Indigenous

Life Woven With Song (Sun Tracks, V. 41)

The Tlingit Indians of southeastern Alaska are known for their totem poles, Chilkat blankets, and ocean-going canoes. Nora Marks Dauenhauer is a cultural emissary of her people and now tells the story of her own life within the context of her community’s. Life Woven with Song re-creates in written language the oral tradition of the Tlingit people as it records memories of Dauenhauer’s heritage–of older relatives and Tlingit elders, of trolling for salmon and preparing food in the dryfish camps, of making a living by working in canneries. She explores these recurring themes of food and land, salmon and rainforest, from changing perspectives–as a child, a mother, and a grandmother–and through a variety of literary forms. In prose, Dauenhauer presents stories such as “Egg Boat”–the tale of a twelve-year-old girl fishing the North Pacific for the first time alone–and an autobiographical piece that reveals much about Tlingit lifeways. Then in a section of short lyrical poems she offers crystalline tributes to her land and people. In a concluding selection of plays, Dauenhauer presents three Raven stories that were adapted as stage plays from oral versions told in Tlingit by three storytellers of her community. These plays were commissioned by the Naa Kahidi Theater and have been performed throughout America and Europe. They take the form of a storyteller delivering a narrative while other members of the cast act and dance in masks and costumes. Collectively, Dauenhauer’s writings form an “autoethnography,” offering new insight into how the Tlingit have been affected by modernization and how Native American culture perseveres in the face of change. Despite the hardships her people have seen, this woman affirms the goodness of life as found in family and community, in daily work and play, and in tribal traditions.

The Snow Bear

“The bear came into town in the Autumn to feed at the dump. Her cubs had been killed by hunters and she was weary. Only Bruun saw her plight…” So begins a friendship between two unlikely companions ­ Bruun, an Inuit Eskimo boy, and a snow bear from the wild. As they spend the winter out on the sea-ice together, Bruun learns the ways of the polar bear. But when spring comes, he must return home to the ways of his own people. What will happen, years later, when the two meet again and Bruun has become a hunter?

Northern Lights: The Soccer Trails

Northern Lights is a beautiful tale that explores the mystical aspects of the northern lights in Inuit culture. Scientists have their own explanations for the phenomenon that occurs when the night sky shimmers with milky white patterns, or displays all the colors of the rainbow. But the Inuit prefer their own explanation: They believe the souls of the dead are engaging in a lively game of soccer, just as they did when they were living. They run all over the sky chasing a walrus head that they use for a soccer ball. This is the story of Kataujaq and the intimate relationship she has with her mother. They do almost everything together; they hug, rub noses and say “Mamaq” which means “You smell so nice.” But a great sickness comes and Kataujaq’s mother is taken south to the white people’s hospital and never comes back. Kataujaq grieves, but is also able to rejoice when she and her grandmother watch the northern lights. This book celebrates family life, intimacy and the glory of nature.

The Song Within My Heart

Renowned Native painter Allen Sapp’s inspired and stunning artwork beautifully complements this sweet story of a boy preparing for his first powwow. The young boy’s Nokum — his beloved grandmother — guides him through the events of the day and helps him to understand what the singing and dancing are about. Award-winning author David Bouchard adds rhythmic and informative text based on remembrances from Allen Sapp’s own Cree childhood. A portion of the royalties for The Song Within My Heart will be donated to the Indian Federated College.

The Old Man with the Otter Medicine

It is winter and the people are starving. There are no fish. They must seek the help of a medicine man to save them. The Man with the Otter Medicine tells of medicine power, the struggle for survival and an important part of the history and culture of the Dene people as it has been passed down through stories and legends for generations.

Winter Camp

Two orphaned siblings struggle to survive a harsh Alaskan winter looking after a badly wounded miner, while their guardian, an old Athabascan Indian who has taught them the ways of their ancestors, searches for help.

James Houston’s Treasury Of Inuit Legends (Odyssey Classics (Odyssey Classics))

James Houston made his first journey to the Canadian Arctic in 1948 in search of a new land to paint. There he found a warm, friendly people living in a vast, cold, hauntingly beautiful world. He lived with the Inuit and Indian people in the Arctic and grew to understand them and their way of life. He also helped introduce Inuit culture to the world with his remarkable art and stories.  Here are four of his exciting Inuit folktales–Akavak, Tiktaliktak, The White Archer, and Wolf Run–collected for the first time in one beautiful volume. Houston’s striking illustrations for each story bring the Arctic and its people to life. This inspired collection is sure to fascinate readers of all ages. Includes an introduction by Theodore Taylor.

Yamozha And His Beaver Wife

In this legend, Yamozha forgets his promise to his wife and as a result she turns into a giant beaver. He follows her all over Denedeh but is unable to catch her. This story tells of how this great medicine man shaped the land in the Tlicho region and its surrounding areas into what it is today.