NATIVE AMERICAN

In 1924, a privately-sponsored scientific expedition visited the Havasupai region of the Grand Canyon, and discovered strange petroglyphs that appeared to depict animals either considered extinct or only known to exist in other parts of the world.

Whether or not these strange pictographs actually depict a "dinosaur," an "elephant" or mammoth, or ibex, they have stirred the imagination of explorers and natural mystery enthusiasts for decades.

This is a facsimile reprint of the original 1925 report on this expedition.

Several rocks carved into apelike head sculptures have been discovered in the John Day River region of Oregon. Bigfoot and cryptozoology enthusiasts have suggested these may be ethnozoological evidence for an unknown primate in North America.

This is a facsimile reprint of the original 1891 report. (Minor modifications due to oversized original plate size.)

On certain rocks in the lower Susquehanna River, between southern Lancaster and York Counties, Pennsylvania, archaeologists documented a number of rock carvings, several of which can be seen today. (Some were removed to museums, due to concerns of submersion after dams were built.)

This is a facsimile reprint of a 1934 booklet by state archaeologist (Pennsylvania Historical Commission) Donald Cadzow, surveying the petroglyphs and noting a few others in various parts of the state.

Archaeologist, artifact collector, and craftsman H. C. Mercer studied a broken bannerstone found in 1872 in a Bucks County, Pennsylvania, field that had a carving of a mammoth with human figures. Was it a truly legitimate Native American artifact, or a later fabrication? He also surveys artifacts from other parts of the world with mammoth-like figures.

This is a facsimile reprint of the original 1885 text, with minor modifications.

Perry Austin Armstrong (1823-1904) was an Illinois historian, lawyer, and politician. His interest in local history, including Native American history, led him to write several books. This particular booklet involves the Piasa petroglyphs. Armstrong includes the Native American tradition of the Piasa monster, a man-eating flying creature. Armstrong suggested that these traditions may have related to flying reptiles in the fossil record.

This is a facsimile reprint of the original 1887 booklet.

Seven classic papers are compiled and reprinted in this anthology of primitive weapons technology, describing styles, creation, and usage of boomerangs, slings, spear-throwers, harpoons, blowguns, and throwing sticks. Most are illustrated. These are primarily anthropological papers, with an emphasis on specimens in collections, but there is a good deal of practical and historical information for the primitive weapons enthusiast.

Papers included are: The Cane Blowgun in Catawba and Southeastern Ethnology (Speck), Boomerangs (Walker), Australian Throwing Sticks, Throwing-Clubs, and Boomerangs (Davidson), Distribution and Use of Slings in Pre-Columbian America (Means), Sling Contrivances for Projectile Weapons (Krause), Throwing Sticks in the National Museum (Mason), and Aboriginal American Harpoons (Mason).

Bernard S. Mason wrote quite a bit for scouts and other young people regarding old-time recreation and activities. In this book, he focuses on creating primitive percussion instruments. Small hand drums, large dance drums, log or barrel drums, water drums, drumsticks, and rattles are all discussed.

This serpent effigy mound has long been one of the most significant pre-Columbian earthworks in North America. E. O. Randall's classic discusses early theories on its construction and purpose.

This is a facsimile reprint of the 1905 edition.

William Berg's enthusiasm for horses and natural curiosity led him to investigate the origin of the distinctive Pinto and Appaloosa horses of the northern plains tribes. His research brought him to the conclusion that the Nez Percé had a significant role in the careful breeding and distribution of these horses. A natural story-teller, Berg illustrates the points in his theory with tales of early explorers and adventurers. This is a terrific book for equine enthusiasts interested in the history of horse breeds.

This title was first published in 1960.

Football, baseball, and soccer are today's national pastimes, but in ancient days, there were a variety of rubber ball games played by the peoples of South and Central America, and the southwestern U.S. Stern has gathered descriptions of many of these games, and discusses their roles in folklore, cultural events, and religion. This is a detailed examination of an interesting part of New World history.

Anthropologist and folklorist Katharine Luomala’s (1907-1992) “The Menehune of Polynesia …” was published as a bulletin of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum in 1951. This paper examined the stories and myths of little people in Hawaii and other island cultures throughout Oceania. She discusses potential origins for these tales and notes shared characteristics between the folk stories of different people groups. Students of folklore will find much of interest, as will anthropological mystery enthusiasts.

First published in 1951, Cherokee Cooklore introduces us to traditional Cherokee cooking. It starts with a photographic essay demonstrating how to make bean bread. This is followed by recipes from the North Carolina Cherokee community (including yellowjacket soup, blood pudding, hominy corn drink, baked squirrel, and hickory nut soup). A description of Cherokee food customs follows. This is a fascinating booklet that provides valuable food lore for the adventuresome gourmet or the student of Native American history.

This is a facsimile reprint.

This collection reprints two classic booklets and one academic paper on American Indian cookery. Included are Choctaw, Chickasaw, Osage, Navaho, Sioux, and other recipes.

Authenticated American Indian Recipes (1955) was written by Sylvester and Alice Tinker, Oklahoma Indian Cook Book (1956) was written by Mae Abbott, and “Navajo foods and cooking methods,” (American Anthropologist, 1940) was written by Flora L. Bailey.

Lots of foodlore and recipes are included, like Indian Mush, Baked Winter Squash, Fried Squirrel, Wild Grape Dumplings, Baked Raccoon, Bean Bread, Quail Deluxe, Indian Candy, and Blood Pudding.

There is no debate that Sitting Bull is a fascinating but controversial figure in the political history and often adversarial relationship between the First Nations and the U.S. Government. This book relates the human factor behind the tragic events surrounding the death of Sitting Bull and the aftermath at Wounded Knee.

Usher L. Burdick (1879-1960), a North Dakota Congressman, wrote this book with the help of the papers and correspondence of James McLaughlin, the U.S. Indian Agent who tried to bring in Sitting Bull at the time of his death. It provides a different perspective on events as sometimes portrayed in the media. On the one hand, McLaughlin considered Sitting Bull an agitator, but he also was displeased with the actions of the military (who he saw as trying to foment trouble in order to take over the situation) and Congress (who procrastinated on recompensing the Native American policemen wounded and killed in action).

This book was first published in 1941.

Ed Keithahn collected thirty-five age-old Eskimo tales for this fascinating collection while teaching in the Arctic village of Shishmaref. He noted, “Most tales will be found to have a moral significance, some are merely humorous.” Strange creatures like dwarfs and animal people populate these stories, illustrated by George Aden Ahgupuk (who went on to become a popular artist). This compilation of traditional Alaskan folklore will delight readers of all ages.

Igloo Life offers a look at the life of the Eskimo tribes along the shores of Hudson Bay, from the perspective of the post traders and inspectors of Revillon Frères, a Parisian fur business. It also provides details on the fur business in general, and the history of Revillon Frères. This is a facsimile reprint of the original 1923 edition.

Ruth McCorkle compiled the Alaskan Eskimo tales in this interesting booklet from a variety of sources, providing an easy-to-read introduction to the rich folklore of the Far North. The stories are illustrated by Wilbur Walluk, born in the village of Shishmaref, “thirty miles by dogsled from Nome, Alaska.” This is a facsimile reprint of the original 1958 edition.