RELEASE UPON RECEIPT
Contact: Chris Cauble, 406-449-0200
Email ccauble@riverbendpublishing.com
Montana publishers revive
important record of Native American culture
The Montana Historical
Society Press and Riverbend Publishing of Helena
have reprinted “Land of Nakoda,”
a unique cultural history of the Assiniboine Indians of the northern plains.
“I'm delighted to see original Assiniboine
stories, told by Assiniboines to other Assiniboines, put back into print for an
audience that might not otherwise have access to them,”
MHS Press editor Clark Whitehorn said. “This book thoughtfully depicts the
depth and flexibility of a northern plains culture.”
First published in
1942 by the Federal Writer’s Project, “Land
of Nakoda” was written and
illustrated by tribal members who interviewed the Old Ones, the tribal elders,
in their native language.
In the foreword to
the new edition, Fort Peck
(Montana) Community College
President James Shanley wrote, “Land
of Nakoda is the essence of Assiniboine
culture that has been transmitted to modern times.”
“Land
of Nakoda” vividly describes tribal
legends, daily life, lodging, food, courtship and marriage, children’s games,
buffalo hunting, tools and weapons, religious ceremonies and secret societies,
medicine men and spirits, and the coming of the white men. It features 84
original illustrations, a list of Assiniboine bands, and
biographies of the author, First Boy (James L. Long); the illustrator, Fire Bear
(William Standing); and the Old Ones who told the stories.
“Land
of Nakoda” is the sixth title in
Western History Classics, a series called co-published by MHS Press and
Riverbend. It sells for $19.95 and may be purchased at area bookstores, from
the MHS museum store, or by calling toll-free 1-866-787-2363.
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Land of Nakoda
Written by
First Boy (James L. Long); illustrated by Fire Bear (William Standing)
$19.95,
paperback, 240 pages, 84 illustrations
Riverbend
Publishing, Helena, Montana
This press release
may be copied electronically from www.riverbendpublishing.com.