Suggested Resources

Mission to North America (MNA) recommends the following books and articles for their insight into Native American history and culture. This recommendation does not imply agreement with or endorsement of the practices or beliefs of the authors.

Books

Whiteman’s Gospel by Craig Stephen Smit

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown

Neither Wolf Nor Dog: On Forgotten Roads with an Indian

Elder  by Kent Nerburn

On the Rez by Ian Frazer

One Church Many Tribes by Richard Twiss

Education for Extinction (American Indians and the

Boarding School Experience 1875-1928) by David Wallace Adams

Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen

The Wisdom of the Native Americans, edited by Kent Nerburn

Dull Knives of Pine Ridge by Joe Starita

The Education of Little Tree by Forest Carter  (fiction)

Trail of Tears: The Rise and Fall of the Cherokee Nation  by John Ehle

500 Nations by Alvin M. Josephy, Jr (Illustrated History of North American Indians)

James Mooney’s History, Myths, and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokee by James Mooney

Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper  (fiction)

1491 New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus  by Charles C. Mann

Through Indian Eyes, the Untold Story of Native American Peoples Reader’s Digest Association, Inc

Native American, A History in Pictures, by Arlene Hirschfelder (Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc)

Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux by Black Elk, John G. Neihardt

Foreign to Familiar, A Guide to Understanding Hot and

Cold Climate Cultures, by Sarah A. Lanier

Out of Bondage: Finding the Path out of Indian Religion and Into the Kingdom of God, by Adolphus Kootenay

Lakota Woman by Mary Crow Dog  (adult reading)

Dances With Wolves, by Michael Blake (fiction)

Converting the West—a Biography of Narcissa Whitman  by Julie Roy Jeffrey

The Holy Road by Michael Blake (Sequel to Dances with Wolves)

Grieving Indian by Arthur H. with George McPeek

Chief Joseph by Bill Dugan

God’s Warrior by Alta Tanis

American: The Life Story of a Great Indian by Frank B. Linderman  (Written in 1930—Chief Plenty-coups of the Crow nation tells his story to Linderman)

What Every Church Member Should Know about Poverty by Bill Ehlig & Ruby K. Payne, Phd.

MOVIES 

Education of Little Tree (excellent family movie)

Smoke Signals (for adult viewing—movie made by Native Americans about Native Americans.  Will give you insight into how the history of Native America affects the modern Indian’s struggles.)

Last of the Mohicans (There are many similarities in the traditional Cherokee culture and the Mohicans.  This film was made near Cherokee and many of the cast members were Cherokee.)

Into the West (Six hours, Produced by Stephen Spielberg) Excellent for families, some violence but made to be used in schools. Drama/documentary, historically accurate.

The Appalachians (www.wnpt.net/appalachians) Excellent for families.  Insightful into Native American and mountain culture.

500 Nations Excellent!!!  Book also available—see above.

“500 Nations is an eight-part documentary that explores the history of the indigenous peoples of North and Central America, from pre-Colombian times through the period of European contact and colonization, to the end of the 19th century and the subjugation of the Plains Indians of North America. 500 Nations utilizes historical texts, eyewitness accounts, pictorial sources and computer graphic reconstructions to explore the magnificent civilizations which flourished prior to contact with Western civilization, and to tell the dramatic and tragic story of the Native American nations' desperate attempts to retain their way of life against overwhelming odds.”

http://www.500nations.tv/home.htm

DRAMA

“Spirit—the Seventh Fire takes you on a journey of self-discovery through live concert, epic film and spectacular Native American dance.  Spirit travels with its own intimate, state-of-the-art climate-controlled theater equipped with comfortable seating, surround sound, and a unique panoramic projection system.  The live band, Native dancers in full regalia, and vista-screen movie interact in a way that bring the adventure of reconnection to our First Nations not just to life, but into your life.  Spirit—the Seventh Fire is truly unique and immersive experience not to be missed.”

http://www.spirit7thfire.com/                 Available now on DVD

LIST OF FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES

http://500nations.com/500_Tribes.asp

Tribes by State:  http://500nations.com/tribes/Tribes_States.asp

http://500nations.com/500_Tribes.asp

Department of the Interior List:     http://www.census.gov/pubinfo/www/FRN02.pdf

Alphabetical list of Tribes in Lower 48 and Alaska:   http://www.healing-arts.org/tribes.htm