Sky Wolf's Call: The Gift of Indigenous Knowledge

by Eldon Yellowhorn, Kathy Lowinger

Overview

From healing to astronomy to our connection to the natural world, the lessons from Indigenous knowledge inform our learning and practices today.

How do knowledge systems get passed down over generations? Through the knowledge inherited from their Elders and ancestors, Indigenous Peoples throughout North America have observed, practiced, experimented, and interacted with plants, animals, the sky, and the waters over millennia. Knowledge keepers have shared their wisdom with younger people through oral history, stories, ceremonies, and records that took many forms.

In Sky Wolf’s Call, award-winning author team of Eldon Yellowhorn and Kathy Lowinger reveal how Indigenous knowledge comes from centuries of practices, experiences, and ideas gathered by people who have a long history with the natural world. Indigenous knowledge is explored through the use of fire and water, the acquisition of food, the study of astronomy, and healing practices.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781773216300
Publisher:	Annick Press, Limited
Publication date:	04/05/2022
Pages:	120
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)
Lexile:	1060L (what's this?)
Age Range:	11 - 15 Years

About the Author

ELDON YELLOWHORN (Piikani Nation) is a professor of First Nations Studies and archaeology at Simon Fraser University. He is a member of the Missing Children Project initiated by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to search for children who died at residential schools. His previous books include the acclaimed Turtle Island: The Story of North America's First People and What the Eagle Sees: Indigenous Stories of Rebellion and Renewal. He lives in Vancouver, B.C.

KATHY LOWINGER is an award-winning author whose books include Give Me Wings! How a Choir of Former Slaves Took on the World (2015), Turtle Island: The Story of North America’s First People (2017), and What the Eagle Sees: Indigenous Stories of Rebellion and Renewal (2019).

Table of Contents

Author's Note 4

Chapter 1 Sky Wolf's Call

The Gift of Indigenous Knowledge 5

Chapter 2 Water Knowledge Ways 17

Chapter 3 Fire and Smoke Knowledge 31

Chapter 4 Indigenous Knowledge and Food Security 47

Chapter 5 Healing Knowledge Ways 65

Chapter 6 Sky Knowledge 77

Chapter 7 Keeping the Knowledge 93

Chapter 8 Sky Wolf's Call 105

Thanks and Acknowledgments 108

Glossary 109

Selected Reading 111

Sources and Contacts 112

Image Credits 114

Index 116

Editorial Reviews

★ 2022-03-02
Indigenous knowledge and modern science are braided together in this fascinating book.

Yellowhorn and Lowinger capably demonstrate how Indigenous knowledge systems developed over the course of history on the basis of practical application and Indigenous peoples’ lived experiences. Through oral transmission, knowledge has been passed down through the generations by ancestors who had a vast understanding of the natural world. “Everything is connected. The world is a gift. The sacred is a vital part of knowing. We are always learning.” Earth science and Native lore come together to explain how human beings looked to the land, the sky, animals, and plants as a means to survive and understand our existence. Some of the book’s subsections describe pivotal historical events, while others look at celebrations and ceremonies, such as the Navajo fire dance, to show how Indigenous peoples share traditional knowledge. Today, Indigenous peoples keep this knowledge alive by using it to inform modern approaches in fields such as water conservation, medicine, astronomy, food science, and more. This rich and informative text is interspersed with engaging traditional stories that underscore the expository nonfiction material. Sidebars highlight influential Indigenous figures and important concepts. With beautiful photography and illustrations, this browsable book drives home the importance of caring for the natural environment and suggests the best methods to do so.

An authoritative tribute to Indigenous knowledge systems that's a must-have for every library and classroom. (glossary, selected reading, sources, index) (Nonfiction. 11-adult)

Kirkus Reviews