Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Experiences, 1879-2000 [Paperback]

K. Tsianina Lomawaima (Editor), Brenda J. Child (Editor), Margaret L. Archuleta (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2000

Artfully weaving old photographs, first person accounts and well-organised text and verse, the editors present important and predominantly Native views of some 'good, bad and ugly' aspects of Indian boarding school life.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Heard Museum; 2nd edition (November 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0934351627
• ISBN-13: 978-0934351621
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #396,447 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A magnificent collection of writings, poems, photographs, June 3, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Experiences, 1879-2000 (Paperback)

Away From Home: American Indian Boarding School Experiences is a magnificent collection of writings, poems, photographs, and paintings and illustrations that document American Indian boarding school experiences in the U. S. between 1879-2000. It was collected as a part of a display on exhibit at the Heard Museum until 2005. From the beautiful but sad painting on the cover (Untitled oil on canvas by Angel de Cora, Winnebago) to the dozens of historical photographs within of different aspects of the various Native American boarding school histories, to the poignant letters, poems, and memories of the many contributors, Away From Home is a revelation of repressed racial memories that underlines the need for dialogue specifically with Native voices in order to accept responsibility as well as to encompass and "enrich our view of America's past, present and future (Page 135, Brenda Child)." Away From Home presents a rich assortment of written and pictured memories from such boarding schools as Carlisle Indian School of Pennsylvania, Sherman Indian School, Riverside, California, and Flandreau Indian School, South Dakota. Both the many negative and some surprising positive aspects of boarding school existence are explored. The shattering impact on family and ethnic identification of the boarding school student is not avoided. The notion that perhaps an apology is owed to present day survivors' descendants is actually obliquely presented in a referent to the "Sorry Day" movement of Aboriginal people in Australia. At least the impact of exhibits and books such as Away From Home contain the impetus to a needed dialogue that has yet to be fully heard. Away From Home is a rich collection, filled with many voices and bitter experiences that were braided into strengths. It is a treasure and a measure of the many colors of beauty in the human spirit.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Knowledgeable, June 4, 2009

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N. Thomas "NT" (Charlestown, RI, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Experiences, 1879-2000 (Paperback)

This book is amazing and extremly educational for those that have no idea what went on during that era. It is sad that these tribal people were made to attend these boarding schools. Everyone seems to be allowed to be themselves, ie..English, Italian, Irish, Pollish, German etc, and not be judged. It is sad because these Indian children were taken from their homes and placed somewhere where they were to speak and act like someone they are not. I have been in the company of Tribal people who had relatives that survived these schools and everything is not in this book. But, considering, it is one of the books that is acurate.

5.0 out of 5 stars If this was your child....what would you do?, February 19, 2012

By 

Rtist - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Experiences, 1879-2000 (Paperback)

Most of us are not familiar with the origins of the boarding school system for the Native American children. All adults and children should be aware of what happened to the Native American children in the late 1800's to mid 1900's. This book allows you to put yourself in their shoes. It shows the positives and negatives of the boarding school system which still affects lives of the Traditional Elders today! You may want to do something for the Native Americans to help bridge the cultural gap after reading this book.