American Indians and the Urban Experience

by Kurt Peters (Editor), Susan Lobo (Editor)

Overview

Modern American Indian life is urban, rural, and everything in-between. Lobo and Peters have compiled an unprecedented collection of innovative scholarship, stunning art, poetry, and prose that documents American Indian experiences of urban life. A pervasive rural/urban dichotomy still shapes the popular and scholarly perceptions of Native Americans, but this is a false expression of a complex and constantly changing reality. When viewed from the Native perspectives, our concepts of urbanity and approaches to American Indian studies are necessarily transformed. Courses in Native American studies, ethnic studies, anthropology, and urban studies must be in step with contemporary Indian realities, and American Indians and the Urban Experience will be an absolutely essential text for instructors. This powerful combination of path-breaking scholarship and visual and literary arts—from poetry and photography to rap and graffiti—will be enjoyed by students, scholars, and a general audience. A Choice Outstanding Academic Book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780585386362
Publisher:	AltaMira Press
Publication date:	05/09/2002
Series:	Contemporary Native American Communities , #5
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	336
File size:	14 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Susan Lobo is a cultural anthropologist and consultant working primarily for American Indian tribes and community organizations in the U.S. and Central and South America. Kurt M. Peters is associate professor of Native American and comparative ethnic studies at Oregon State University.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Foreword
Chapter 2 Introduction
Chapter 3 The Path to the Milky Way Leads to Los Angeles
Chapter 4
Chapter I: Overview of Urbanism
Chapter 5
Chapter I: Introduction
Chapter 6
Chapter 1: The Urban Tradition Among Native Americans
Chapter 7 Two Worlds
Chapter 8
Chapter 2: Telling the Indian Urban: Representations in American Indian Fiction
Chapter 9 Coyote as a Simple Man
Chapter 10
Chapter 3: Yaqui Culture and Linguistic Evolution through a History of Urbanization
Chapter 11
Chapter II: Structuring and Dynamics of Urban Communities
Chapter 12
Chapter II: Introduction
Chapter 13
Chapter 4: Is Urban a Person or a Place?: Characteristics of Urban Indian Country
Chapter 14
Chapter 5: Retribalization in Urban Indian Communities
Chapter 15
Chapter 6: And the Drumbeat Still Goes On...Urban Indian Institutional Survival into the New Millenium
Chapter 16 Cities
Chapter 17
Chapter 7: Continuing Identity: Laguna Pueblo Railroaders in Richmond, California
Chapter 18
Chapter 8: Feminists or Reformers? American Indian Women and Community in Phoenix, 1965-1980
Chapter 19 Metropolitan Indian Series #1
Chapter 20
Chapter 9: The Cid
Chapter 21 Derek and Peter Discuss the Pros and Cons of City Life
Chapter 22
Chapter 10: An Urban Platform for Advocating Justice: Protecting the Menominee Forest
Chapter 23
Chapter III: Individuals and Families in Urban Contexts
Chapter 24
Chapter III: Introduction
Chapter 25 Ruby Roast
Chapter 26
Chapter 11: Urban (Trans)Formations: Changes in the Meaning and Use of American Indian Identiy
Chapter 27 Ironworker I and Ironworker II
Chapter 28
Chapter 12: This Hole in Our Heart: The Urban-Raised Generation and the Legacy of Silence
Chapter 29 Living Room of an Indian Family in the San Francisco Bay Area: Mantelpiece and Girl Watching T.V.
Chapter 30 Quiet Desperation
Chapter 31
Chapter 13: Weaving Andean Networks in Unstable Labor Markets
Chapter 32 A Poem Maybe for Tina Deschenie
Chapter 33 Kokopeli Gigging in the City
Chapter 34
Chapter 14: Red Wit in the City: Urban Indian Comedy
Chapter 35 Indian Pride
Chapter 36
Chapter 15: Healing through Grief: Urban Indians Reimagining Culture and Community
Chapter 37 Red White & Blue
Chapter 38 Youngest Trapper on 7th Street
Chapter 39 My Uncle
Chapter 40
Chapter 16: Downtown Oklahoma City-1952
Chapter 41 Letter Home
Chapter 42
Chapter 17: Rejection and Belonging in Addiction and Recovery: Four Urban Indian Men in Milwaukee
Chapter 43 Excerpt from a Work in Progress
Chapter 44 Mattie Goes Traveling
Chapter 45 Index

