A major work on the history and culture of Southwest Indians, The
Columbia Guide to American Indians of the Southwest tells a remarkable
story of cultural continuity in the face of migration, displacement,
violence, and loss. The Native peoples of the American Southwest are a
unique group, for while the arrival of Europeans forced many Native
Americans to leave their land behind, those who lived in the Southwest
held their ground. Many still reside in their ancestral homes, and their
oral histories, social practices, and material artifacts provide
revelatory insight into the history of the region and the country as a
whole.
Trudy Griffin-Pierce incorporates her lifelong passion for the people of
the Southwest, especially the Navajo, into an absorbing narrative of
pre- and postcontact Native experiences. She finds that, even though the
policies of the U.S. government were meant to promote assimilation,
Native peoples formed their own response to outside pressures, choosing
to adapt rather than submit to external change. Griffin-Pierce provides
a chronology of instances that have shaped present-day conditions in the
region, as well as an extensive glossary of significant people, places,
and events. Setting a precedent for ethical scholarship, she describes
different methods for researching the Southwest and cites sources for
further archaeological and comparative study. Completing the volume is a
selection of key primary documents, literary works, films, Internet
resources, and contact information for each Native community, enabling a
more thorough investigation into specific tribes and nations.
The Columbia Guides to American Indian History and Culture also
include:
The Columbia Guide to American Indians of the Great Plains
Loretta Fowler
The Columbia Guide to American Indians of the Northeast
Kathleen J. Bragdon
The Columbia Guide to American Indians of the Southeast
Theda Perdue and Michael D. Green
