The Living Tradition of Yup'Ik Masks: Agayuliyararput : Our Way of Making Prayer

Customer Reviews:

Un veramente "grande libro.......2007-03-09

La magnifica veste grafica e l'ecezionale completezza del testo rendono questo libro uno staordinario documento oltrechè un dovuto omaggio alla cultura Inuit.A quando una ristampa?

Cambridge History of the Native Peoples of the Americas: Volume III: South

Average customer rating:

a beautiful and very important book
a beautiful and very important book

Cambridge History of the Native Peoples of the Americas: Volume III: South

Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0521333938

Book Description

This is the first major survey of research on the indigenous peoples of South America from the earliest peopling of the continent to the present since Julian Steward's Handbook of South American Indians was published half a century ago. Although this volume concentrates on continental South America, peoples in the Caribbean and lower Central America who were linguistically or culturally connected are also discussed. The volume's emphasis is on self-perceptions of the indigenous peoples of South America at various times and under differing situations.

Customer Reviews:

a beautiful and very important book.......2000-07-07

This is a very important book, because is concerned with a contemporaty issue because of the 500 years of american colonization. Since the Handbook of South American Indians,organized by Julian Steward no other enterprise of this kind was made. It is very important to us, american, to know better our indians. From the academic point of view, this book contributes with wide informations congregating researchers and the results of its reflexions together in only one place. It is really good to find in one volume informations about several country. We have in this volume, contrasting views from the theoretical aproach that enrichs, we have, besides of historical perspectives, archeological focus about empires such as the Inka and discussions about colonialism and its damages upon the indigenous people. And neither the indigenous organization is forget in this volume, in this historical moment a surprisengly movement of this massacrated people who is strugling for their rights by their own voices. I would recommend this book to students, to specialists in anthropology and ethnologist and to whom is interested in history of America and in our present days. Last, I would mention the beauty of the volume and of the hardcover.

a beautiful and very important book.......2000-07-07

Average customer rating:

A Fascinating Story that I found through Five In a Row
Educational and enjoyable
Beneath the Ice.....
Amazing Time
Wonderful - a genuine adventure for young girls.

Very Last First Time
Jan Andrews
Manufacturer: Groundwood Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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Papa Piccolo
Night of the Moonjellies
Who Owns the Sun?
A Pair of Red Clogs
Storm in the Night

ASIN: 088899043X

Book Description

Eva lives in an Inuit village in northern Canada. In the winter, people search along the bottom of the seabed beneath a thick shelf of ice for mussels to eat. Eva usually helps her mother, but for the first time, she’s going to go by herself. She soon gathers a pan full of mussels. But then, her candle goes out, and the tide threatens to return! When she is finally safe with her mother, Eva proclaims, “That was my very last first time walking alone on the bottom of the sea.” An ALA Notable Children’s Book, Very Last First Time comes from one of Canada's most distinguished storytellers and an award-winning illustrator.

Customer Reviews:

A Fascinating Story that I found through Five In a Row.......2005-11-10

My children (1st & 2nd grade) really love this book. The premise had them leaping off the bed in amazement - "She goes under the SEA??? The ice is over her HEAD???? She goes by HERSELF????"

Every detail was interesting to them - the tools used to hack under the ice, the mother letting her child go alone, the small Inuit homes, Eva living in a land where no trees grew - and they had so many questions - most of which were answered by the end of the story.

We used the book to talk about:

1. mussels and how they grow & live,
2. tides, what causes them and how much the water level can vary between high tide and low tide,
3. the climate in northern Canada
4. the Inuits,
5. emergencies - what happens initially to our bodies when we are afraid, and what we should try to do so that we can get out of our emergency safely, and
6. pointillism and the artist Seraut, and we made our own pointillism art masterpieces with Q-tips and paint.

I did search the Internet for actual photographs of what Eva might have seen, but I couldn't find a single one! I couldn't find other references to the Inuit walking under the ice either. I would have loved to have shown those to my children.

Educational and enjoyable.......2004-01-21

It has been said that a good children's book is a good read for people of any age. This book is another example of the truth of that statement. It teaches people who don't live in the northern tundra on the seashore about what their life is like, and it does so in a way that you enjoy the learning.

My five year old son loved it; we read it over again a number of times. But the reason I knew it was such a good book was that I didn't dread reading it after several times. In fact, I looked forward to it.

