to create a secret code, using their native language that many of them had once been forbidden to speak. The Navajo Code Talkers played decisive roles in the Pacific Theater and helped turned the tide in the bloody battles for Bougainville, Cape Gloucester, New Britain, Saipan, Guam, Peleliu, and Iwo Jima. Their unbreakable code helped save countless American lives and earned the Navajo Code Talkers the undying respect of their comrades in arms. 54 rare, historic photographs and maps. ... Read more