The Soul of an Indian: And Other Writings from Ohiyesa (Charles Alexander Eastman)
By Kent Nerburn
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The Soul of an Indian - Kent Nerburn
THE SOUL
OF AN
INDIAN
NEW WORLD LIBRARY
NOVATO, CALIFORNIA
Based primarily on The Soul of the Indian © 1911 Charles Alexander Eastman, with additional material, all © Charles Alexander Eastman; Indian Boyhood © 1922; From the Deep Woods to Civilization © 1916; Old Indian Days © 1907; Indian Scout Talks: A Guide for Boy Scouts and Camp Fire Girls © 1914; The Indian To-day; The Past and Future of the First Americans © 1915.
This edited version copyright © 1993, 2001 by Kent Nerburn Cover design by Alexandra Honig
All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part, or transmitted in any form, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other, without written permission of the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Eastman, Charles Alexander, 1858–1939
The soul of an Indian and other writings from Ohiyesa
(Charles Alexander Eastman) / edited and arranged by Kent Nerburn
p. cm.
A reconfiguration of his [i.e., Eastman’s] writings, chosen from a variety of sources, woven together in a way that gives voice to the spiritual vision that animated all his writing and speaking.
ISBN 1-57731-200-7 (alk. paper)
1. Indians of North America — Religion and mythology. 2. Santee Indians — Religion and mythology. 3. Indians of North America — Social life and customs. 4. Santee Indians — Social life and customs. 5. Eastman,
Charles Alexander, 1858–1939.
I. Nerburn, Kent, 1946– II. Series
E98.R3E148 1993
299’.7 —dc20
93–24678
CIP
First printing, October 2001
ISBN 1-57731-200-7
Printed in Canada on acid-free, recycled paper Distributed to the trade by Publishers Group West
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
When you see a new trail, or a footprint you do not know, follow it to the point of knowing.
— Uncheedah, the grandmother of Ohiyesa
CONTENTS
EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION
FOREWORD
CHAPTER ONE
THE WAYS OF THE SPIRIT
The Miracle of the Ordinary
CHAPTER TWO
THE WAYS OF THE PEOPLE
The Meaning of Death
CHAPTER THREE
THE COMING OF THE WHITE WAYS
The Gift of My People
AFTERWORD
ABOUT OHIYESA
ABOUT THE EDITOR
EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION
It is my goal in this book to bring before you the thoughts of one of the most fascinating and overlooked individuals in American history: Ohiyesa, also known by the Anglicized name of Charles Alexander Eastman.
Ohiyesa was, at heart, a poet of the spirit and the bearer of a spiritual vision. To the extent that he dared, and with increasing fervor as he aged, he was a preacher for the native vision of life. It is my considered belief it is his spiritual vision, above all else, that we of our generation need to hear. We hunger for the words and insights of the Native American, and no man spoke with more clarity than Ohiyesa.
Ohiyesa was born in southern Minnesota in the area now called Redwood Falls in the winter of 1858. He was a member of the Santee tribe of the Dakota, or Sioux, nation. When he was four, his people rose up in desperation against the U.S. government, which was systematically starving