Trudy Griffin-Pierce Livres

A major work on the history and culture of Southwest Indians, The Columbia Guide to American Indians of the Southwest tells a remarkable story of cultural continuity in the face of migration, displacement, violence, and loss. The Native peoples of the American Southwest are a unique group, for while the arrival of Europeans forced many Native Americans to leave their land behind, those who lived in the Southwest held their ground. Many still reside in their ancestral homes, and their oral histories, social practices, and material artifacts provide revelatory insight into the history of the region and the country as a whole

A comprehensive guide to the historic and contemporary indigenous cultures of the American Southwest, intended for college courses and the general reader.

Focusing on the cultural resilience of the Chiricahua Apaches, the narrative chronicles their struggles following the surrender of Geronimo and Naiche in 1886. During their captivity, Naiche's hide paintings of the Girl's Puberty Ceremony embodied their spiritual power and served as visual prayers for their survival. The book examines the clash of power between the federal government and the Chiricahua people, highlighting their enduring spirit despite efforts to suppress their culture and identity. Through anthropological insights, the author reveals how this "Power" sustained them during adversity.