Beneath the Ice............2003-05-05

"Eva Padlyat lived in a village on Ungava Bay in northern Canada. She was Inuit, and ever since she could remember she had walked with her mother on the bottom of the sea. It was something the people of her village did in winter when they wanted mussels to eat. Today, something very special was going to happen. Today, for the very first time in her life, Eva would walk on the bottom of the sea alone..." So begins Jan Andrews' tale of a young girl's first trip alone through the thick winter ice. In painstaking and intriguing detail she describes Eva's adventure; cutting a hole in the ice at low tide, descending to the dark ocean floor below, lighting candles to illuminate the sea bed, collecting mussels, and exploring this beautiful hidden world..... Ms Andrews' engaging tale, filled with history, mystery, drama, and suspense captures the imagination, and is rich in imagery and magic. Illustrator, Ian Wallace's quiet, dreamy artwork, in soft, textured tones, pulls the reader beneath the ice and right into the story. Perfect for youngsters 5-9, Very Last First Time is a fascinating and evocative experience that shouldn't be missed, and works well as part of a unit introducing the Inuit culture and way of life, or as a stand-alone for story time.

Amazing Time.......2000-09-08

The possibility of gathering mussels under the ice at low tide was absolutely amazing to me. I had never heard of such a thing or imagined it. What a wonderful world we live in! Andrews writes of young Eva's solo walk on the bottom of the sea and she does an intriguing job of it.

The illustrator,Wallace,enriches and expands the written story through his detailed pictures of the village and native life on Ungava Bay.

I hope Andrews & Wallace collaborate again and soon!

Wonderful - a genuine adventure for young girls........1999-07-26

This is one of the best books for young girls that I have come across. A young Inuit girl is sent under the ice at low tide to collect muscles for the family.. this time by herself. She gets distracted, the candles burn out leaving her in darkness just as she starts to hear the water returning. What an adventure. I buy this book as a gift whenever I need a present for a beginner reader girl.

American Eskimo Dog: A Comprehensive Guide to Owning and Caring for Your Dog (Kennel Club Dog Breed Series)

Average customer rating:

A Must Have Book For The American Eskimo Dog Owner

American Eskimo Dog: A Comprehensive Guide to Owning and Caring for Your Dog (Kennel Club Dog Breed Series)
Richard G. Beauchamp
Manufacturer: Kennel Club Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

American Eskimo Dogs (Complete Pet Owner's Manual)
Guide to Owning an American Eskimo (Re Dog)
American Eskimo Dogs: Everything About Purchase, Care, Nutrition, Breeding, Behavior, and Training (A Complete Pet Owner's Manual)
American Eskimo Dogs 2007 Calendar
The Complete American Eskimo: A Special Kind of Companion Dog

ASIN: 1593783531

Book Description

Among the most popular spitz breeds in America, this snow-white Nordic dog possesses a most appealing personality and an unmistakably intelligent air. Whether Toy, Miniature or Standard, the American Eskimo Dog makes an indelible impression on everyone he meets with his solid white straight coat, standing off his athletic, compact frame, his perfect balance and his characteristic Nordic features. To his family, he is friendly and protective, making a reliable watchdog and a willing helpmate.

Illustrated with over 135 photographs in color, this comprehensive introductory guide provides information on the breed's origins in Europe and foundation in the US, and the AKC and UKC breed standards, plus discussions on characteristics of the breed, feeding, grooming, obedience training, preventative health care and more. For first-time owners, the author's chapters on puppy care and housebreaking will prove especially useful. Helpful hints and important information are highlighted to provide easy access to everything the reader needs to know about life with an American Eskimo from puppyhood to the senior years.

Customer Reviews:

A Must Have Book For The American Eskimo Dog Owner.......2003-10-05

This book is very well written and contains very informative information for the American Eskimo Dog Owner. As the owner of a 2 year old Eskie, I found it very insightful and helpful. It is great reading. This is a must have for any Eskie owner.

American Eskimo Dogs: Everything About Purchase, Care, Nutrition, Breeding, Behavior, and Training (A Complete Pet Owner's Manual)

Average customer rating:

Eskie Info
My First
Informative and Helpful
Perfect 10
ok

American Eskimo Dogs: Everything About Purchase, Care, Nutrition, Breeding, Behavior, and Training (A Complete Pet Owner's Manual)
D. Caroline Coile
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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American Eskimo Dog: A Comprehensive Guide to Owning and Caring for Your Dog (Kennel Club Dog Breed Series)
The Complete American Eskimo: A Special Kind of Companion Dog
American Eskimo Dogs (Complete Pet Owner's Manual)
Guide to Owning an American Eskimo (Re Dog)
How to Housebreak Your Dog in 7 Days (Revised)

