The Indians' Book: Songs and Legends of the American Indians

by Natalie Curtis Burlin (Editor)

A book created wholly by the American Indian - songs, myths, drawings and decorations based on traditional designs - The Indians¿ Book is a treasury of lore for general readers, for teachers, for folk singers. Its musical and folk material derives directly from the Indian oral tradition and is presented exactly as Miss Curtis recorded it.The 149 songs - the traditional music of 18 tribes - are today irreplaceable; so much of this material has disappeared since Miss Curtis collected it. Songs of war and love, hunting songs, barter songs, songs to cure the sick, corn-grinding songs, "hand game" songs, cradle songs, holy or "medicine" songs and ceremonial songs were collected by Miss Curtis from Plains, Lake, Northwestern, Southwestern, and Pueblo Wabanaki, Dakota, Winnebago, Pawnee, Kwakiutl, Acoma, Navajo, Apache, Pima, Hopi, Yuma, Arapaho, Kiowa, Mojave-Apache, Zuñi, San Juan, Laguna, Cheyenne. The texts are written out in both the native language and English, and the melody for each song is provided. Indian myths have been faithfully taken down directly from Indian story tellers. There are creation myths; myths explaining the origin of corn, the sun and moon, the four winds, and other natural phenomena; folktales and animal stories of unusual charm. Full-age drawings, designs for title pages, and decorations all created by the Indians themselves, and 23 photographs (rituals in progress, families, individuals) taken by the editor illustrate the book.

Genres: Music, History, Native American, Indian Literature, Folklore, Native Americans

672 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1907

Reviews

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published in 1907 this collection of first-hand accounts is so wonderful partly because of the ground-breaking work of this lone woman who travelled the reservations at a time when it was against American policy to do anything of this kind. Her respectful personality and remarkable persistence won over the president as well as all the beleaguered people she met. But mostly it is the entries themselves that make this so wonderful. Incredibly, Curtis interviewed Short Bull, High Chief, Geronimo and their songs - very old songs - are included. It is a glimpse of the riches nearly destroyed altogether.

[Virginia Arthur · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing, amazing book that deserves so much more recognition than it is likely getting. Anyone who rates it less than "five stars" doesn't understand its significance. It really isn't even something you can rate. It's an American classic, a historic document.

Imagine a young single white woman in the late 1800's taking to the road, by herself or sometimes with random company, to visit what remains of the major Native American tribes in the United States. Imagine creating enough of a relationship with the elders of each of these tribes to record some of their most sacred chants and songs (includes the actual music scores). Imagine capturing some of their images with cameras of that time. Natalie Curtis knew Native Americans as they might have been before European colonialism, basically on the verge of extinction. As is said in other reviews, this is nothing less than a seminal work all the more tragic because she was killed just a few days after presenting it at the Sorbonne.

This book is an American treasure and classic that preserves and honors not only Native American tribes but the compassion and vision of Natalie Curtis herself.

[Phillip · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a really fine selection of stories, songs and legends from a nice cross-section of native tribes ... it's a BIG book, i mean, it's a massive tomb and the pages are large, so the drawings and songs (presented in score form) are well represented.

[Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book of Indian stories and songs compiled in sections by tribes. This is informative but quite old...it was first published in 1905. We had it around the house when I was a kid.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Curtis writes about Native Americans in the early 1900s telling their story as she sees it. Stories from many tribes are included as are some photographs from the early 1900s.

[Joy Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely humbled by this book and the songs and the prayers that fill the pages

[Lisa]

The Indians' Book by Natalie Curtis (1994)

[Jessica Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

A more in-depth insight to the songs and understandings of Native American culture.