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Autobiographies
mike salovesh (T20MXS1@NIU.BITNET)
Thu, 9 Dec 1993 00:29:00 CST
Alan Burdette said:
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I'm looking for "native" autobiographies induced, produced or
otherwise connected with anthropologists. Paul Radin's works with
the Blowsnakes and Marjorie Shostak's "Nisa, the Life and Words of
a !Kung Woman" are examples of the kinds of things I'm looking for.
I don't care how old or recent they are. I'd be very appreciative
of any suggestions sent my way.
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Jim Sexton edited, or elicited, or cooperated in the production of,
a continuing autobiography of a Guatemalan Indian that appears in
three volumes--so far! They are _Son of Tecun Uman_, _Campesino_,
and--let me see, I think the third title is _Ignacio_. (The pseudo-
nym of his informant is Ignacio Bizarro Ujpan.) All three are very
good--no, great!--examples of the life history approach. Like any
such work, the ethnographic detail, set in context, is all but over-
whelming, and hard to extract. But I assure you, speaking as one
with a lot of experience with Guatemalan and Mexican Indians who
speak Mayan languages, that all three volumes ring true and make a
revealing portrait of both the teller of the tale and his culture.
Close reading will also tell you a lot about Jim Sexton.
mike salovesh, Anthro Dept, Northern Ill Univ
<t20mxs1@niu.bitnet> OR <t20mxs1@mvs.cso.niu.edu>
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