| Navajo Land, Navajo Culture: The Utah Experience in the Twentieth Century Contributor(s): McPherson, Robert J. (Author) |
|
 |
ISBN: 0806134100 ISBN-13: 9780806134109 Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press OUR PRICE: $21.73 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: December 2021 Annotation: In Navajo Land, Navajo Culture, Robert S. McPherson presents an intimate history of the Dine, or Navajo people, of southeastern Utah. Moving beyond standard history by incorporating Native voices, the author shows how the Dine's culture and economy have both persisted and changed during the twentieth century. The Navajos encountered here live according to the traditions of a livestock economy, where religious values provide the core philosophy and where the world is imbued with spiritual significance. The land--the rugged canyon, mesa, and mountain terrain of the Four Corners region (where Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico meet)--is of fundamental importance. The Navajos' dependence on the land, and love for it, pervades their account of life in this desert country. During the twentieth century, as the dominant white culture increasingly affected their worldview, these Navajos adjusted to change, took what they perceived as beneficial, and shaped or filtered outside influences to preserve traditional values. With guidance from Navajo elders, McPherson describes varied experiences ranging from traditional deer hunting to livestock reduction, from bartering at a trading post to acting in John Ford movies, and from the coming of the automobile to the burgeoning of the tourist industry. Clearly written and richly detailed, this book offers new perspectives on a people who have shaped their own destiny while adapting to new conditions. The strength of McPherson's book comes from his being a good listener and his aquaintance, gained over time, with concerns that matter at the grass roots level. Readers will appreciate his dedication and his focus on a part of Navajo country thatheretofore has been largely ignored by scholars."--Peter Iverson, Regents Professor of History, Arizona State University. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - History | Native American - Social Science | Ethnic Studies - Native American Studies - History | United States - 19th Century |
| Dewey: 979.100 |
| Physical Information: 0.7" H x 5.98" W x 9.84" (0.95 lbs) 320 pages |
| Themes: - Geographic Orientation - Utah - Cultural Region - Western U.S. - Ethnic Orientation - Native American - Chronological Period - 19th Century - Chronological Period - 20th Century |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: In Navajo Land, Navajo Culture, Robert S. McPherson presents an intimate history of the Din , or Navajo people, of southeastern Utah. Moving beyond standard history by incorporating Native voices, the author shows how the Dine's culture and economy have both persisted and changed during the twentieth century. As the dominant white culture increasingly affected their worldview, these Navajos adjusted to change, took what they perceived as beneficial, and shaped or filtered outside influences to preserve traditional values. With guidance from Navajo elders, McPherson describes varied experiences ranging from traditional deer hunting to livestock reduction, from bartering at a trading post to acting in John Ford movies, and from the coming of the automobile to the burgeoning of the tourist industry. Clearly written and richly detailed, this book offers new perspectives on a people who have adapted to new conditions while shaping their own destiny. |
Contributor Bio(s): McPherson, Robert S.: - Robert S. McPherson is Professor of History Emeritus at Utah State University-Blanding Campus. He is the author or coauthor of numerous books on Navajo history and the history of the Southwest, including Under the Eagle: Samuel Holiday, Navajo Code Talker (with Samuel Holiday) and Viewing the Ancestors: Perceptions of the Anaasází, Mokwic, and Hisatsinom. |