Native American Authors Project

[A.H.]

I mentioned that in some other thread - but I think this is important to see separately.

With all that flood of new age literature it is good to have a resource about real native american authors. While there still could be unreliable and bad books among those, it is at least bull-shit coming from the natives themselves, not "white" exploiters. I specifically wondered if something resembling western philosphical approach in "native" literature is available and I discover that it might be. It is different to learn about ideas through first hand philosophical discourse and not just through antropological description and observation... Or at least through antropology done by the "insiders" not "the other".

I noticed many great books on this list and I think it is valuable to know of the existance of such vault of information:

http://www.ipl.org/div/natam/

[A.H.]

So I singled out two authors to check first : Alfonso Ortiz and Vine Deloria, Jr.. The latter is surrounded with some controversy and critique like found on wikipedia:

"Deloria was criticized for his embrace of American Indian creationism. Deloria often cited Christian creationist authors in support of his views relating to science. Deloria also relied on Hindu creationists such as Michael Cremo.[2]

Deloria was further criticized for his reliance on authors of pseudoscience such as Zecharia Sitchin and Immanuel Velikovsky. Deloria cited Sitchin to argue that white people were created by space aliens.[3] Deloria also believed that dinosaurs and humans lived at the same time, and that the stegosaurus still existed in the 19th century.[4].

The Rocky Mountain News berated Deloria for "the utterly wacky nature of some of his views,??? and “his contempt for much science."[5] John Whittaker referred to Deloria's "Red Earth White Lies" as "a wretched piece of Native American creationist claptrap that has all the flaws of the Biblical creationists he disdains...Deloria's style is drearily familiar to anyone who has read the Biblical creationist literature...At the core is a wishful attempt to discredit all science because some facts clash with belief systems. A few points will suffice to show how similar Deloria is to outspoken creationist author Duane Gish or any of his ilk."[6]

But at the same time he is highly regarded native american author... and I am suspicious that this criticism might be misunderstanding...

Since I would have to order any of the books on-line, I would like to ask for your opinion and recommendations... Which Deloria's books are (trust)worthy... If any at all.

I am thinking to check those two first, but seem rather "sensational" (esp. when reading that critical remarks on wiki) - has anyone read these?

http://www.amazon.com/World-We-Used-Live-Remembering/dp/1555915647/ref=pd_sim_b_img_3

http://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Reason-Vine-Deloria-Reader/dp/1555914306
 


Maybe this thread can continue as a "non-fraud" book recommendation list?

[educatedindian]

Wikipedia is one of the absolute worst sources out there and what you quoted is an example of why. It seems that he rubbed some white conservatives wrong and they've taken to posting one of the most dubious sources out there, a bizarre editorial from the notoriously anti Indian paper Rocky Mountain News.

There's plenty of problems with the IPL link you listed. They have plenty of good authors, but also a who's who of exploiters or frauds mixed in with them.


"Wallace Black Elk is a Lakota elder and spiritual descendant of Nicholas Black Elk, the author of Black Elk Speaks. Wallace Black Elk was born and raised on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota where Nicholas Black Elk was one of his mentors. He was present at the occupation of Wounded Knee, and has been politically active in fighting for the rights of Native American people. He is a spiritual leader and has served as an international lecturer and as a Native American representative to the United Nations."

Only about half of that is true.

"Ward Churchill has achieved an unparalleled reputation as a scholar-activist and analyst of indigenous issues. He is a Professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Colorado, Boulder, a leading member of AIM, and the author of numerous books, including A Little Matter of Genocide, Struggle for the Land, and Fantasies of the Master Race."

They don't even get his title right. He's in Ethnic Studies.

"Beverly Hungry Wolf was born in 1950 in the Blood Indian Hospital on the Blood Indian Reserve in Canada....She married a German, Adolph Gutohrlein, who encouraged her to preserve her traditions. They encountered some enmity among the Indians and together they wrote Shadows of the Buffalo which tells of their experiences. Beverly Hungry Wolf now lives with her husband and children in British Columbia."

Yeah...her husband Adolf Hungry Wolf was considered an exploiter who wrote a how to book on ceremonies.

