Northwest Books

Kay Atwood has done a outstanding composer of Illahe and it's history.

She has wrote so many familiar things that I have heard growing up.

If anyone is interested in learning about some of the people who started roots in Illahe will greatly appreciate this book. This book has become a family member to our family and every family member has a copy of it.

The carvings sit, unnoticed by most, on a shelf locked behind glass at the Yellowknife court house. Anybody who walked up and saw them would have no idea of their origin, would have no idea of the social history behind these lumps of soapstone (and one stuffed bird).

Eber's book provides the link. I walked past these carvings virtually every day before reading Eber's book, barely noticing their existence. Now, knowing the stories behind them and the people behind them, I have a much greater appreciation.

This book is a must for anyone interested in Inuit art or the social history of Northern Canada. Recommended highly.

This is an amazing story of high adventure, which took me completely by surprise, as it's written by an Anglican missionary. Collison's adventures among the Haidas and Tsimshians of British Columbia are exciting and fascinating. Unfortunately, the recent reprint edition of this book didn't include the Bible verses that headed each chapter of the original. I'm not a particularly religious person, but Collison chose verses that really help set the tone of the chapter.

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.

An exciting, spirited and uplifting look into our Native Americans' beliefs, values and morals. This area of study is brimming with imagery, fascination and curiosity for all ages.
We read of myths and legends from the Nez Perce, Crow, Sioux, Arapaho, Blackfeet and Shoshone tribes to mention a few. Herein lies tales of:
Creation of the world; origins of many landforms and stars; spirits and monsters in rivers and lakes; "cannibal dwarfs"; "the little people"; prophecies; animals and plants; the list goes on.
A well researched book which shines with enlightenment.

Though this book was first published in 1953, the stories and legends enclosed in Ms. Clark's book are interesting in 1999. I was surprized to find a story and lore concerning a local rock painting site. Each of the stories are indentified by the tribe or nation they come from. This book is a must for anyone interested in Native American lore or legends.

Indian Myths & Legends from the North Pacific Coast of America is the English translation of Franz Boas' Indianische Sagen von der Nord-Pacifischen Küste Amerikas. This book details various myths and legends recorded by the Father of North American Anthropology during his field investigations of twenty-six native groups along the Northwest Coast. Dietrich Bertz painstakingly translated Boas' original text and field notes. Bouchard and Kennedy then compiled these translations, conferred with native storytellers and academic researchers, and then attempted to replicate these original myths and legends.

Countless footnotes riddle the book explaining the sources, potential variations, and limitations of these various accounts. The editors have also added a lengthy section about Boas and his theoretical background to instruct the reader on the Boasian theory and methods and give the reader background on where and when he conducted his field investigations. Moreover, this section aims to prevent criticism about the incomplete stories. This attempt is significant as Boas' work shows an obvious bias towards using myths and legends as a way of discovering cultural affinity and diffusion. In this way, the reader will soon find a number of the accounts only contain a paragraph or two stating that the story is the same as previous except for a few omissions or additions. These revisions are then listed or the differing portion of the story related. For researchers looking for precise details, a smooth read, or culture-specific symbolic ideology, this aspect of Boas' original work may be extremely bothersome.

This book also contains a summary of Boas' findings. This section is a comparison of various individual events found within common myths and legends. Boas used the frequency of these common components to establish cultural links. Nonetheless, the comparison of these variations might be useful as a starting point for a Lévi-Straussian analysis of myth and legend variations. Furthermore, this section acts as a summary for an extensive and somewhat overwhelming amount of material.

The majority of this book, however, is composed of myths and legends from the twenty-six native groups that Boas studied. The number of myths and legend in each section varies substantially. For instance, there is only one Klahoose legend, while twenty-five stories of the Bella Coola are recorded. This is a reflection of knowledgeable native storytellers willing to share their traditions within the confines of Boas' hectic fieldwork schedule.

Each of these sections contains an introduction that outlines when and where Boas completed his field studies as well as any comments he recorded about his informants. This orients the reader any to potential bias due to lack of time and the qualifications of the native storytellers. Moreover, black and white photographs taken by Boas accompany each introduction. These regularly depict native informants, their villages, and local activities. These activities include not only daily activities useful as potential clues in site and activity area reconstruction but also rarely recorded special events such as the potlatch ceremony.

Many of the sections contain myths and legends common to the Pacific Northwest. The most common reoccurring themes surround Raven and Mink. Other common stories include tales about illegitimate and rejected children becoming rich and powerful as well as cautionary tales about sexually active girls.

Despite Boas' research bias towards shared themes, he did an exemplary job in recording such a wide variety. Many of these are origin myths and legends explaining nature and the universe. Others relate the history of the group and the invention of technology such as the salmon weir. Still others valiantly illustrate cultural mores, taboos, and gender roles.

Thus, despite some acknowledged research bias, this book is a wealth of knowledge. Many of these myths and legends are the only surviving remnants of otherwise lost traditions. Furthermore, this compilation is the most complete collection from the Pacific Northwest created to date. These aspects make this book invaluable to the avid myth and legend collector or scholar.

This is the best book on the Indian Shaker Church around. The writings on the church subsequent to the publishing of this book often cite to this book as an original source material. Wish someone would publish this book again. At this point, you have to search to find it but it is definitely worth the time and money.

J.J. Creighton has written a fascinating book on a largely unknown encounter between a group of art students and instructors and a group of traditional Native Americans. This happened in a rather remote area of the state (the Colville Reservation) in the 1930s when gravel roads were the norm. A wonderful record of life on the reservation has been preserved in the form of portraits and landscapes, many of which are illustrated in this book.

This book is an excellent source for understanding North American Indian customs and life style prior to the appearance of European settlers. It is very well documented with good authenticity. The journals by Nicholas Perrot are vivid and interesting.