ASIN: 0812091981

Product Description

All the information you need to know about this breed starts with selecting a pup from a litter, feeding, training, health care, and more. There are dozens of full-color photos and drawings plus fascinating information on the history of Eskimo dogs. Paperback / 112 Pages / 6 1/2 x 7 7/8 / 1995

Customer Reviews:

Eskie Info.......2007-08-19

This Barron booklet is a comprehensive manual for all matters involving Eskies. It's a travel through the life of an Eskie, from choosing a breeder to having them bred. It covers the temperment, abilities, nature and behaviors of this breed. It answers questions and offers further resources for more specific info. It's the "bible" we use for our Eskie, Shasta. And yes, you're shown some cute pictures of adorable Eskie puppies!

My First.......2003-10-15

This was my first Eskie book and it's a great introduction to the breed. I read it cover to cover several times. Read and heed. It's even got some funny "comments" as I call them and they will make you laugh when you realize that your eskies really are like that! Great reading.

Informative and Helpful.......2003-07-20

A must reading for anyone who owns an American Eskimo. These are very special dogs! I also recommend the true story of Princess as told in "Good Morning, Miss Prin" - a heartwarming story of an American Eskimo who suffered longlasting damage from abuse, and found a loving and secure home with two special people.

Perfect 10.......2003-04-29

In one of the previous reviews, it said this book doesn't cover teething and such. But it does! It covers teething, digging, housebreaking, training, breeding and much more! What you need before the purchase and how to pick a show dog! I highly suggest this book if you plan on, or already have, an American Eskimo Dog.

ok.......2002-12-30

this book was ok. i was hoping for more information, such as stages the puppy will go through. i never had a dog before this one, so i needed more information on things like teething, and other stages of life. the book was helpful though concerning some things like digging.

Introduction to Native North America, An (3rd Edition)

Average customer rating:

Excellent Resource

Introduction to Native North America, An (3rd Edition)
Mark Q. Sutton
Manufacturer: Allyn & Bacon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0205510876

Book Description

The Third Edition of An Introduction to Native North America provides a basic introduction to the native peoples of North America, including both Eskimos and Indians.

Beginning with a discussion of the geography of North America, this text delves into the history of research, basic prehistory, the European invasion, and the impact of Europeans on Native cultures. A final chapter covers contemporary Native Americans, including issues of religion, health, and politics. Much of the book is written from the perspective of the ethnographic present, and the various cultures are described as they were at the specific times noted in the text.

Much of the book is written from the perspective of the ethnographic present, and the various cultures are described as they were at the specific times noted in the text.
Features an organization designed to be used in conjunction with the Handbook of North American Indians, published by the Smithsonian Institution, and offers detailed descriptions of the culture areas defined in it.
âSidelightsâ throughout the text provide short explanations of interesting aspects of native culture.
Provides Internet resources for students to supplement reading material.
Highlights important individuals in the âVIP Profileâ mini-biographies.
Includes examples of Native American views on several important current issues.
Offers sections on geography, environment, prehistory, history, and ethnography in each chapter.

Provides a basic introduction to the native peoples of North America, including both Eskimos and Indians.
Begins with a discussion of the geography of North America
This text delves into the history of research, basic prehistory, the European invasion, and the impact of Europeans on Native cultures.
Covers contemporary Native Americans, including issues of religion, health, and politics.

Native American Anthropology, Peoples and Cultures of the Americas, and History of Native Americans courses.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Resource.......2000-01-16

Sutton's book is an excellent resource for both researchers and students of Native North America. Its coverage is complete, and the geographical regions delineated match those used in the Smithsonian's Handbook of North American Indians, making this volume an excellent text. The cross referencing with the Smithsonian's multivolume resource adds a great deal of utility for the use of Sutton's book as a classroom textbook or starting point for research. Sutton's treatment of Native American culture and history is excellent, not excluding contemporary Native American issues and the roots of modern problems. The study of the past may bring us closer to finding solutions to the problems we face today in intercultural relations. I highly reccommend this book to both instructors and researchers who deal with Native American issues, culture, and history.

