luther standing bear land of the spotted eagle

The last few chapters deal with how Lakota society was dramatically and drastically changed when whites 'took power' and forced the Lakota to live on reservations. It is about the Lakota people and their experiences, how they lived their lives before the advent of the white man for most of the chapters in the book. Standing Bear's views on Indian affairs and his suggestions for the improvement of white-Indian relations are presented in the two closing chapters.Įven with this book being nearly 100 years old, it is still a powerful book and quite timely for today.

Gilmore, curator of ethnology at the University of Michigan, and Warcaziwin, Standing Bear’s niece and secretary, Standing Bear sought to tell the white man “just how” they “lived as Lakotans.” Land of the Spotted Eagle is generously interspersed with personal reminiscences and anecdotes, including chapters on child rearing, social and political organization, family, religion, and manhood. In addition to describing the customs, manners, and traditions of the Teton Sioux, Standing Bear also offered general comments about the importance of Native cultures and values and the status of Indian peoples in American society. When Standing Bear returned to the Pine Ridge Sioux Reservation after sixteen years' absence, his dismay at the condition of his people may well have served as a catalyst for the writing of this book, first published in 1933.

Luther standing bear land of the spotted eagle