Prophecy and Power among the Dogrib Indians (Studies in the Anthropology of North Ame) [Hardcover]

June Helm (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 28, 1994 | Series: Studies in the Anthropology of North Ame

The Dogrib Indians are one of the Dene people of Western Canadian Subarctic; they speak a language belonging to the widespread Athapaskan family, whose southern relatives include the Navajos and Apaches of the southwestern United States. This study draws on the author’s field studies from 1959 to 1974 to present an ethnographic description of Dogrib religion. The first part of the book introduces three prophets who came to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s. Though they developed from the same tradition and had the same aims, their prophetic styles contrasted dramatically with one another. Helm situates the prophetic movement in relation to tribal and Christian traditions and shows the determining importance of the prophets personalities in shaping their teachings.

The second part of the book examines the traditional Dogrib concept of power (ink’on), drawing on information given over the course of the years by Vital Thomas, a religious leader who collaborated closely with Helm. This firsthand material, told in Thomas’s own words, is noteworthy for its personal perspective and for the understanding it provides of the differing sources and uses of power. This concept of power is so pervasive in daily life that it forms the key for understanding the dynamics of Dogrib culture. The book concludes with a brief autobiography related by Vital Thomas.

Prophecy and Power among the Dogrib Indians is important for documenting the prophet movement among the Dene people in the late twentieth century and for situating it historically in the context of Dogrib traditional culture.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

June Helm is a professor of anthropology at the University of Iowa. She is the editor of the Subarctic volume of the Smithsonian's Handbook of North American Indians.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 173 pages
• Publisher: University of Nebraska Press (November 28, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803223730
• ISBN-13: 978-0803223738
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,494,679 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Morally and Politically Misleading, August 31, 2000

By 

Robin Orlowski "political activist" (United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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4 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes an airtight case against the "gay rights" agenda!, June 6, 1999

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[e-mail] (Whittier, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gay Politics Vs. Colorado and America: The Inside Story of Amendment 2 (Hardcover)

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