Publisher's Synopsis
This book provides a history of the Crow Nation related first-hand in aboriginal voices. Narrative chapters tell the story of the Crow people from their origins and struggles with disease and conflict to the current renaissance of Crow culture.
The Story of the Crow Indians is a comprehensive study of the history of the Crow people and their culture. Among the topics it covers are the harrowing experiences of 1960s relocation; the struggles of a vibrant community facing smallpox, tuberculosis epidemics, and land and resource grabs; and the surprising renaissance of Crow traditional arts, religion, language, sports.
Organized chronologically and following a timeline of significant events, the book includes contributions from ten tribal scholars who bring fresh perspective to the history of their people. An example of the unique content for which contained in the book is the community-based oral histories of the Apsaalooke knowledge of the stars - from the elders who have taught their grandchildren to have an extraordinary sense of "the stars we know."
Another major feature of this work is the Apsaa'looke Bii'a, the Crow woman. The female chiefs of the buffalo days as well as the historians, activists, and primary political leaders are portrayed within the strong matriarchal society of the Crow people.
- Surveys Crow history from prehistory to the present, placing developments within the context of United States history
- Features a Crow author, Janine Pease, who was the lead plaintiff in the nationally renowned and precedent-setting American Indian voting rights case, Windy Boy v. Big Horn County (1986)
- Provides contributions from ten Crow scholars who bring first-hand knowledge and perspectives of their people
- Contains material from the premier collection of Crow Indian manuscripts, photos, and audio-video recordings
- Explores the role of female leaders within the Crow matriarchal society
