Peoples of the sea wind : the native Americans of the Pacific Coast

Nine accounts of the old time life of various Indian tribes of the Pacific northwest coast, including chapters on the Tlingit, Kwakiutl, Tsimshian, Coast Salish and Nootka. "They knew the messages the Sea Wind brought--of cold and storm. of sea lion and whale, of fish and seabird--more intimately than we ever could. From the fog-bound islands off Alaska, through the great dark fir, spruce, and redwood forests of the Northwest Coast, to the sun-drenched hills and tranquil seas of Southern California, they wove a magic closeness to their surroundings. They shared a sensitivity to the drama of plant and animal life, an intuitive grasp of the ocean's changing moods and the rhythms of freshwater rapids cascading down great mountains. They were the Native Americans of the Pacific Coast. [This] is the first book published since the 1890s to cover the entire 300-year history of their colorful and richly varied cultures. Illustrated with 23 line drawings and 51 photographs, it describes their art, artifacts, rituals, and family life. But more than that, [this book] makes these primitive and proud Native Americans come alive. Through tales and epic adventures from each tribe's oral lore, you will begin to know their sorrows, fears, and great triumphs. Come with Tuserpik, the Kaniagmiut hunter of whales, on his great quest for the sea king, the killer whale. Attack a Nootka village at the break of dawn with the fierce armor-plated warriors of the Haida, renowned sea rovers and Vikings of the northwest coast. Follow High Swallow, heroic youth of the Chumash and disciple of Wise Otter, greatest of cave painters, over the mountains and on to the singing Pacific to search for the Master of the Bear and the Eagle, who alone could save the Chumash from an overwhelming evil. And discover the secret of Eyes Awake, the Pomo woman of northern California, whose stubborn pride almost ruined her life until she awoke to the feel of plants against her fingers and the magic of root and tree and feather, making something from them that glowed with loveliness her people had never seen before. Vinson Brown has traveled the entire length of the Pacific coast visiting the sites of the Hupa, Karok, Chilula, Yurok, Tlingit, Makah, Hoh, Pomo, Kamia, and other tribes. Through his search for the legends of these people and his study of their lives before the white man came, he has recreated a vibrant picture of the Peoples of the Sea Wind as they once were."--Dust jacket.… (more)