|
|
Review of Ella Deloria's The Buffalo People by Julian Rice
BROCK STEVEN GARY (brock@ucsub.Colorado.EDU)
16 Nov 1994 17:58:18 GMT
ELLA DELORIA'S THE BUFFALO PEOPLE, edited by Julian Rice.
University of New Mexico Press, 1720 Lomas Blvd. N.E., Albuquerque,
NM 87131-1591, (505) 277-2346, (505) 277-9270 FAX. Illustrated,
index, references, orthographic notes, list of works cited. 224
pp., $45.00 cloth (0-8263-1506-2), $22.50 paper (0-8263-1507-0).
Reviewed by Steve Brock
The third of three books by Rice on Ella Deloria, this volume,
recently released in both hardcover and paperback editions,
concentrates on five narratives originally published in the 1930s.
"Buffalo People," the longest story, teaches the lesson that the
earth is sacred. With this in mind, however, each child "may move
according to his own pace or rhythm," developing his or her own
identity based on the traits of buffalo and corn. The book
contains both English and Lakota versions of the stories, a
detailed interpretation, and essays on themes and symbolism. It is
highly recommended for classes on Lakota culture, literary
criticism, and Native American myths.
|