Everything you wanted to know about Indians but were afraid to ask
Ratings7
Average rating4.2
15
Ratings7
Average rating4.2
Treuer, an Ojibwe scholar and cultural preservationist, answers the most commonly asked questions about American Indians, both historical and modern. He gives a frank, funny, and personal tour of what's up with Indians, anyway.
Reviews with the most likes.
Amazing primer on the Indian (indigenous) experience in north America and Canada. If you have read much on this subject, start here!
Nice general overview of issues, past, present, and ongoing facing indigenous communities, as well as an education on culture or cultures. There were a couple lines that felt ageist or fatphobic.
As the title suggests, this book contains answers to common questions non-Native people have about Native Americans–everything from “What are coming of age ceremonies?” and “Should Leonard Peltier be freed?” to questions that seem downright rude, like “Why do Indians have so many kids?” The questions are answered by the author in a personal tone. He is careful to say that he is answering from his own perspective and that if you ask a different person the same questions, you are likely to get some different answers. The book is divided into chapters on terminology, history, religion and culture, education, politics, etc., so you can skip straight to the topics that interest you, or you can read straight through (like I did).
I enjoyed reading this book. I learned plenty that I didn't know (and that I would have been afraid to ask), and I appreciated Treuer's matter of fact approach to all of the questions he addresses. In fact, I would say this is a gracious book. In his conclusion, he writes, “Don't imagine Indians, understand them. Keep asking questions, reading, listening and advocating for change. Don't tolerate stereotypes, and don't be afraid to ask everything you wanted to know about Indians. And if you're native, give a meaningful response to those questions rather than an angry rebuke. It really does make a difference.” This book models that spirit of welcoming honest questions and giving meaningful answers.
This is a great book for tweens through adults, honestly. It's written in Q&A format loosely broken into sections (like “history”, “tribal languages”, etc), which gives it almost a magazine-like feel–it's an approachable format. Some of the “questions” are like, very blunt rude things (like “Why do Indians have so many kids?”) that as the title suggests people might be afraid to ask (for good reason bc it's rude AF) but address certain pervasive stereotypes, and Treuer's answers are generous, thoughtful, helpful, and funny. He's also aware that he can speak best about his own tribe and experiences but makes it clear that every tribe and every individual American Indian person has different experiences.
This was interesting to read cover to cover but could also work great as a reference book in a classroom setting.
