People confront stereotypes every day, both in and out of the classroom. Some ideas have been carried in the collective memory and classroom textbooks for so long they are generally recognized as fact. Many are constantly being reinforced by personal experiences, family discussions, and Hollywood productions as well. The distinct advantage to…

Historically, American Indian education in the United States was inextricably linked to Euro-American colonialism. By the late nineteenth century, many Euro-Americans thought Native Americans were a "vanishing race," and schools for Indians incorporated this belief into their design. In the United States, the large number and variety of…

Western New York's Allegany Seneca Reservation was a troubled place. John Peirce, one of many Allegany chiefs, could only lament in 1821 how a political situation had spiraled out of control: "war had risen amongst them." Within a span of a few years, Quakers operating a schoolhouse on Seneca lands had ripped apart the Allegany people.…

This collection of writings by and about New England's American Indians focuses on the Indians' relation to the land. Articles examine Indian folklore and spiritualism, the importance of the oral tradition, and advice to young Indians about receiving the oral tradition and passing it forward. Articles describe Indian lifeways; native cooking,…

A source document, illustrated with many black and white photographs of tribe members and activities, provides a brief history of the American Indian tribes, now called the Flatheads, living on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana and describes some of their cultural traditions, particularly their ceremonial dances. The booklet traces the…

One of the first Native American authors, Samson Occom, a Mohegan Indian, began writing in the 18th century. His writings included an ethnographic essay on the Montauk Tribe, an autobiographical sketch of his educational experiences and missionary activities, and his first publication, "Sermon at the Execution of Moses Paul." (ERB)

Yurok Indian legends in Yurok Unifon text include English translations of the entire texts in order to produce fluent reading for English speakers and a continuous text for Yurok readers. Although corresponding sentences are numbered, translation is not word-for-word or sentence-for-sentence. The five stories refer to a time when animals could…

Discusses the attitudes and experiences of U.S. Indian children who attended schools run by the Board of Foreign Missions (BFM) of the Presbyterian Church during the nineteenth century. (BSR)

As part of an effort to preserve oral tradition and produce a history about the Blackfeet people, Tom Many Guns relates the story of his life and, in so doing, brings out the rich cultural heritage of the Blackfeet. The recollections were gathered through interviews and translated from Blackfeet to English using every effort to preserve Tom Many…

This book contains reprints of three essays by Jesse Walter Fewkes (1850-1930) on the pottery of the prehistoric Mimbres Indians. The three papers were originally published by the Smithsonian Institution between 1914 and 1924. The first, "Archeology of the Lower Mimbres Valley, New Mexico," examines historical references to ancient…

A cursory examination of place names on a map of South Dakota does not reflect the important role that Indians have played in the state and their relation to the land framed by its borders. Only three towns with populations over 1,000 bear names that clearly come from Indian languages: Sioux Falls, Sisseton, and Yankton. The hostile relationship…

Describes the Blue Lake Ceremony of the Taos Pueblo Indians of New Mexico. Reproduces the 1906 account of the ceremony by anthropologist Matilda Coxe Stevenson and notes modern verification and change. Discusses the importance of this annual August pilgrimage and initiation rite to the preservation of Taos culture. (SV)

Relates the removal of the Palouse Indians to northeastern Oklahoma in 1878. Describes the conditions of their exile and the efforts that led to their eventual return to the Pacific Northwest in 1885. (NEC)

Background information on the travels and settlements of Bartholomew Gosnold in New England during the seventeenth century is provided. The article concludes with a listing of commonly used English words derived from Native American cultures over the generations. A listing of selected language families and member tribes is also included. (RM)

Briefly describes some elements of the culture of the Boruca Indians of Costa Rica and discusses threats to their tribal existence. Notes recurring motifs in six narratives which illustrate Boruca life and culture and which are presented in the original Boruca and in Spanish and English translations. (SB)