"Archie Fire Lame Deer grew up on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. The son and grandson of medicine men, Lame Deer left the reservation at the age of fourteen. He served in the Korean War and was a stuntman in Hollywood. Lame Deer is a lecturer on the Sioux religion and culture, travelling around the world to teach the Native American spirituality."

Teaching? He sold ceremonies in Germany for much of his life.

"Mahinto is a Sioux medicine woman, teacher and counselor. She has been a singer, a dancer, a fashion model, and radio show host. Having dedicated her life to reversing the plight of the American Indian, she has battled Congress to protect the gas, oil and mineral rights of reservation lands. "

Also known as Wind Wolf Woman, another ceremony seller. If I recall right there were disputes over if she was NDN or not.

"Ed McGaa is a registered tribal member of the Oglala Sioux and was born on the Pine Ridge reservation. He received his Bachelor's degree from St. John's University, earned a law degree from the University of South Dakota, and has studied under Chief Eagle Feather and Chief Fool's Crow, Sioux holy men. He is honored by the Sioux for having participated six times in the Sun Dance ceremony."

Well he is enrolled, and he was a lawyer, but that's about it.

"Medicine Story's writings include teachings on Native American spirituality as well as practical issues of childraising and personal interaction. He is a Wampanoag elder, ceremonial leader and teacher. He also edits the Native liberation journal Heritage."

A white imposter named Francis Talbot.

"Lewis E. Mehl-Madrona , 1954-
Cherokee
Lakota
 He is currently a clinical assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He has written numerous articles and focuses on self-healing medicine."

An exploiter in academia. He was kicked out of the Univ of Pittsburgh. Quackwatch has listings on him.

"Twylah Nitsch is a Seneca Indian elder and author."

Still debated if she's an exploiter, or the Nuage circle around her is using and manipulating her.

"Jamie Sams is a Santa Fe-based writer, artist and teacher of Seneca, Cherokee and French descent. She is the granddaughter of Seneca elder and author Twyla Nitsch."

A supposed adopted granddaughter of Nitsch.

"Hyemeyohsts Storm was born in Lame Deer, Montana and was raised on the Cheyenne and Crow reservations. Storm attended Eastern Montana College in Billings. His first publication of Seven Arrows stirred a widespread controversy regarding the accuracy in Native American fiction and the rights of Native American authors to represent and intrepret tribal religion without tribal authorization."

At least here they have to acknowledge it a bit. Pleny on him in other threads.

"Sun Bear, who was born Vincent LaDuke, was a writer and actor who is probably best known for founding the Bear Tribe in the 1970's in Washington."

See other threads.

"Dark Rain [Thom] is a Shawnee Clan mother who lives in a log cabin near Bloomington, Indiana, with her husband James Alexander Thom."

See other threads.

[A.H.]

Thanx for you info... I noticed some of those who you mention - quite some are very easy to dismiss as unreliable...

But to be fair - even if they are fraudulent or unreliable they are still "native american authors" - did you contact IPL maybe - I think such a source is good to have (for all those good authors) - it should be corrected when it is not done properly... and clean it of those really bad books... You have the knowledge and information to interfere with that... (they have a very obvious feedback button - so I just posted your reply and suggested them to consult also with you (NAFPS) for appropriate editing of their entries...)

Do you know some more reliable collections of authors? I would appreciate it. 

I also noticed Donald Fixico that is not mentioned on that list - and his book "The American Indian mind in a linear world" : http://www.routledge.com/0415944570

I think books like that are the really important ones that contribute to knowledge on all fronts - understanding native american way of thinking and culture better and the conception of knowledge and ways of thinking in general.

I am more interested in knowing what's GOOD to read - those obvious frauds are quite easy to ignore. But finding the really worthy ones is not so easy - I singled out Ortiz and Deloria in the field that interests me - methods of thought, construction of reality, "metaphysics", psychology, etc. 


So what about Vine Deloria Jr. - do you reccomend his writings?
 

