Customer Reviews

Dreaming the Dawn: Conversations with Native Artists and Activists (American Indian Lives)

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This book has interviews of about 5-15 pages each with various people from Native American communities, such as:

- John Trudell, poet, activist, writer

- Elizabeth Woody, poet

- Norman Guardipee, visual artist, writer

- Rick Bartow, artist

- Bonnie Blackwolf, HIV/AIDs activist

- Sherman Alexie, author of many books including Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven

- Litefoot, rapper/musician, anti-gang activist

- Jesse Hummingbird, storyteller

- James Welch, historian, author

- Winona LaDuke, environmentalist, women's rights and Native activist

- Dino Butler, AIM activist, youth activist

- Buffy Sainte-Marie, musician, artist

While these interviews are helpful for anyone studying Native Studies or studying these people, the scope of the book is limited. There are no representatives for scientists, business people, inventors, athletes, mathematicians, theorists, military leaders, government (US) leaders, mainstream entertainment (with the slight exception of Litefoot) or many other fields. It seemed to focus on poets/writers/songwriters, artists and political activists. While these are essential and clearly important to many communities, it's not the limit of Native groups. This is why I say that the book must be a companion and not a primary source for a classroom, or the student must have a background in Native Studies prior to this book.

In addition, the interviews were conducted between 1993 and 1997, so while many of these people are still prominent in modern Native & global communities, some are deceased or have changed their focus. This isn't to say the book is useless, but it's not a fair assessment of Indian influence and power in the year 2006.