American Eskimo Dogs (Complete Pet Owner's Manual)

Average customer rating:

Well written and helpful
American Eskimo Dogs

American Eskimo Dogs (Complete Pet Owner's Manual)
D. Caroline Coile Ph.D.
Manufacturer: Barron''s Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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American Eskimo Dog: A Comprehensive Guide to Owning and Caring for Your Dog (Kennel Club Dog Breed Series)
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American Eskimo Dogs: Everything About Purchase, Care, Nutrition, Breeding, Behavior, and Training (A Complete Pet Owner's Manual)
American Eskimo Dogs 2007 Calendar

ASIN: 0764128612

Book Description

Despite its name, this small dog is bred mainly as a house dog. It is intelligent, alert, and loves human companionship. Barron's comprehensive series of Pet Owner's Manuals advise both current and prospective owners on the care of virtually every kind of pet, including a wide variety of dog and cat breeds, hamsters and other small caged animals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and even scorpions and tarantulas. The author of each book is a specialist in his or her field, which guarantees readers solid advice and instruction that helps them know what to look for when acquiring a pet, feeding, housing, maintaining health care, and where applicable, grooming and training. All Pet Owner's Manuals are filled with high-quality color photos and informative line art.

Customer Reviews:

Well written and helpful.......2007-07-03

This book is fun to read and has great information. The author is obviously an expert on the breed.

American Eskimo Dogs.......2007-01-11

Well written - easy to read and understand. This book has become my grandson's favorite since his new puppy came to live with him two months ago.

Average customer rating:

FINDING HIS OWN SONG IN NATURE
Dogsong
Ms. D best book review p.3/r.4 coolestdude
One of the best books you will ever read !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Coming of Age in the Snow

Dogsong
Gary Paulsen
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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Woodsong
The River
Hatchet
Brian's Return
Brian's Winter

ASIN: 0689827008

Book Description

In the Old Days There Were Songs

Something is bothering Russel Susskit. He hates waking up to the sound of his father's coughing, the smell of diesel oil, the noise of snow machines starting up.

Only Oogruk, the shaman who owns the last team of dogs in the village, understands Russel's longing for the old ways and the songs that celebrated them. But Oogruk cannot give Russel the answers he seeks; the old man can only prepare him for what he must do alone. Driven by a strange, powerful dream of a long-ago self and by a burning desire to find his own song, Russel takes Oogruk's dogs on an epic journey of self-discovery that will change his life forever.

Customer Reviews:

FINDING HIS OWN SONG IN NATURE.......2007-09-12

Set in the remote Alaskan arctic this fascinating story chronicles the coming-of-age of a 14-year-old boy named Russell. Feeling vaguely
discontented with his role as an Eskimo youth in a white man's world
he seeks spiritual guidance--for what ails his troubled spirit--from a blind Eskimo elder named Oogruk, who also resides in the winter village.
During a prolonged trance (Part One of the book) Oogruk communicates--perhaps non-verbally--with his young disciple, who wishes to learn the old ways of survival in the frozen north. Gradually Russell comes to understand and accept his people's vanishing lifestyle--thereby discovering the source of his personal Song.

Training Oogruk's unused dog team takes time and wisdom, for the youth must become master of the dogs, ultimately controlling them with his mind more than with words and whip. The day finally comes when the ancient one has taught him all he can and demands to be taken for a last sled ride. In possession of all the hand-made weapons and clothing, with knowledge transferred by dream communication, Russell obeys his mentor's dying command to travel ever north.

Part Two is called the Dream Run. Seeking the unknown, Russell embarks on a winter odyssey which is related in alternating chapters of surrealistic dreams with his actual reality. Gradually Russell realizes that his own path seems to parallel the adventures of the man-in-the-dream. Themes include the primordial struggle for human versus animal survival, faith and confidence in one's own prowess, dependence on the dogs, with the curious discovery of a stone-age object which ultimately links both his worlds. But are men destined to make the journey through life alone?

Throughout his pilgrimage to reach the top of the world, Russell grows in spirit with his dogs, relying on them for far more than transportation. His maturation, which includes embracing a long-lost lifestyle, allows him to retain his human compassion. An excellent read despite the minimal dialogue, as what he experiences subtly Folds into what he dreams. Russell's dream-memories reveal more about his communal past---or his individual future--than is comfortable to know. This is Pualsen at his finest: riveting literary style woven into thought-provoking philosophical commentary on the history of man's relationship with the natural world.

Dogsong.......2007-05-02

I didn't personaly like this book. I guess it's one of those literary books with a deep meening. The book is slow to start out and doesn't get much better. This book would probably be fine for grown-ups, but kids probably wouldn't like it. I would recomend this book to anyone who really liked hatchet.