I know of the shortcomings of wikipedia, but at least it is open for all the sides - so it gives a quick overview of what different fractions think about a subject they are interested in enough to write something about it -  so even so - when something is mentioned - like referencing Zecharia Sitchin - I become a little suspicious... The same goes for this forum - you are very thorough - but even if someone is only mentioned in "research needed" it stains him a little and anyone who reads that feels like checking such person more... I am not saying this is bad - it is just so - raised suspicion and alert - and that is actually ok, when not exaggerated...


So I suggest to point out more of the GOOD books not just the BAD ones. We don't want to read the bad ones...

I was not asking about those you mentioned (but good that you did) - I asked about Ortiz and Deloria - are they worthy to read? I think yes, but you are the experts... and I check before buying.

And correct IPL if you have a way to.. Because such lists will be used and not everyone can distinguish good from bad - the title Native American Authors and their sincere aim and some respected names among the cooperators on a project gives those included bad authors additional credibility they wouldn't enjoy otherwise...


best

[educatedindian]

Deloria is very highly recommended. So is Fixico. They're both some of the finest minds out there. The site doesn't seem to have been updated in many years. For example they don't even mention the controversy over Churchill, and that began at least three years ago. And Fixico's first book (on the history of Termination) is over 20 years old. It seems like they mostly chose the best known Native literature and then never updated.

In the thread NAFPS Highly Recommends I listed some history books.

[Defend the Sacred]

Wikipedia desperately needs better First Nations info. I know the site can be frustrating, and some articles over there are lost causes.  But since the articles there get high search-engine placement,  I often find it worth it to get better info out there.

There are a small number of us who have tried to improve things there, but I don't always know enough on the topic to fix things, and there is SO MUCH to do. There are so many hideously wrong articles on Native issues; it's a lot of work. The key thing is to have good sources and to know policy. If anyone wants to work on things over there, let me know and I will help if I can.

[A.H.]

Deloria is very highly recommended. So is Fixico. They're both some of the finest minds out there. The site doesn't seem to have been updated in many years. For example they don't even mention the controversy over Churchill, and that began at least three years ago. And Fixico's first book (on the history of Termination) is over 20 years old. It seems like they mostly chose the best known Native literature and then never updated.

In the thread NAFPS Highly Recommends I listed some history books.

Well, I just ordered two books by Vine Deloria Jr. and Donald Fixico.

I found an excerpt on Amazon - some function "search inside" I didn't know of - and read the first few pages of "The American Indian Mind in a Linear world" - I am now a little puzzled that Fixico mentiones and quotes Ed McGaa that was critized around here and introduces him as "native elder" on the first pages of the book - I hope this book is valid despite of that, but I am a bit confused now... Can both be valid - your criticism and Fixico's use of the Mcgaa's quote to illustrate a certain way of thinking? Or is he describing a way of thinking of a fraud?

Well, I will have to read the book to decide. Your opinion would be appreciated..

[frederica]

I think Ed McGaa was an enrolled member of the Oglala. There may be differences in philosophy what someone does, but it doesn't change who they are. He would still be an Elder.

[Moma_porcupine]

Can both be valid - your criticism and Fixico's use of the Mcgaa's quote to illustrate a certain way of thinking?

Just adding to what Frederica said as I know this can be confusing ;

I think probably every elder carries some traditional knowledge mixed in with a few of their own personal quirks. Some might have more traditional knowledge and less quirks than others, but that doesn't mean people with a personal approach that gets criticized have no traditional knowledge.     

There's also been a lot lost , and even Native people who are struggling to reconnect with their culture will use information put out by people like Ed McGaa, not necessarily because it is the best resource, but sometimes because it is the only resource they can find.

The story of one person like this in the link below

http://www.ammsa.com/buffalospirit/February-2000/welcome.html

This might be another example of why these things can be confusing for someone who doesn't have contact with a wide range of Native people to provide enough variation that people get a balanced experience.  Like the sublties of grammer in a language , it can be really hard to recognize the underlying cultural norms, and what is an individual quirk, and what is an individuals acceptance of another individuals quirks, even if this acceptence might not be the cultural norm.

Just like any other society there is a lot of individual variations in opinion in Native communities but underlying this there is also general cultural norms.

