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Your local public library may have some of these, or may be able to get them for you from other libraries. Those that are in print (many are) can be purchased through bookstores or directly from the publishers.

Books About Black Elk

Books on Peyote & the Native American Church

General Books

Books on Specific Peoples & Regions

General Books

Alexander, Hartley Burr, The World's Rim: Great Mysteries of the North American Indians. 1953, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln.

Beck, Peggy V., Anna Lee Walters, & Nia Francisco, The Sacred: Ways of Knowledge, Sources of Life. 1977, 1992, Navajo Community College Press, Tsaile, Arizona.

Bierhorst, John, The Sacred Path: Spells, Prayers, & Power Songs of the American Indians. 1983, William Morrow & Co., New York.

Bierhorst, John, The Way of the Earth: Native America & the Environment. 1994, William Morrow & Co., New York.

Bruchac, Joseph, The Native American Sweat Lodge: History & Legends. 1993, The Crossing Press, Freedom, California.

Deloria, Vine, Jr., God is Red: A Native View of Religion. Updated second edition, 1994, Fulcrum Publishing, Golden, Colorado. Native American author. First published in 1972.

Dooling, D.M., & Paul Jordan-Smith, editors, I Become Part of It: Sacred Dimensions in Native American Life. 1989, 1992, Harper Collins, San Francisco.

Eastman, Charles A. (Ohiyesa), The Soul of the Indian: An Interpretation. 1980, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln. Sioux author. First published in 1911.

Erdoes, Richard, & Alfonso Ortiz, editors, American Indian Myths & Legends. 1984, Pantheon Books, Random House, Westminster, Maryland.

Hirschfelder, Arlene, & Paulette Molin, The Encyclopedia of Native American Religions: An Introduction. 1992, Facts on File, New York.

Hultkrantz, Åke, Belief & Worship in Native North America. Edited by Christopher Vecsey, 1981, Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, New York.

Hultkrantz, Åke, Native Religions of North America: The Power of Visions & Fertility. 1987, Harper Collins, San Francisco. Note: Includes sections on Shoshone and Zuni beliefs, in addition to more general information.

Hultkrantz, Åke, Religions of the American Indians. 1979, University of California Press, Berkeley.

McGaa, Ed, Mother Earth Spirituality: Native American Paths to Healing Ourselves & Our World. 1990, Harper Collins, San Francisco. Oglala Sioux author.

Suzuki, David, & Peter Knudtson, Wisdom of the Elders: Honoring Sacred Native Visions of Nature. 1992, Bantam, New York.

Tuchman, Gail, Through the Eye of the Feather: Native American Visions. 1994, Gibbs Smith, Publisher, Salt Lake City.

Vecsey, Christopher, editor, Handbook of American Indian Religious Freedom. 1991, Crossroad Publishing Company, New York.

Vecsey, Christopher, editor, Religion in Native North America. 1990, University of Idaho Press, Moscow.

Vogel, Virgil J., American Indian Medicine. 1970, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman.

Walker, Edward E., Jr., editor, Witchcraft & Sorcery of the American Native Peoples. 1989, University of Idaho Press, Moscow.

Wall, Steve, Shadowcatchers: A Journey in Search of the Teachings of Native American Healers. 1994, Harper Collins Publishers, New York.

Wall, Steve, & Harvey Arden, Wisdom-keepers: Meetings with Native American Spiritual Leaders. 1990, Beyond Words Publishing, Hillsboro, Oregon.

Williamson, Ray A., Living the Sky: The Cosmos of the American Indian. 1984, 1987, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman.

Books on Specific Peoples & Regions

Bailey, Garrick A., editor, The Osage & the Invisible World, From the Works of Francis La Flesche. 1995, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. A synthesis of the work on Osage religion and ceremony of Native American anthropologist Francis La Flesche (Omaha, 1857-1932).

Carrasco, David, Religions of Mesoamerica: Cosmovision & Ceremonial Centers. 1990, Harper Collins, San Francisco.

Colby, Benjamin N. & Lore M., The Daykeeper: The Life & Discourse of an Ixil Diviner. 1981, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. An account of the life and work of a modern Maya religious leader.

Fergusson, Erna, Dancing Gods: Indian Ceremonials of New Mexico & Arizona. 1931, 1990, University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.

Powers, William K., Oglala Religion. 1975, 1977, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln.

Reichard, Gladys, Navajo Religion: A Study of Symbolism. 1950, 1977, Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey.

St. Pierre, Mark, & Tilda Long Soldier, Walking in the Sacred Manner: Healers, Dreamers, & Pipe Carriers--Medicine Women of the Plains Indians. 1995, Touchstone, Simon & Schuster, New York. Tilda Long Soldier is Oglala Sioux.

Tooker, Elisabeth, editor, Native North American Spirituality of the Eastern Woodlands: Sacred Myths, Dreams, Visions, Speeches, Healing Formulas, Rituals, & Ceremonials. 1979, Paulist Press, Mahwah, New Jersey.

Walker, James R., Lakota Belief & Ritual. edited by Raymond J. DeMallie and Elaine A. Jahner, 1980, 1991, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln.

Books on Peyote & the Native American Church

LaBarre, Weston, The Peyote Cult. 5th edition, enlarged, 1989, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. First published in 1938.

Smith, Huston, & Reuben Snake, editors, One Nation Under God: The Triumph of the Native American Church. 1996, Clear Light Publishers, Santa Fe. Reuben Snake is Winnebago.

Stewart, Omer C., Peyote Religion: A History. 1987, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman.

Books About Black Elk

Note: Black Elk (1863-1950) was an Oglala Sioux visionary and spiritual leader. During the 1930s and 1940s, he granted extensive interviews, first to John Neihardt and later to Joseph Brown, about his life, his vision, and the traditions and beliefs of his people.

Brown, Joseph Epes, editor, The Sacred Pipe: Black Elk's Account of the Seven Rites of the Oglala Sioux. 1953, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman.

Neihardt, John G., Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux. 1932, 1979, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln.

Neihardt, John G., The Sixth Grandfather: Black Elk's Teachings Given to John G. Neihardt. Edited and with an introduction by Raymond J. DeMallie, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln.

Neihardt, John G., When the Tree Flowered: The Story of Eagle Voice, a Sioux Indian. 1951, 1991, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln. This novel of Sioux life is based on information from Neihardt's interviews with Black Elk.

Rice, Julian, Black Elk's Story: Distinguishing its Lakota Purpose. 1991, University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.

Steltenkamp, Michael F., Black Elk: Holy Man of the Oglala. 1993, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. Biography based on interviews with Black Elk's daughter Lucy Looks Twice, and others who knew him. Includes information about his life after the period covered in the books by Neihardt and Brown.

Prepared by National Museum of the American Indian,
in cooperation with the Public Inquiry Mail Service,
Smithsonian Institution.

7/97
revised 10/98

 

 
 


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