Lakota Society [Paperback]

James R. Walker (Author), Raymond J. DeMallie (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1992

As agency physician on the Pine Ridge Reservation from 1896 to 1914, Dr. James R. Walker recorded a wealth of information on the traditional lifeways of the Oglala Sioux. Lakota Society presents the primary accounts of Walker's informants and his syntheses dealing with the organization of camps and bands, kinship systems, beliefs, ceremonies, hunting, warfare, and methods of measuring time.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Based on descriptions given by people who had experienced their traditional cultureomost of it a way of life that had ceased or changed by 1900oWalker's papers are a unique and invaluable source for the anthropological study of the Sioux and for understanding traditional Plains Indian society generally."oChoice "Classical material on the Lakota people and essential reading for anyone interested in a serious study of these people."oAmerican Indian Culture and Research Journal "DeMallie has done a sensitive, careful piece of work, and the documents as presented are both important sources and of interest to the general student of Indian history and ethno-history."oWestern Historical Quarterly

About the Author

Raymond J. DeMallie is a professor of anthropology and director of the American Indian Studies Research Institute at Indiana University. Other volumes of James R. Walker's Lakota documents also available as Bison Books are Lakota Belief and Ritual, edited by Raymond J. DeMallie and Elaine A. Jahner, and Lakota Myth, edited by Elaine A. Jahner.

Product Details

• Paperback: 243 pages
• Publisher: Bison Books (February 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803297378
• ISBN-13: 978-0803297371
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,064,323 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lakota society in the late 1800's., January 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lakota Society (Paperback)

Walker knew the Lakota and was careful to try to be accurate, but he also was pressured by the Bureau of Ethnology to fit Lakota Society into the framework of Anthropology's view of the world. This is the biggest weakness, because the Lakota view of the world is not consistent with the concepts of Anthropology. But I believe he tried very hard to be accurate within those expectations. Much of this information would be lost if Walker hadn't recorded it. A must for a serious student of the Lakota.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lakota Society, April 21, 2009

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Lakota Society (Paperback)

Having studied Lakota myth, rituals, customs and religion for many years, this was a refreshing and insightful read that will help those desiring to understand the Lakota people better.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars VERY DATED BOOK, BUT WELL WORTH READING, April 19, 2011

By 

Kay's Husband (Virginia, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Lakota Society (Paperback)

I've spent most of my adult life, since 1965 at least, collecting books from The University of Nebraska and The University of Oklahoma concerning both anthropological and historical items. This book interested me to the point of acquiring it a few years back.

The genesis of the enclosed material originates from papers written and collected by Dr. James R. Walker, physician-Pine Wood Reservation, between the years of 1896 to 1914. The original items have been edited by Raymond J. DeMallie, professor of anthropology. Having followed a course study of Anthropology in college, I find this book on the customs and society of the Lakota very interesting. Especially Section III on Time and History, one of the more interesting chapters in any book I've read.

One problem though, being a non-Lakota and an outsider to Lakota society, have to wonder whether Dr. Walker got everything 'right' and just how factual all of which is included may be, yet today. The information collected by Dr. Walker, though primarily first hand or primary, comes from a different, past age and was also collected according to the anthropological dictates of the time. How valid is the information viewed through the 'prism' of his time in which he viewed it, I cannot say. I must take it all on trust. Need to factor in to all this that the first Bison printing of the book was 1982.

I am glad I purchased this volume and have found it very useful as to the ethnological and cosmological information provided. Just not sure how relevant all of it may be today. Would also think that this book would be more for the specialized reader than suited for the more general one.

All-in-all, for me the book suits the purposes for which I made the purchase.

Semper Fi.