[A.H.]

Thank you both. Good points. I was wondering along those lines too..

Good to know that there is a valid (enough) part to Ed McGaa's persona..
And sometimes "wrong" persons speak the right words,


I am looking forward to read those books.

[IPLNatAm]

Hi. I'm the current editory of the IPL Native American Authors collection. The information the OP posted got forwarded to me, and I wandered over her to get a better idea of the context.

The thing you need to understand about the NatAm collection (and to a lesser extent the IPL as a whole) is that we get our suggestions from our users. The site as a whole is managed by current and former Library Science graduate students, a group that changes every semester. We tend to stay relatively on top of link maintenence, so the links in the site should all work, but each collection has, at most, one person on it at a time.

So whoever said that they didn't think the NatAm collection was still being updated was partly correct. When I took over a year ago, the collection hadn't had an editor for a few years and there were close to a hundred suggestions of either new authors, new books, or updates and corrections that had been submitted, and it took me the entire semester to get through them all. I've more or less continued to watch over the collection since graduation, but I have not then or now (nor has any other editor before me) had the knowledge and time to exhaustively fact check suggestions. This means that for the entire history of the collection, we've pretty much had to take people at their word.

You're also correct that some author entries have been copied from Wikipedia. I like to have at least something under each author, and try to take the blurb from their own website if possible. But sometimes the only places I can find information are Wikipedia, or an Amazon book review, or something similar.

All this is a rather lengthy explanation of why things are as they are today. That said, we are always looking to improve the quality of the collection. If you've found specific instances that should be addressed, I'd like to hear about them, either here, or submitted through the IPL. Be aware, though that the collection only gets updated once a week, so it may be a little while before changes show up. Also, if there are authors that we've missed, please submit them and I'll get them up as soon as possible.

At its heart, however, the IPL is a community project. The community of the graduate students who created and maintain it, and the various interested communities who help us. I'm here, and willing to work with you to make it better.

[educatedindian]

I'm very glad you're here and I know that I and others would be glad to work with you and help out. I'm going to IM you my regular email address as well as a bio of Charles Storm I wrote for the Encyclopedia of Native Literature.

The first suggestion I'd like to make to you is that you pull the imposters with no Native ancestry.
1. That means Francis Talbot/Med Story definitely.
2. Ward Churchill, in the opinion of most, is also not Native by blood. He definitely is not Native by culture.
3. Jamie Sams, as far as I know, has no claim to be Native except her own word and her false "adoption" by Twyla Nitsche, who herself is Seneca not Cherokee.
4. Dark Rain Thom is not Shawnee either.

For those who are Native but also are exploiters, the first fact means that you must and should include them since they are all published authors. But hopefully we can work together on making the entries more accurate, and sound less like the promo material they use to sell their books and ceremonies.

A good start would be deleting the obviously false or exagerrated parts of the entries. For example, the family of Nicholas Black Elk has long objected to Wallace's using the family name and making claims of being endorsed somehow by Nicholas. Nicholas's niece Charlotte was one of Wallace's strongest critics.

Obviously the entries have to be balanced, but it should be possible to write fairly objective entries that discuss the controversies each of these have caused.

[IPLNatAm]

Hello again. Sorry for falling silent; while I have significant leeway in what sources I use to update the collection and where I find them, I wanted to double check with the rest of the IPL staff before beginning a collaboration with another website. Yesterday, I got enthusiastic word back to proceed.

So, to start, I removed the four authors educatedindian mentioned from the database (though, again, the site probably won't be updated until the end of the week), along with all their books and any websites related to them. Now I'd like to open it up to the community to point out further errors or exaggerations that should be looked into. Also, since I try to do my own research when adding new authors, any sites you all think are authoritative would be of use.

Finally, I did a little digging on an author in our database, Crying Wind. I'm beginning to have serious doubts about continuing to have her in the collection, but I wanted to see if you all had an opinion on her.

[educatedindian]

This is one more who turns out is not Indian at all. I didn't think anyone had brought up "Crying Wind" AKA Linda Davidson before, probably because it's largely a pretty obvious attempt to convert NDNs into Christians.

