Giving Voice to Bear: North American Indian Myths, Rituals, and Images of the Bear
3 journalers for this copy...
To share.
I found this softcover in the Indigenous Peoples bookbox, and read it while the box was still with me; will replace it in the box for someone else. It's a very impressive look at bear-related myths, rituals, artwork and more, from tribes all across North America - and with some compare-and-contrast segments from other places too. I was pleased to see such indegenous peoples as the Sámi of Lapland and the Ainu of Japan and eastern Russia mentioned, not least because they have their own bear-themed customs that often map closely to those of the Americas...
The book's full of photos of artifacts, from items made from bear hide, claws, or skulls to artwork depicting bears in many forms. Whether the bears are black bears, grizzlies, or polar bears, the prevalent views seem to include immense respect for their power and for their similarities to humans - indeed, in some tribes, it's forbidden to eat bear meat, as it would be too close to eating another human. [Most tribes relished bear meat, though they had their own rituals as to how to appease the spirit of the slain animal.]
Among my favorite bits: in some tribes, young women having their first periods are said to be "going to be a bear" - yep, that could explain a lot {wry grin}.
Excellent book!
The book's full of photos of artifacts, from items made from bear hide, claws, or skulls to artwork depicting bears in many forms. Whether the bears are black bears, grizzlies, or polar bears, the prevalent views seem to include immense respect for their power and for their similarities to humans - indeed, in some tribes, it's forbidden to eat bear meat, as it would be too close to eating another human. [Most tribes relished bear meat, though they had their own rituals as to how to appease the spirit of the slain animal.]
Among my favorite bits: in some tribes, young women having their first periods are said to be "going to be a bear" - yep, that could explain a lot {wry grin}.
Excellent book!
This book looks terrific-so looking forward to reading it!