Ms. D best book review p.3/r.4 coolestdude.......2007-04-22

I think this book is a great book for anyone who likes realistic fiction and journeys of people trying to find something they don't even know anything about. I rate this 4 stars because the book isnt all my type, yet it is one of my semi-types and it has a good adventure in it. This book is about a boy named Russel who wants to learn more about his "feeling" about the new technology like snow machines. In his quest he goes north in Alaska, trying to find HIS song. The songs are pretty much the songs of life. In his quest he meets a girl named Nancy who is pregnant and helps her live in the cold of Alaska. In this book, a boy becomes a man. I would NOT reccomend this book anyone from ages 7- because it can be a little hard to understand and at that age, all you care about is looking at cartoons of TNT and such. This is definitely a 10+ book though. I liked this book and I would also reccomend it to anyone who liked any of the Gary Paulsen books.

One of the best books you will ever read !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-03-01

I read the book Dogsong by Gary Paulsen and really enjoyed it. This book takes place in a village in the north. In it Russel, a boy, goes up north with a team of dogs to find his spiritual song. On his way he has dreams that help him survive. He encounters a girl who is almost dead, a polar bear and has other exciting adventures. This story was very thrilling to read If you like gripping adventures, this is an award winner book that you should read.

Coming of Age in the Snow.......2007-02-23

Russel is a fourteen-year-old Eskimo, living in the far North. He is unhappy with what he sees around him: the outside world, the world of the white men, has invaded his village. His people no longer live in tents made of animal skins, or in igloos. They smoke cigarettes and believe in Jesus. They travel on snowmachines instead of using dog sled teams to get around. Russel is restless and unhappy with the way things are.

Russel's father sends him to Oogruk, a very old man living in the village who owns a dog sled team and still remembers the old days before things got so modern. Russel wants to experience the old ways, to go out alone with the dogs and find himself, his spirit, his song.

So Russel sets off on Oogruk's dogsled. He learns how to control the dog team and he learns how to hunt in the old way, with a bow and arrow or a spear. He learns how to trust the dogs and trust himself. But will that be enough to allow him to survive in the wild?

I liked the overlap of Russel's dreams with his reality, and the way the dreams affected the way he acted. I also liked learning the details of life in the far North. I couldn't imagine before reading this why people would ever want to live there, but now I can see why it might be appealing.

Russel didn't feel much of anything, even at the dramatic points of the story. He should have been a more emotional character.

Alaska Native Art: Tradition, Innovation, Continuity

Average customer rating:

modern Alaskan painting, sculpture, mixed media
A treasury of heritage, beauty, and expression, especially recommended for artbook collections

Alaska Native Art: Tradition, Innovation, Continuity
Susan W. Fair
Manufacturer: University of Alaska Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Folk Art | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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Raven Travelling: Two Centuries of Haida Art
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ASIN: 1889963798

Book Description

Ranging from the islands of the Bering Sea to Alaska's interior forests, Alaska Native Art celebrates the rich art of Alaska's Native peoples, both setting their work in the context of historical traditions and demonstrating the vibrant role it continues to play in contemporary Alaskan culture. Alaska Native Art showcases a staggering array of types of art—from beadwork to ivory carving, basketry to skin sewing—from Aleutian Islander, Pacific Eskimo, Tlingit, Athabaskan, Yup'ik, and Inupiaq artists, as well as full-color photographs of artists at work. Lavishly produced, and featuring a fascinating study by author Susan W. Fair of the concept of tradition in the modern world, it is a tribute to the incredible vision of Alaska's Native artists.

Customer Reviews:

modern Alaskan painting, sculpture, mixed media.......2007-02-14

Sleek lines and minimalist features place the varied Alaska Native American art as 20th century. But the number of artists from all areas of the state, including many contemporary artists, for the most part use traditional natural materials of bone or ivory, wood, animal skins, beach grass, and others. These are often combined for a kind of "mixed media" piece; such as a model of a Northwest coast dwelling made from cedar wood, twigs, deerhide, and horsehair" among other materials. With some works, there are manufactured or synthetic materials such as masonite, commercial paint, glass beads, or brass buttons. Some, paintings especially and some of the dolls, are done in a folk art style; though with these too the superior craftsmanship is evident to mark them as modern works. Abundant visual matter (nearly 300 individual selections) including not only color photos or reduced-size reproductions of art works but also photos of artists along with the text involving historical and cultural background, customary and innovative techniques, and artist portraits offer a state-of-the-art work on the subject area. The bibliography of nearly 10 pages will also be welcomed by ones interested in developments in this regional Native American art.

