The Traditional History and Characteristic Sketches of the Ojibway
Nation (1850) is a work of Indigenous American history by George
Copway. Written while he was living with his wife and daughter in New
York, The Traditional History and Characteristic Sketches of the
Ojibway Nation helped establish Copway's reputation as a leading Native
American author of the nineteenth century. Recognized as one of the
first books of its kind written by an indigenous author, Copway's work
is an invaluable resource for understanding the history of contact
between settlers and indigenous peoples, some of whom, like Copway's
family, assimilated and served as missionaries, translators, and
ambassadors. "There is room and opportunity for adventure among the
bold, broken, rugged rocks, piled up one upon another in 'charming
confusion, ' on the shores, along the borders of the silent waters, or
beneath the solid cliffs against which the waters of Superior break with
a force which has polished their rocky surface. The mountains, rivers,
lakes, cliffs, and caverns of the Ojibway country, impress one with the
thought that Nature has there built a home for Nature's children."
Raised in a moment of immense cultural change for his people, George
Copway played a complicated role as a Methodist missionary and Ojibway
historian, preserving the traditions of his people while working to
assimilate their religious beliefs with those of the white settlers
whose presence so often proved detrimental to their continued existence.
In this powerful work, one of the first written texts on Indigenous
American history by an indigenous author, Copway reflects on the
cultural traditions, geographical territory, and ancestral stories of
the Ojibway people. Written in a poetic, meditative prose, The
Traditional History and Characteristic Sketches of the Ojibway Nation
remains essential reading nearly two centuries after it appeared in
print. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset
manuscript, this edition of George Copway's The Traditional History and
Characteristic Sketches of the Ojibway Nation is a classic work of
Native American literature reimagined for modern readers.
