Background
Information on the Featured Native Groups:
Abenaki
The Abenaki, of the Algonquian group of Eastern Woodland Groups,
lived in an area extending across northern New England into the southern
part of the Canadian Maritimes. Their lifestyle was similar to that of
other Eastern Woodland groups. Living in the northern range of the
Algonquians, the Abenaki may have depended more on hunting and fishing
than groups living in a more temperate climate. But they did grow corn,
beans, squash and other crops.
More information about the Abenaki:
Recommended
readings about the Abenaki (from
NativeWeb):
- Landau, Elaine.
The Abenaki (First Books- Indians of the
Americas Series). Franklin Watts, Inc., 1996. 64 pages. ISBN:
0531202275. Reading level: Ages 9-12.
- McCurdy, Michael (Illustrator).
An Algonquian Year: The Year According to
the Full Moon. Houghton Mifflin Co., 2000. Hardcover, 32 pages.
ISBN: 0618007059. Reading level: Ages 4-8.
- Quiri, Patricia Ryon.
The Algonquians (Full-Color First Books).
Franklin Watts, Inc., 1992. 64 pages. ISBN: 0531200655. Reading level:
Ages 9-12.
- Bruchac, Joseph.
The Heart of a Chief. Dial Books for
Young Readers, 1998. Hardcover, 176 pages. ISBN: 0803722761. Reading
level: Ages 9-12.
Hopi
The following information is from the
Official Website of
the Hopi Tribe, a link from
NativeWeb.
Hopi Indians (pronounced HOH pee) are one of the Pueblo Indian tribes.
According to the 1990 United States census, there are about 11,000 Hopi.
About 7,000 live on the Hopi reservation in Arizona. They live in 11
villages on or near three high mesas (tablelands). One village, Oraibi, is
one of the oldest continuously inhabited villages in the United States. It
was founded about 800 years ago.
Like their early ancestors, many Hopi grow crops on plots of valley land.
Some Hopi earn additional income by making and selling baskets, pottery,
silver jewelry and kachina dolls. The carved wooden dolls represent
messengers sent by the gods. Religious ceremonies play an important part
in the life of the Hopi. At certain times of the year, Hopi men dress as
kachinas and perform dances in the village square or in underground
structures called kivas.
The Hopi Reservation is located in the high deserts of northeastern
Arizona. The total land area is almost 2.5 million acres and the elevation
ranges between 4,700 feet in the valley floors to 7,800 feet atop the
northern reaches of the mesas. Temperatures range from an average daily
maximum of 87°F in summer to an average daily minimum of 18°F in winter.
The precipitation averages from 6 to 10 inches per year in lower
elevations to 10 to 14 inches per year in higher elevations. About half of
the annual precipitation comes from summer rains and the other half from
winter snowfall. While natural springs abound across the landscape, there
are no year-round rivers or streams and washes contain flowing water only
after rains. Grassland and desert scrub dominate the lower elevations
while pinyon and juniper woodlands cover the mesa tops.
More information about the Hopi:
- The Hopi, from
Kuwawata,
official site of the Hopi tribe, available through a link from the
EDSITEment resource
NativeWeb.
Recommended
readings about the Hopi
NativeWeb:
- McDermott, Gerald.
Arrow to the Sun : A Pueblo Indian Tale.
Viking Press, 1977. ISBN: 0140502114. Reading level: Ages 9-12.
- Sekaquaptewa, Emory (Translator),
Barbara Pepper (Editor), Herschel Talashoema.
Coyote & Little Turtle : Iisaw Niqw
Yongosonhoy : A Traditional Hopi Tale. Clear Light Pub., 1994.
Paperback, 90 pages. ISBN: 0940666855. Reading level: Ages 4-8.
- Anderson, Peter.
Maria Martinez : Pueblo Potter
(Picture-Story Biographies). Children's Press, 1992. ISBN:
0516041843. 31 pages. Reading level: Ages 9-12.
- Keegan, Marcia.
Pueblo Boy : Growing Up in Two Worlds.
Puffin, 1997. ISBN: 0140369457. Paperback - 48 pages. Reading level:
Ages 9-12.
Kwakiutl
Members of the Kwakwaka'wakw (pronounced kwah kwah kyuh WAH kwah),
a group of loosely connected Native American tribes living along the
northwestern coast of British Columbia just north of Washington State,
were dubbed Kwakiutl (pronounced kwah kee OO tuhl) by Europeans who first
encountered them late in the 18th century.
The Kwakiutl crafted intricately decorated houses and canoes. Theirs was a
highly organized society in which inheritance and personal property were
important in determining status. The potlach ceremony, in which gifts were
exchanged and property was sometimes burned or thrown into the sea, was an
important public demonstration of wealth and status. Status was signified
by totem poles placed in front of the home.
Traditionally, Kwakiutl men fished and hunted, while the woman gathered.
After encountering Europeans, Kwakiutl became fur traders, commercial
fishermen and cannery workers. Though they adapted well to these economic
changes, the Kwakiutl were greatly affected by European diseases.
According to the
E-Museum at the Minnesota State University, which may be accessed
through the
Internet Public Library:
"The Kwakiutl population recovered after World War II (1939-1945), growing
to more than 4,100 in 1991. Since the 1970s, traditional Kwakiutl culture
has also experienced a dramatic revival."
More information about the Kwakiutl:
-
University of Washington Libraries: Digital Collections, available
through the EDSITEment resource
American Memory,
including background information and photos of totem poles.
Recommended
readings about the Kwakiutl
NativeWeb:
- Neel, David.
The Great Canoes: Reviving a Northwest Coast Tradition.
University of Washington Press, 1995. ISBN: 0295974826. Note: Though
this book is not written for children, it is richly illustrated with
excellent color photographs of traditional northwest coast canoes,
native people, and native clothing. The author is a Kwakiutl artist and
writer.
