Native American Books
There are no known written languages that were developed by the Native American peoples. The culture as a whole is one of strong and rich oral tradition. The history, legend, and lore of the people are told in dance, ritual, and the song of the many ceremonies that mark the passage of tribal life.
In today’s society, however, even among Native Americans, we rely on the written English language to weave the spellbinding stories of lost love, epic tales of historic drama, and the fantasy world of legends and wonder. With thanks to the written language, many Native Americans in the last several generations have taken pen in hand and put those magical and mystical stories to paper.
Many Native American books have been written that recount the early way of life for the tribal peoples. Many more have been written that speak of the horrors, pain, and unfairness inflicted on the tribes by the arrival of the white man and his movements across the country. Many of these books have been read and shared by Native American readers but not many of them have received much acclaim outside tribal circles.
Some writers of these Native American books have received outside acclaim but not as Native American writers of Native American books. Some authors write about specific issues that are more academic, professional, or legal than cultural. Others write but don’t widely publicize their Native American heritage.
Author M. Scott Momaday, however, has broken through the cultural barrier and is credited as leading the way for acceptance of Native American literature in America’s mainstream readership.
Momaday is a member of the Kiowa tribe who was born in Lawton, Oklahoma. His mother, Natachee Scott Momaday, is a writer and his father, Al Momaday, is a painter. His grandfather fought in the Battle of the Little Bighorn against General Custer, a distinction that was presented in a PBS documentary based on that historic event.
Of all Native American books ever written, Momaday’s House Made of Dawn is the only one to receive the coveted Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, which it did in 1969. The novel was first written as a collection of poems but became a collection of short stories before evolving once again into the groundbreaking, award-winning novel credited with ushering in the Native American Renaissance. The novel is inspired by the author’s life on and off the reservation at Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico.
Momaday is the current Poet Laureate of the state of Oklahoma. He was featured in the documentary, The West, produced and created by Ken Burns and Stephen Ives, in which Momaday recounted the history and legend of the Kiowa tribal people. He has published about a dozen books to date.
Please send any comments directly to the author, Joseph Paige.