Ella Deloria's The Buffalo People
By: [edited by] Julian Rice.
Contributors: Rice, Julian, 1940-
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: University of New Mexico Press
Published: 1994
Place of publication: Albuquerque
Language: eng
Number of pages: 220
Subjects: Dakota Indians -- Folklore.; Teton women.; Teton Indians -- Folklore.; Teton Indians.; Lakota dialect -- Texts.
Description: The five narratives in this book, the third in Julian Rice's examination of the work of Ella Deloria, demonstrate Deloria's artistry in portraying the central values of Lakota (Sioux) culture. The introductory stories illustrate courage in three extraordinary women and Deloria's ability to subordinate her voice to that of different narrators. Another tale, "The Prairie Dogs," explains how the warriors' and chiefs' societies, the strongest forces for social cohesion, came into being.

The longest story, "The Buffalo People," concerns the origin of tribal identity based on such ideal qualities as the strength and generosity of the buffalo and the resiliency and grace of the corn. Following the noted storyteller Makula (Breast or Left Heron), Deloria improvises upon the poetic conventions of oral performance, from simple asides to traditional set speeches of the Buffalo Woman ceremony.

Blending careful observation with creative skill, these stories offer new and often surprising perspectives on Lakota culture. They will entertain and instruct any reader with an interest in Native American societies of the past and present.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 213-216) and index.
Narrative in both Lakota and English with critical essays by Julian Rice.