Mihesuah, Devon Abbott. Indigenous American women; decolonization, empowerment, activism.Univ. of Nebraska Press. 246p. illus. notes. bibliog. index. c2003. 0-8032-8286-9. $16.96. A Mihesuah says, "I have written these essays because of my concern about tribal America." This is not a collection of biographies, as the title might suggest, and it is not entirely about Native women, though her major focus is on them. Describing herself as an academic and an activist, Mihesuah takes on a wide range of concerns: feminism feminism, movement for the political, social, and educational equality of women with men; the movement has occurred mainly in Europe and the United States. It has its roots in the humanism of the 18th cent. and in the Industrial Revolution. in the Native context, the problems and benefits of Native activism, exploitation of Indians by non-Indians who invade in·vade v. in·vad·ed, in·vad·ing, in·vades v.tr. 1. To enter by force in order to conquer or pillage. 2. the reservations and then exploit what they gather (she does not have anything good to say about the popular book On the Rez by Ian Frazier), discrimination against Indian academics, problems that stem from poverty, crime, lack of education and health care, and loss of identity and culture as Natives are thrust willy-nilly into an environment of two cultures and expected to survive in both. The names of women political leaders, activists, artists, and writers appear in her essays: Wilma Mankiller Wilma Pearl Mankiller (born November 18, 1945 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma) was the first female Chief of the Cherokee Nation. Mankiller grew up with her family at Mankiller Flats. (who was once chief of the Western Cherokee Nation). Mary Crow Dog Crow Dog (b. Kargi Sunka) (?1835–?1910) Brûle Sioux chief; born in the northern Great Plains. His conviction for the murder of Chief Spotted Tail was set aside by a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling, which stated that the U.S. , Paula Gunn Allen Paula Gunn Allen (born October 24, 1939) is a Native American poet, literary critic, activist, and novelist. Born Paula Marie Francis in Albuquerque, Allen grew up in Cubero, New Mexico, a Spanish-Mexican land grant village bordering the Laguna Pueblo reservation. . Shah Goshorn. Buffy Ste. Marie Ste. Marie is French for St. Mary. In English the term may refer to
The book is not easy reading; only educated adults and advanced high school students will read the essays, but these persons would do well to read them and share the author's insights with the larger Native community. Says Mihesuah, "This collection does not contain the definitive work on anything. Instead, these are merely overviews of complex topics that, I hope, will continue the much-needed discussion." Edna M. Boardman, Bismark, ND |
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