Found this site with an excerpt from a book where it's pointed out the publisher knew she'd lied but published the books anyway.

http://books.google.com/books?id=CEJjuJnu1O4C&pg=PA103&lpg=PA103&dq=%22Crying+Wind%22+kickapoo&source=web&ots=psKKY39j2T&sig=82ZRiUQ-B2KJxbqf4-5xEQXycXY&hl=en#PPA104,M1

Ironically she ripped off much of the book from the Education of Little Tree hoax.

"...Linda Davidson grew up in Woodland Park CO, not a reservation...Linda's Uncle Paul Hamlet (whom she called Uncle Cloud) reported that their family was not Indian...In spite of knowing all this, Harvest House republished Linda Davidson's two books, listing them as biographical..."

--------------------

I think all references to Nicholas Black Elk should removed from Wallace Black Elk's bio, except for a disclaimer put in. Both his career as a spiritual exploiter and his earlier efforts at activism should be recognized. Something like:

"Wallace Black Elk was in no way related to the famous Nicholas Black Elk of Black Elk Speaks fame. The family of Nicholas Black were among the many American Indians who often strongly criticized Wallace Black Elk as a spiritual exploiter. Upon his death, most Natives forgave his questionable activities and chose to remember him solely for his earlier activism as a member of the American Indian Movement."

-----------------------

The hagiography of Ed McGaa is also way out of place, with no mention of what he's best known for, posing as a spiritual leader to whites while Natives object. In my view a more balanced bio would (again) balance the good and bad and read something like:

"Ed McGaa is a registered tribal member of the Oglala Sioux and was born on the Pine Ridge reservation. He earned a law degree from the University of South Dakota and also served as a fighter pilot in the Marine Corps in Vietnam. He is best known as the controversial author of a number of New Age books and for conducting "how to" workshops on Native spirituality for whites, over the strong objections of Native traditionalists."

------------------------

Lewis Mehl-Madrona, again, both sides need to be presented. Something like:

"Mehl was born January 26, 1954 in Berea, Kentucky. In 1975, he graduated from Stanford Medical School as the youngest ever peacetime graduate. He was forced to resign from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in a controversy over his healing and teaching methods. He currently is on the faculty at the University of Arizona. His work remains controversial among both American Indians, who often describe him as a spiritual exploiter, and to mainstream medical practititioners as well.

Awards and Honors
American Academy of Family Practice, 1993
Excellence in Research as a Family Practice Resident Award
Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, 1993 (for Best Workshop Presentation)
David Cheek Award for Contributions in Perinatal Psychology, Association for Pre- and Perinatal Psychology, 1999

Controversies
"SRAM Articles Lead to Alternative Medical Doctor's Resignation"
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2843/is_4_24/ai_63692993
"Healing takes a winding path: Doctor charts a different course, finds foes"
http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20000206mehlmadrona1.asp
The Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine and Aberrant Medical Practices
Spring/Summer 1999 (Volume 3, Number 1)
Book Review: Coyote Medicine (Lewis Mehl-Madrona) by E. Patrick Curry

-----------------

To me that's especially important since Madrona is giving out "alternative" medical advice and treatment, yet the guy is relying on a number of obvious frauds like Maria Naylin/Yraceburu for what he thinks are Native traditional medicine.

For H Storm, you're welcome to borrow or adapt any parts of the encyclopedia article I wrote on him.

You're also welcome to refer to any threads we have in here on the controversial authors.

There's a couple Native veterans bios I'd like to suggest you add:
Dwight Birdwell (Cherokee) - A Hundred Miles of Bad Road
Roy Benavidez (Yaqui) - The Three Wars of Roy Benavidez, also Medal of Honor : One Man's Journey from Poverty and Prejudice

[Kevin]

American Indian Contributions to the World
15,000 Years of Inventions and Innovations
Keoke, Emory Dean
Porterfield, Kay Marie
Keoke, Emory Dean (CON)
Paperback

I worked with Emory some years ago on a NA alcoholism prevention project up at the Univ of N. Dakota - he's a good man, from Standing Rock as I recall  - this is probably already on the list