Reviews for North American Indians

The average rating for North American Indians based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2016-10-03 00:00:00 Alex Lue North American Indians is one of the essential primary sources, both in word and images, on North America's indigenous populations in the early 19th century. It is also a fascinating, observant, and deeply empathetic account of Catlin's western wanderings. Catlin, a self-taught American artist'he was trained as a lawyer but, a hundred and twenty years before the Beats, Catlin need to go, man, just go. So he did. Catlin covered thousands of miles on foot, horseback, in canoe, and riverboat between the Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains, between Canada and Mexico. Sometimes he was alone. Sometimes he traveled with trappers and guides. At least once he traveled with American cavalry troopers into Comanche territory. Always though he was sharp-eyed, careful in his analysis, respectful of the culture and way of life of those he visited, and sympathetic to the plight of the Native Americans generally, seeing their doom in the established pattern of interactions with whites, the fatalities caused by illness in sweeping epidemics, the corruption and dissipation brought by fur traders, the impact of whiskey, and, most fatal of all, the greed of advancing "civilization". As a young man, Catlin had seen some western American Indians pass through his hometown on their way to Washington, D.C., and was captivated by them. He understood that the frontier was moving west, that so-called civilization was forcing eastern and midwestern tribes ever further west, dispossessing them of a way of life and the land upon which they lived and putting them in conflict with the Plains tribes. Catlin's restlessness and his interest in the lives of these "wild people" came together in an ambition to document with paint and pen the lives of those Native Americans yet living in the wild. He would pay some heed to frontier Indians, those being pushed together west of the Mississippi as the whites filled the East, but was most desirous of traveling among and staying with those beyond the frontier. He wrote "letters" that found their way into Eastern newspapers and drew and painted portraits by the scores. He didn't hesitate to call them "wild" or "savages" but also repeatedly compares their conduct with that of white civilization, finding the Native Americans more honest, more considerate, and more generous and kind than their white oppressors. And while he leaves off judging the motives of the whites in their interactions, he is clear and frank that the treatment received by whites is unjust, selfish, and unrelentingly destructive. He will say positive things about individual federal Indian Agents and particular actions of the national government'though they each inevitably fail to offer protection or aid'but views trappers and the fur companies they represent as a deadly plague, cheating the Native American tribes who provided furs, recklessly if unintentionally introducing smallpox, and recklessly and intentionally plying them with whiskey. He tip-toes around the subject of Christian missionaries but does allow one tribal leader to condemn the "black robes" as an evil that brought harm and no good to the Indian peoples. Peter Matthiessen edited the book, selecting from the larger published notes and letters of Catlin's travels. He also provides a brief introduction that is helpful and interesting. It could have been longer and, knowing Matthiessen's interest and expertise, it would have been wonderful had he annotated Catlin's account as well in places. The book is well illustrated with black and white reproductions. If you have any interest in American history, the West, American Indians, American geography and culture, George Catlin's North American Indians is essential and rewarding reading.

Review # 2 was written on 2011-09-09 00:00:00 Humberto Olmos ahh.. que buen libro lo de George Catlin en este libro es muy atractivo.. no tiene la complejida de esos ensayos etnograficos que por momentos se ponen pesados.. Catlin es de esos hombres del siglo 19 cuya historia me parece fascinante.. sus cuadros tienen algo que siempre me interesó y en sus libros relata de una manera muy chevre sus viajes.. que lo llevaron no solo por las praderas de norteamerica, tambien a la amazonia y a lugares tan remotos como los aleutianas.. este libro es solo sobre las tribus de norteamerica.. las cuales supó que iban a desaparecer y decidió dejar todo atras para ir a registrar como vivian esos hombres.. chevre e interesante.. LIBRAZO¡