The Encyclopedia of Native American Religions - Hardcover

Hirschfelder, Arlene B.; Molin, Paulette

4.33

30 ratings by Goodreads

9781567311013: The Encyclopedia of Native American Religions

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1567311016 ISBN 13: 9781567311013

Publisher: Fine Communications, 1997

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A welcome addition to any reference section. With over 1,200 entries, this treatment of Native American beliefs, ceremonies, and major religious systems is in-depth, yet easy to read. From the opening explanation of Abishabis ("Small Eyes"), the principal prophet of a mid-1800s religious movement, to Zuni Salt Lake, New Mexico, the reputed home of a Holy Person who traveled around the country leaving deposits of salt wherever she rested, the authors provide quick information on sacred objects, societies, leaders, and more. The black-and-white photographs and charts, while few, are a nice addition. The bibliography is extensive.

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From Booklist:

In the foreword to this revised edition of a standard encyclopedia, Walter R. Echo-Hawk writes, "For Native peoples, cultural survival depends on the traditional religions that have been the glue holding Indian tribes and Native communities together in the face of great adversities over the centuries." According to the preface, the goal of the volume is to address "the lack of reliable information about Native American religion in conventional reference books about religion in North America."

Entries, which are easy to read and informative, cover spiritual traditions of Native peoples, consequences of contact with the Europeans, biographies of Native American religious practitioners, biographies of missionaries, descriptions of important ceremonies, and other topics. Arrangement is alphabetical, but content is indexed by various categories in the subject index; for example, "Ceremonies by Tribe and Religion," "Court Cases" (new to this revision), "Native American Religious Leaders by Tribe," and "Sacred Sites."

Although a number of books have been published in the last few years pertaining to various aspects of Native American religious traditions, including Encyclopedia of Native American Shamanism [RBB Mr 15 99] and Native American Religious Identity (Orbis, 1998), none has this volume's broad usefulness. The revised version is similar to the 1992 edition in many respects; however, it gains in the coverage of the various court cases aimed at saving or reclaiming Native tribal lands and protection of Native sacred sites. In addition, the extensive bibliography has been updated.

This reasonably priced volume is recommended for public-library, school, and undergraduate reference collections.
Copyright � American Library Association. All rights reserved

From Library Journal:

The scope of this new encyclopedia is certainly no more than introductory. For example, only ten lines are devoted to "power concepts," even though individuals from other religious traditions may find the Native American concept of supernatural power difficult to understand. Still, this is the first ready - reference tool dedicated entirely to Native American religions. Other reference works such as The Handbook of American Indians (1907. o.p.), The Encyclopedia of Religion ( LJ 8/87), or the Smithsonian's "Handbook of North American Indians" series (1978-present) provide comparable or more authoritative coverage of selected topics. None of these sources, however, focus strictly on Native American religions and, for this reason, librarians and readers should turn first to this new encyclopedia for basic information about Native American sacred beliefs and practices. Coverage ranges from major religious sites to specific rites and includes biographies of religious leaders and Christian missionaries. Considering the need for understanding and acceptance of cultural diversity, most school, public, and academic libraries should strongly consider purchasing this encyclopedia.
- Randy J. Olsen, Brigham Young Univ. Lib., Provo, Ut.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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