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Indigenous Summer Reading Picks

b2ap3_thumbnail_51jcu4spniL._AC_US218_.jpgIf a peaceful summer afternoon spent reading a book is your idea of relaxation or perhaps having some time before bed to unwind with some nourishing words would be welcome to you, I have some suggestions!

I am often asked by folks curious about Native Americans "How do I know what's real from what's fake Native American culture when it comes to books?" I understand completely how truly difficult it is to find and assess relevant, informative books about Native American cultures, so this month's blog is meant to help you in this process.

Before I get into my personal favorites (and nationally recognized works) that I believe many of you will enjoy reading, I want to provide you with a short list for evaluating books about Native American cultures. I hope that you notice I keep writing in the plural: cultureS not culture. This is because there is no one Native culture, just as European nations are culturally and linguistically distinct with a host of sub-cultures and dialects within each nation (a book about Italians is definitely not a book about the Greeks, though there are some general cultural overlaps). Same with Native American nations. There are of course some similar cultural attributes among the Native nations (like communal ethics and valuing the Earth), but the cultures really do vary quite widely from the Eastern Woodlanders to the Pacific Northwestern nations and everyone in between.

How to Evaluate a Book about Native Americans

1. Who wrote the book? Having a Ph.D. doesn't necessarily mean the book provides legitimate information.

2. Is the author(s) Indigenous? Are they connected to and/or grew up in their nation's community? Are they a Keeper (a person recognized by the nation who is in the office of Faith Keeper or Story Keeper)? Most Indigenous Keepers will NOT write a book publicly discussing their culture, so beware.

3. If the author is not Indigenous, then did s/he work closely with the Indigenous community or Tribal Council? It should say so in the "Acknowledgements" section in the back of the book.

4. Were Indigenous scholars included in the book writing process? Is the author a Native American Studies scholar (that's different from an historian or anthropologist, VERY different)?

Red Flags to Watch Out For

1. Books written by EuroAmericans supposedly "adopted" by Native Americans who studied with nameless "elders" (or one Indigenous person not connected to her/his community) are quite common and typically bogus. They profess made-up, fake Indian culture that is brimming with stereotypical language you can easily identify: like outrageous assertions that everyone in the U.S. is really a Native American and therefore their cultures belong to everyone. That's called colonization!

2. A book by an Indigenous person who writes about another Native nation's culture. For example, a self-proclaimed Mohican elder who writes a book about Lakota culture. The author should have clear connections to her/his community.

Recommendations for Great Reading about Native American Cultures

Below are books you can trust to provide accurate and informative cultural and historical information about Native American peoples and cultures. Note how very different they are from the generic (and bogus) books often titled "Native American Wisdom". The authors and their works I include are recognized scholars and elders in their nations today; they often collaborated with their nations to write their books and come from traditional upbringings in their specific communities. They are not generic "Native Americans" writing a bit of Cherokee culture here and a smattering of Navajo culture there all mixed up with New Age beliefs. They are Pueblos writing about Pueblo culture; Ojibwes writing about Ojibwe culture, and so forth. This is how you know you've got something real in your hands. b2ap3_thumbnail_41x7oEX8VL._AC_US218_.jpg

Readers do not want to be misled or deliberately manipulated. When we open a book we want to trust the writer and the publisher. When it comes to books about Native Americans, as readers we must be very careful because of the continued power of colonization to control information about the colonized. As we all know, as individuals and members of communities, we have the right to tell our own stories--so do Indigenous peoples, most especially. When non-Indigenous peoples say "everyone is a Native American" they are exercising their power and privilege as colonizers to make such damaging, unethical claims. Beware of books by these writers.

b2ap3_thumbnail_61QDghsokbL._AC_US218_.jpgGrandmothers of the Light by Paula Gunn Allen. A rich, spiritual read that will be inspiring.

The Sacred Hoop: Recovering the Feminine in Native American Traditions by Paula Gunn Allen. About Native American gynocratic (woman-centered) social structures. A landmark work that includes highly-readable historic information about women, gender and Two-Spirits.

All Our Relations by Winona LaDuke. Looks closely at individual Indigenous nations and how they are addressing environmental challenges in their homelands--powerful, inspiring, a classic book used in environmental studies classrooms. b2ap3_thumbnail_51AONFeblQL._AC_US218_.jpg

American Indian Stories by Zitkala-Sa. Memoir of a Dakota teacher and important American writer born in 1876 who taught at the Carlisle Indian School. Also suitable for young readers.

Red Earth, White Lies: Native Americans and the Myth of Scientific Fact by Vine Deloria, Jr. A classic in Native American Studies that takes apart EuroAmerican anthropological theories and asserts Indigenous perspectives. b2ap3_thumbnail_51lxiKcGryL._AC_US218_.jpg

Medicine Trail: The Life and Lessons of Gladys Tantaquidgeon by Melissa Fawcett (Mohegan). If you want to read about what a medicine woman really does, this is your book.

Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko (cover shown above). This novel is not to be missed! Silko is one of America's premiere writers. The book will deeply teach you about Pueblo culture, spirituality, and the power of love to heal any brokenness. Her writing is gorgeous.

b2ap3_thumbnail_51enKzRtsML._AC_US218_.jpgHolding Our World Together: Ojibwe Women and the Survival of Community by Brenda J. Child. A readable little book about the woman-centered Ojibwe people, gathering rice, coming of age rituals, jingle-dress dancing, and the creation of the American Indian Movement.

From Sand Creek by Simon Ortiz (Acoma Pueblo). Poetry collection from a celebrated elder.

b2ap3_thumbnail_51KcYKcuv9L._AC_US218_.jpgTekonwatonti/Molly Brant by Maurice Kenny. A Mohawk poet and winner of many literary awards. Tekonwatonti (1736--1796) was a Mohawk Clan Mother and major military leader during the American Revolution/ Native American Holocaust era. The image you see here is from a modern Canadian stamp. The poetry is accessible and Kenny includes an index of historical information to help readers follow the work.

Happy Reading Everyone!

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Dr. Mays is a professional writer with a doctoral degree in Native American Studies who has taught at the college level for nearly two decades. She is committed to educating about Indigenous cultures, especially about practices that specifically relate to women, in order to raise awareness about current issues in Indian Country, dissolve stereotypes, and create healing among all communities.

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