Editorial Reviews

This collection of scholarly essays, prose, poetry, rap lyrics, graffiti, and visual arts documents a variety of American Indian experiences of urban life. The text is divided into three sections: an overview of urbanism, the structuring and dynamics of urban communities, and individuals and families in urban contexts. A sampling of topics includes Yaqui cultural and linguistic evolution; retribalization in urban Indian communities; urban Indian comedy; Laguna Pueblo railroaders in Richmond, California; and addiction and recovery in Milwaukee. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

Topics and approaches are almost as diverse as the one-half to two-thirds of American Indians who live in cities, not on reservations. The multiplicity of disciplinary angles helps accentuate the many facets of urban Indian experience....A richly suggestive gateway to an all-too-neglected aspect of Native American history and ongoing life.--D. F. Anderson, (Northwestern College, Iowa) "CHOICE "

Unbounded by the restraints of traditional research agendas, the contributors to this work bring together research, art, and poetry to discuss themes in the lives of urban Indians.... This phenomenal and long overdue collection is especially useful to those who teach courses in Native American studies, ethnic studies, anthropology, and urban studies.--Linda Rhone, Cowley County (Kan.) College "Multicultural Review "

Policy studies have focused on the federal government's relocation program....Social sciences studies have have addressed issues relating to drinking and group membership exclusively through the use of quantitative surveys ... Lobo and Peters' edited collection tries to move beyond these concern and present a fuller, richer picture of American Indian urban life....The majority of essays ... cover an extraordinary wide range--from pre-Columbian urban centers to urban Indians in fiction to the funding challenges faces by urban Indian institutions today....This eclectic group of essays, poems, and photographs effectively introduces readers to the lives of Indian people living in cities.--James B. LaGrand, (Messiah College) "American Studies "

From the Publisher

Unbounded by the restraints of traditional research agendas, the contributors to this work bring together research, art, and poetry to discuss themes in the lives of urban Indians.... This phenomenal and long overdue collection is especially useful to those who teach courses in Native American studies, ethnic studies, anthropology, and urban studies.

Multicultural Review - Linda Rhone

Topics and approaches are almost as diverse as the one-half to two-thirds of American Indians who live in cities, not on reservations. The multiplicity of disciplinary angles helps accentuate the many facets of urban Indian experience....A richly suggestive gateway to an all-too-neglected aspect of Native American history and ongoing life.

CHOICE - D. F. Anderson

Policy studies have focused on the federal government's relocation program....Social sciences studies have have addressed issues relating to drinking and group membership exclusively through the use of quantitative surveys ... Lobo and Peters' edited collection tries to move beyond these concern and present a fuller, richer picture of American Indian urban life....The majority of essays ... cover an extraordinary wide range—from pre-Columbian urban centers to urban Indians in fiction to the funding challenges faces by urban Indian institutions today....This eclectic group of essays, poems, and photographs effectively introduces readers to the lives of Indian people living in cities.

American Studies - James B. LaGrand

Policy studies have focused on the federal government's relocation program....Social sciences studies have have addressed issues relating to drinking and group membership exclusively through the use of quantitative surveys ... Lobo and Peters' edited collection tries to move beyond these concern and present a fuller, richer picture of American Indian urban life....The majority of essays ... cover an extraordinary wide range—from pre-Columbian urban centers to urban Indians in fiction to the funding challenges faces by urban Indian institutions today....This eclectic group of essays, poems, and photographs effectively introduces readers to the lives of Indian people living in cities.
— James B. LaGrand, (Messiah College)

American Studies

Unbounded by the restraints of traditional research agendas, the contributors to this work bring together research, art, and poetry to discuss themes in the lives of urban Indians.... This phenomenal and long overdue collection is especially useful to those who teach courses in Native American studies, ethnic studies, anthropology, and urban studies.
— Linda Rhone, Cowley County (Kan.) College

Multicultural Review

Topics and approaches are almost as diverse as the one-half to two-thirds of American Indians who live in cities, not on reservations. The multiplicity of disciplinary angles helps accentuate the many facets of urban Indian experience....A richly suggestive gateway to an all-too-neglected aspect of Native American history and ongoing life.
— D. F. Anderson, (Northwestern College, Iowa)

Choice