Discusses the sacred bond between the cedar and the Skokomish people and tribal efforts to protect the cedar through treaties and court litigation. Describes how disappearance of the cedar is adversely affecting traditional education practices and the survival of traditional culture and ceremonies. (SV)

Describes a Lakota family tradition of passing on the responsibilities of being caretaker of the drum of the Fool Soldiers (Akicita Heyoka), warriors who risked their lives for peace in 1862. The drum and its ceremonial use symbolize nonviolence and cross-cultural understanding between the races and are a part of Lakota spiritual heritage. (SAS)

The Yolngu people of Australia's Northern Territory trace their lineage through places in the land and water. Movements of currents represent movements of clans over time. Patterns of sound and design are associated with particular groups and with body parts. These essences are conveyed in ritual songs that are crucial ways of knowing oneself and…

Based on her belief that all of our lives are stories that are pieces to a puzzle forming the truth behind the sacredness of life, Anne Dunn--Ojibwe storyteller and author--seeks to build bridges between cultures, between generations, and between oral and written storytelling. Includes a review of her book "When Beaver Was Very Great."…

Examines "bimaadiziwin"--the moral structure of traditional Anishinaabe (Chippewa) religion, which is providing past-present continuity in Anishinaabe worldview. Discusses the teachings of bimaadiziwin ("good life") as governing human relations with nature and social relations, storytelling as a medium for moral teachings, an…

A member of the Oglala Lakota describes his traditional childhood; his boarding school education; and his career in the army, university, and tribal council during the American Indian Movement. In his 40s, he became aware of the spirits and changed his life. He tells the Lakota creation story and laws and advises future generations to carry the…

This book explores the nature of indigenous education, outlining key elements of American Indian perspectives on learning and teaching. It advocates developing a contemporary, culturally based, educational process founded upon traditional tribal values, orientations, and principles, while simultaneously using the most appropriate concepts,…

Developed as a companion to a public television series, this book tells the story of the Anishinaabe/Ojibwe people, their history, and their culture from precontact times to the present. Chapter 1 discusses oral tradition and summarizes creation stories and migration stories that link the Ojibwe to other culturally and linguistically similar…