Customer Reviews

The Autobiography of a Winnebago Indian: Life, Ways, Acculturation and the Peyote Cult

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Very few books truly allow you to meet another person from a far off time who lived a life completely different than the one you know, yet remaining utterly human. 'Autobiography' is the word for word narrative of a Winnebago Indian born sometime in the mid to late 1800's who was asked by Radin to tell about his life. There are no attempts to make this into a work of political correctness or to shield aspects of the narrator's culture we might find deplorable. What makes this writing unique is that unlike so many books of 'history', this is about the thoughts and happenings of one individual instead of using the individual as a vehicle to tell another story. If you are looking for the genuine article--a real document of what it must have been like to have been a Winnebago during this turbulant period, look no farther.

This is one of the absolute best American Indian first-person accounts available anywhere.

The 22-page chapter of folkways based upon the instructions given by the tribal elders is invaluable to the modern reader/researcher. These cover the Winnebago religion, social etiquette, "medicine," marriage and sex, precepts for women, and the wisdom of the old men.

Highly recommended!