Customer Reviews

Eagle Vision: Return of the Hoop

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A truly great story offering an insight into the deplorable conditions imposed on the original Americans and their religion by the dominant society. We follow Kyle Charging Shield on his return from air combat in Vietnam and his return to his peoples' traditional religion. Meet many truly great Holy men and have their ceremonies explained. This is truly a great learning book that is at the same time fun to read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have been searching through literature for many years for the truth of the Old Ways. It is difficult to find books written without influence of the European/White Man, as such. I could tell as soon as I finished the first chapter, that this was a true story. Having read Mother Earth Spirituality, I also knew this was McGaa's own story.

I was deeply moved by this book. There were times when I had to put it away due to the anger and hurt that I felt resulting from the treatment of these people and their beliefs. If you are studying Native Americans, have an interest in their ways and want to know the truth about this culture, read this book. I have read other books about Black Elk and the Sioux but this touches on many of the ceremonies and gives wonderful details of how spiritual these Holy Men were. It is very descriptive and draws one right into the midst of these spiritual encounters. You won't be the same.....

This book accomplishes something many writers try but few succeed in doing. Historical fiction has traditionally provided a way for writers to weave real "factoids" together with personal recollection and fantasy. McGaa goes beyond that by weaving factual historical events into the visionary life-world of Native Americans. Even more remarkably, however, he is able to weave personal and historical recollection, vision, and dreams through time without losing the reader! As McGaa tracks the path of a modern-day warrior living his personal vision along the historical path of his ancestors, the reader is at once in today and yesterday, in both the "real" and the visionary world. This IS Mitakuye Oyasin! McGaa and his story are related and connected to the lived world of the Native American in a profound way that literally gives flesh and breath to history.

As a North American Indian writer, we have a built in barrier to our works in that the Dominant Society knows so little about real Indian culture. Older Hollywood movies, prejudice, zealous missionaries and Euro-centricism has projected an erroneous portrayal of a very beautiful and viable culture that did indeed keep this continent unpolluted and not over-populated for centuries. I thank Kevin Costner for Dances With Wolves. That helped. The Sioux were the last to come in from the Great Plains and consequently are an excellent tribe to write about. They are the least diluted because they have spent much less time under the white man's control and influence (actually less than a century). Many tribes do not like to hear this but it is obviously true. I was a young man when the old-timers I knew and travelled with, could reach very accurately back into that rich and truthful past. I am one of the few Indian academics that also did not ignore the old holymen and old timers. The other is Dr. Chuck Ross, a fellow tribal Sun Dancer- see Mitakuye Oyasin. Both of us lived with, travelled with and fought for the old timers in the Trenches of Change during the Martin Luther King era. Our writing material is our proof. You do not see such real cultural content from other academics who had their noses in the air and never bothered to stand for and champion such rich resources. I wrote in non-fiction for years but this novel was always with me back,close to thirty years ago. I wanted to capture my mentor's, Chief Fools Crow, Bill Eagle Feather, and Ben Black Elk's personalties and courageous characters. Surprisingly "fiction" is a better vehicle to do so. As this book ages and people become more open-minded due to this "age of communication" it will become more appreciated. Mother Earth Spirituality is in 20th printing and will go on and on. I also wanted to show our struggle against the unfeeling and actually cruel missionaries in league with the U.S. Government. Cruel?? I call an Indian Boarding School, wherein a child is separated from their Moms and Dads, year in and year out, as one helluva cruel condition. I also wanted to show that we won USC 42 Section 1996, Freedom of Religion Act,, which was passed a decade after we stood up and reclaimed our religion and culture which was unconstitutionally banned. There will be reviewers who will condemn a truthful and revealing work, however, simply because it challenges western society and especially the white man's proselytizing religion. Constitutionally we can have our own beliefs and detractors- you will and read the first 6 chapters of this book. Read Chapter One - Missionary Boarding School. Sadly, that chapter is all true and there was a real Cross Dog. At least, none of these boys had to ever return to the boarding school after they ran away. The holy men steer the rest of the tale and the tribe moves relentlessly on as it does today. My tribe has moved strongly back into our own tribal concepts, our religion, our spirituality and especially, our youth embrace it. Sun Dance, Sweat Lodges, Spirit Calling Ceremonies and Vision Quest are numerous upon the reservations. When I was young, they were practically unheard of. Once I vision quested on Bear Butte Mountain and I was the only one there! This story deserves to be told despite detractors who will always condemn us, as you have seen

