My Indian Boyhood

by Luther Standing Bear

Although the traditional Sioux nation was in its last days when Luther Standing Bear was born in the 1860s, he was raised in the ancestral manner to be a successful hunter and warrior and a respectful and productive member of Sioux society. Known as Plenty Kill, young Standing Bear belonged to the Western Sioux tribe that inhabited present-day North and South Dakota. In My Indian Boyhood he describes, with clarity and feeling lent by experience, the home life and education of Indian children. Like other boys, he played with toy bows and arrows in the tipi before learning to make and use them and became schooled in the ways of animals and in the properties of plants and herbs. His life would be very different from that of his ancestors, but he was not denied the excitement of killing his first buffalo before leaving to attend the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania. Luther Standing Bear is the author of Land of the Spotted Eagle , My People the Sioux , and Stories of the Sioux (also Bison Books).

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Native American, History, Indigenous, Memoir

200 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1931

About the author

Luther Standing Bear (Ota Kte, "Plenty Kill" or "Mochunozhin") was an Oglala Lakota chief notable in American history as an Native American author, educator, philosopher, and actor of the twentieth century.

Reviews

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This autobiographical book, written for children, simply and somewhat nostalgically describes what it was like to be a Lakota child in the 1870s. I don't mean "nostalgic" to be a criticism. It is the perfect tone for the intended audience, children, and for the intended purpose, a defense of the traditional Indian lifestyle. -- and what a beautiful and convincing defense it is! I think this is a must-read for all American children, and I would encourage you to read it with them. I certainly hope to share it with my nieces & nephews.

[Carpe Librum Bookstore and Art Gallery]

https://carpelibrumonlinebookstore.co...
Although the traditional Sioux nation was in its last days when Luther Standing Bear was born in the 1860s, he was raised in the ancestral manner to be a successful hunter and warrior and a respectful and productive member of Sioux society. Known as Plenty Kill, young Standing Bear belonged to the Western Sioux tribe that inhabited present-day North and South Dakota. In My Indian Boyhood he describes, with clarity and feeling lent by experience, the home life and education of Indian children. Like other boys, he played with toy bows and arrows in the tipi before learning to make and use them and became schooled in the ways of animals and in the properties of plants and herbs. His life would be very different from that of his ancestors, but he was not denied the excitement of killing his first buffalo before leaving to attend the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania.
Used, $2.99

[Tanja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting details on how a Native American boy used to grow up, about their traditions and beliefs. Luther Standing Bear described the general upbringing, weaponry, plants and herbs that were used and how they hunted and went fishing. The many tasks and the knowledge of Native American women are mentioned as well. In one chapter he tells about the very special relationship each boy had with his pony. In another chapter he paints a picture of the games boys and girls played.
The book is written as if he was talking to his sons or grandsons which makes it very appealing and easy enough to understand for young and old.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Indian Boyhood is a book by Luther Standing Bear about his life as a child. He describes the way that his people lived and the things that made them who they were. There were many things that I didn't know about the Sioux as a people. Such as the ways that Luther Standing Bear and his friends would catch turtles when they found them or the ways the Sioux wore their feathers after a battle or the games he played as a child. I learned many things from this book and I hope that you do too.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clear and vivid account of growing up Sioux in the 1870s. The book was written for children, and Standing Bear includes interesting details of daily life (Sioux etiquette; how coffee became a staple in his village) and the adventures of a child growing up on the prairie. It's educational, but it's also a good read.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this. Great resource for anyone looking to evaluate accuracy of books on American Indian history.

[Grace Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 1931 book is written by a Sioux man who lived in an era of enormous transition for Native people - he grew up in the traditional Sioux manner, killing his first buffalo before being sent to boarding school in Pennsylvania as a teenager. At the precipice of white colonization, Chief Standing Bear writes about his childhood with reverence and clarity. The prose is unadorned but precise, observational and sentimental. Many things that I’ve seen/heard about Native tribes through South Dakota osmosis are expounded upon insightfully.

Such a book in 1931 was probably quite novel for the white reader, and the author is aware of how the book might be helpful for mutual understanding, especially among children.

The dedication reads: “I write this book with the hope that the hearts of the white boys and girls who read these pages will be made kinder toward the little Indian boys and girls.”

[Lamanda Quiring]

(No rating for nonfiction)

I bought this book on vacation in South Dakota a few years ago. This was less a story of Standing Bear’s life and more a telling of his boyhood and the things he did for fun, and how he spent his time. It was really interesting. I loved the story of how he shot his first buffalo 🦬 and I thought the story of all of the local chiefs coming to announce the new chief was so interesting. Standing Bear writes of a time when things were so much simpler and it really made me think of how far away from that our country has strayed.

After reading this I learned that he wrote several other books, so I hope to read them as well at some point. I barely used to read nonfiction but I love reading autobiographies and learning about someone’s life or history.

[Rachel Armington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a bit of a slow read, just because there was so much information in it. Loved reading about how pigments for painting were prepared, and the different food preparation. Highly recommended...I'll look for his other books.

[Laura Leilani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ten stars.

An all too brief glimpse into a way of life that is now long gone.

[Tasiyagnunpa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Standing Bear is a phenomenal Lakota thinker and writer of the original boarding school attendees and survivors. His work develops over time and is as important today as then.

[Sheryl Melvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting tales of a Lakota childhood.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read if you’re an adult, full of interesting information about Lakota life in the 1870s when the author was growing up. I could visualize him and his friends practicing with their bows and arrows, sledding on bison ribs, and more. He mentions that he was taken away to Carlisle boarding school, but does not discuss the horrors of forced removal in this book. I still felt devastated, however, when the book ended with his statement that his first buffalo hunt at 8 years of age was also his last. I don’t know how many of the traditions and practices he wrote about are still common among today’s Sioux, but if they’re not around any more, it’s because of the effectiveness of Euro-American efforts to destroy native culture and language in every way possible through the forced boarding schools and other means. I will be passing this to my 13 year old nephew who I hope will enjoy reading about what boys used to do in the years before white people interfered.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative, but extremely dry. If you are interested in knowing about the life of 19th-Century Lakota, you should definitely read this--especially if you plan to try to make some of their tools, etc.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

read at work, interesting

[David Devine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting insight to Native American life for the Sioux.

[Fizzmin · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/10