Indian Terms of the Americas

by Lotsee Patterson, Mary Ellen Snodgrass

Overview

What is a babiche? A cradleboard? Who are the Athapascans and the Black Indians? What was the Battle of Little Big Horn? This compendium of vocabulary, people, places, and events is designed to assist the reader in understanding a variety of terms and important events from Native American history that are included in works of classic literature and nonfiction sources. Offering a balanced approach to multicultural study, the text strives to convey a sense of the normal rhythms of Indian life by discussing the daily work and lifestyles of women and children as well as hunters and warriors. It covers North American, Caribbean, and Central and South American Indian groups and Canadian and Alaskan Inuit, including well-known tribes (e.g., Apache, Cherokee, and Sioux) and less familiar ones (e.g., Carrier, Inuit, Pomo, and Kwakiutl). Each entry contains a pronunciation guide, definition, examples, and an illustrative sentence from the literature. Organized alphabetically with frequent cross-references a

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781563081330
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	06/15/1994
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	275
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.69(d)

About the Author

LOTSEE PATTERSON was Named visiting scholar for 2000-2001 in the School of Library, Archival, and Information Studies of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction
Pronunciation Guide
Key to Entries
INDIAN TERMS
Sources
Subject Index
General Index

Editorial Reviews

Based on terms concerning Native Americans drawn from children's and adult literature, this work lists names of objects, methods of doing things, and names of significant people, places, and events in fact and fiction. It is written in a manner that is accessible to all ages from elementary school through adult. The entries are for everyday activities in the home ("cache"), games ("ring and pin"), healing (11 pages listing native sources), tools ("bola"), hair styles ("roach"), and tribal specialties ("mounds"). Persons listed include significant Native Americans, those who illustrated their lives in words or pictures, as well as figures taken from myth, media, or fiction Each entry usually includes pronunciation (an "h"-based system commonly used in children's literature); a key appears at the bottom of every page. Variant forms or spellings are followed by the definition. Wherever dates or places may be an aid, they are included in the definition or italicized in the illustrative sentence at the end. Extensive cross-referencing to related terms is included as well as the use of boldface type to indicate other entries. An example of excellent cross-referencing is under tribal nation names such as "Algonquin", where ancestral tribes, individual tribes, the most powerful chiefs, and terms are listed. Internal cross-references and a bracketed "see also" reference give the reader more than 30 leads for further research. Attractive line drawings are placed in the margins of pages. Appended are a bibliography of fiction and nonfiction sources, a general index, and one that groups entries by topic (e.g., "Clothing", "Dance", "Transportation") The authors say that "we have compiled our facts, drawings, maps, and narratives out of curiosity, wonder, and enjoyment." Patrons and librarians in school and public libraries will have that same sense as they explore this recommended source book.

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Defining a variety of terms from Native American history, this compendium of vocabulary, people, places, and events offers children and young adult readers a balanced picture of past and present Native American experience that encompasses the terminology of everyday home, family, and community life as well as that of warfare and hunting. Other features are the wide coverage of tribes, including the less familiar, and the inclusion of little-known females as a balance to the many well-known males. Illustrated with original and reprinted drawings, maps, diagrams, paintings, and photos. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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