This is an excellent book, well written and very inciteful. I think few people realize the significance of the so-called "pagan" rituals that were banned by our government. Many Native American tribes were deeply spiritual and their everyday actions and acceptance of people with differing beliefs were more Christ-like than were those of many Christians. The average American doesn't realize just how much the Native American youth suffered in missionary schools in the name of religion.

Eagle Vision portrays the deep spirituality of the Lakota peoples, especially through their vision quest, sweat lodge, and sundance. It also contrasts this with the harsh treatment of Native American children at the hands of the priests in missionary schools. How sad that Christians could not have been open enough to really understand the deep spirituality and love of the Great Spirit which these peoples lived. I highly recommend this and the other books written by Ed McGaa, especially Mother Earth Spirituality and Native Wisdom. I honestly believe that our Earth will survive if we listen to and follow the wisdom of Native American spirituality. Ed McGaa's books teach us this path

Keep in mind this story is written as FICTION. The story line speaks the "Thread of Truth". Those familiar with McGaa's non-fiction works will easily see the similar threads. A nice change of pace, easy reading as most novels are. A story that will definately change the way you view your world. A good love story for those "fiction" love story readers. Buy it for your Gram-expose her to the Natural Way....in a Good Way!!

I enjoyed this book. The fiction woven in with the non-fiction. To me it takes a brave person to stand alone and fight for what they truly believe in. Charging Sheild fought in an unpopular war (Vietnam), then came home for fight for his People, their religion, beliefs, customs. Charging Sheild (Eagle Man) truly deserves the title Warrior. When you read this book, please read it with an open mind and heart.

Ed McGaa, Eagle Man, has provided historians and spiritual seekers an invaluable, first-hand account of renewing the spirituality of the American Indian. Although told as fiction, "Eagle Vision" is nonetheless an important historical document. Most Americans don't realize that after the American Indian Religious Crimes Act of 1889, the constitutionally guaranteed Freedom of Religion was denied to American Indians. It required an act of true heroism for a few individuals to defy authority and bring these important religious ceremonies back into the open. "Eagle Vision" will become a classic in the years to come, and I sincerely hope that one day it will be made into a movie. Charging Shield's story has much to teach us about our freedoms and about spirituality.

The punishment inflicted upon children just because they were Indian smacks of modern inquisition. Cloning and beating somehow does not relay the message the Catholic church has preached for centuries - LOVE. Kyle Charging Shield's beliefs and devotion with guidance and wisdom from his Lakota Elders has reawakened the soul of Mother Earth. I witnessed the Sun Dance of 1971. I was a white guy with no particular liberal axe to grind. It was too hot, too dusty and too long, but I only realized this after it was over when I was brought back to reality with the snapping of chest skin as each dancer pulled away from the tree in the center. My immediate reaction was that this was not a macho, brave warrior thing but a religious act of conviction. One of the dancers was Ed McGaa. I met him once. I have not seen him since. It is reassuring to know that such dedication prevails after 28 years. It is proof that authors should write of what they know. And the ending gives new meaning to, "they lived happily everafter!

I have read all of Ed's previous non-fiction books;this novel tells the story of the lives behind them. I was moved, touched deeply yet again by the legacy of arrogant europeans on this land, its peoples and animals. I'm real impressed with Eagle Man's life story here; may he continue to do the good work he has done so far!