Southern Paiutes: Legends, Lore, Language and Lineage [Hardcover]

LaVan Martineau (Author), Jetta Martineau (Illustrator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 088714070X | ISBN-13: 978-0887140709 | Publication Date: June 2, 1992 | Edition: 1st

This is a unique collection of information about the Southern Paiutes, which covers mythology and folklore, traditional crafts, historical stories, and information about the Paiute language. LaVan Martineau began collecting a lot of the information in this book during the 1940s from individuals still maintaining the old ways, while their culture eroded beneath their feet. These elders willingly shared this information with Mr. Martineau. Little did he realize that within a few decades almost no one under the age of 50 would still speak the Paiute language, and even fewer would still know the traditional stories and crafts. Discover the charming winter tales that were told in during the wintertime after the pinyon nut harvest in Fall, each story was designed to be morally instructive. Learn how the Paiute made bows and arrows, baskets, cradleboards, moccasins and more. You'll even get a primer on the Paiute language. A unique document from a vanishing period.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

After the death of his parents, LaVan was taken in by a Paiute names Edrick Bushhead and raised as his son. He learned the language, songs, religion, and customs of the Paiute people. Always eager for knowledge, as a young man he began to take hand-written notes of the stories he heard from the elders. As the years passed he sensed that one day some of these teachings would be abandoned by the younger generation as they adopted more of the ways of the white man.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 312 pages
• Publisher: KC Publications; 1st edition (June 2, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 088714070X
• ISBN-13: 978-0887140709
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,182,485 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Southern Paiutes: Legends, language and Lineage, October 20, 2007

By 

Oreste W. Lombardi (Barrigada, Guam) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Southern Paiutes: Legends, Lore, Language and Lineage (Hardcover)

Lavan Martineau and Sapir were two authors who have studied the Southern Paiutes. Sapir did it as a professional liguist, from the outside in. Lavan, being adopted by Edrick Bad Moon Bushhead, a Southern Paiute, got to study them from the inside. Being one of them he really got inside the Southern Paiute mind and takes you on an inside cultural historical tour. His knowledge of the language is excellent. I remember him from my childhood as we both explored Paiute lore. He had a notebook always ready for language notes. He went on to interview the tribal elders before they died off thus aquiring valuable family history information. Much of what he learned is in his book. His findings form the foundation of my work as the Southern Paiute tribal genealogist.
Oreste Lombardi

5.0 out of 5 stars Language of the Ancients, January 4, 2011

By 

Debbie J. "Supernatural Superfan!" (Delta, Colorado, US) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Southern Paiutes: Legends, Lore, Language and Lineage (Hardcover)

I bought this to study the Ute/Paiute language since so many of the southwest Colorado names are of Ute origin and I am fascinated by languages.
It is a compilation of the Paiute/Ute language which both have origins in the same language. It is interesting to read the words and find thier meaning and apply them to actual placed that are named with Ute words.