Shared Symbols, Contested Meanings: Gros Ventre Culture and History, 1778-1984

by Loretta Fowler

Overview

Fort Belknap reservation in Montana is home to both the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Indian tribes. The two thousand inhabitants of the reservation recognize an array of symbols—political, ritual, and sacred—which have meaning and emotional impact for all; yet there is sharp disagreement between the two tribes and among the various age groups about the interpretation of these symbols. Anthropologist Loretta Fowler here examines the history and culture of the Gros Ventres over two centuries, seeking to discover why the residents of Fort Belknap ascribe different and often opposing meanings to their shared cultural symbols and how these differences have influenced Gros Ventre identity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780801418785
Publisher:	Cornell University Press
Publication date:	06/30/1987
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.25(h) x 1.12(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Loretta Fowler is Associate Professor of Anthropology at the City College of New York.