Memories of an Indian Boyhood (1902) is a memoir by Charles Eastman.
Recognized for his achievements as a pioneering Native American
physician, Eastman was also a prolific writer whose personal stories,
powerful meditations, and in-depth studies of indigenous culture
continue to be read and appreciated today. In this memoir, his debut
literary work, he recalls a youth marked by tragedy and perseverance
that earned him the name Ohíye S'a, Dakota for "always wins." "What boy
would not be an Indian for a while when he thinks of the freest life in
the world? This life was mine." Although his birth and youth were marked
by tragedy--the death of his mother, his separation from his father and
siblings during the Dakota War of 1862--Eastman was able to experience
the joys of Dakota Sioux life with his maternal grandmother and her
family. "Every day there was a real hunt. There was real game.
Occasionally there was a medicine dance away off in the woods where no
one could disturb us [...]" Immersed in the traditions of his people,
Eastman--whose birthname was Hakadah--developed an identity grounded in
the wisdom of his elders, yet open to the world outside. Nostalgic and
full of gorgeous detail, Memories of an Indian Boyhood is a story of
one boy's youth that resonates with all who read it. With a beautifully
designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of
Charles Eastman's Memories of an Indian Boyhood is a classic work of
Native American literature reimagined for modern readers.