A treasury of heritage, beauty, and expression, especially recommended for artbook collections.......2006-09-12

Alaska Native Art by folklorist, curator, and advocate for native peoples Susan W. Fair is an extensive examination of the venerable artistic traditions of twentieth century Alaska Natives, including Tlingit, Aleutian Islanders, Pacific Eskimo, Athabaskan, Yup'ik and Inupiaq artists. Black-and-white photographs of artists and full color photographs of their artistic creations, from spirit catchers to statues, dance masks, dolls, articles of clothing, baskets, watercolor paintings, and much more, illustrate Alaska Native Art. Each object of art has a sidebar commentary about it composition, symbolism, history, and other relevant details. The text discusses the nature of artistic tradition and cultural distinctions between different tribes of Alaska's native peoples. A treasury of heritage, beauty, and expression, especially recommended for artbook collections.

Yup'ik Elders at the Ethnologisches Museum Berlin: Fieldwork Turned On Its Head

Average customer rating:

One of my favorite books in the Museum Library

Yup'ik Elders at the Ethnologisches Museum Berlin: Fieldwork Turned On Its Head
Ann Fienup-Riordan
Manufacturer: University of Washington Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Museums & Collections | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Ciuliamta Akluit / Things Of Our Ancestors: Yup'ik Elders Explore The Jacobsen Collection At The Ethnologisches Museum Berlin

ASIN: 0295984643

Book Description

Norwegian adventurer Johan Adrian Jacobsen collected more than two thousand Yup'ik objects during his travels in Alaska in 1882 and 1883. Now housed in the Berlin Ethnological Museum, the Jacobsen collection remains one of the earliest and largest from Alaska's Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. When Ann Fienup-Riordan first saw the collection being unpacked in 1994, she was "stunned to find this extraordinary Yup'ik collection, with accession records still handwritten in old German script and almost completely unpublished."

In 1997, Fienup-Riordan and Yup'ik translator Marie Meade returned to Berlin with a delegation of Yup'ik elders to study Jacobsen's collection. Yup'ik Elders at the Ethnologisches Museum Berlin recounts fourteen days during which the elders examined objects from the collection and described how they were made and used. Their descriptions, based on oral history and firsthand experience with similar objects, are imparted through songs, stories, and personal narratives. Woven together with Jacobsen's writings, technical descriptions, and accession information, the narrative presents a vast array of knowledge. For example, Jacobsen had observed that large grass mats were woven for use as sleeping mats in houses and were often taken on journeys; a Yup'ik elder demonstrates how the grass mat would be folded and fitted into a kayak. Another elder describes a dance in which fox masks similar to those in the collection were used. Yet another elder, inspired by a carving of a paalraayak, launches into a story about the creature, which was sometimes encountered in the mountains near her home.

An introductory essay describes Jacobsen's life and trip to Alaska and the region as it was then and as it is today. Informal snapshots show the elders interacting with the objects and miming their use, while Barry McWayne's large color photographs make possible the "visual repatriation" of this extraordinary collection. Yup'ik Elders at the Ethnologisches Museum Berlin also includes extensive notes summarizing accession information, a glossary of Yup'ik object names, and a detailed index.

This is the first time a major Arctic collection has been presented from the Natives' point of view, an example of "reverse fieldwork" that can enrich understanding of Native American collections the world over.

Customer Reviews:

One of my favorite books in the Museum Library.......2006-10-22

I must qualify that I am writing this review as an individual, and not as a representative of the State. However, I am blessed to have one of the best jobs in Alaska working in the Visitor Services section of the Sheldon Jackson Museum in Sitka. Having said that, this work is one of the most helpful, readable resources available for those with an interest in Yup'ik ethnology and material culture. Ms. Fienup-Riordan's respect for the Yup'ik people is evident in all of her work, and this book is no exception.

This book chronicles a 14 day research visit to the Ethnologisches Berlin Museum by Ms. Fienup-Riordan and a delegation of Yup'ik Elders. Written in a very readable narrative style, Ms. Fienup-Riordan successfully captures volumes of interpretive knowledge shared by elders in reaction to individual artifacts. The book is presented as a day-by-day, artifact-by-artifact journal of the research team's exploration of a very comprehensive collection of Yup'ik artifacts gathered in the early 1880's by Norwegian Johan Adrian. Readers will also be impressed with the books outstanding collection of artifact photos.

I am asking my wife for this book as a Christmas present. It would make a suitable addition to both an anthropologist's research library and any Alaskan's coffee-table book stack. Great job to all involved!

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