Women & Warriors of the Plains »

Offers an account of the life of Julia Tuell, whose sensitive and important photographs of the Plains Indians, taken in the beginning years of the 20th century, reflect both sacred religious ceremonies and the daily grind of survival. The author places Tuell's photographs in historical and cultural context, providing insight into traditional cultures. Abundantly illustrated to showcase Tuell's work, primarily in b&w. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

KLIATT

In 1901, at the age of 16, Julia Toops married P. V. Tuell, a schoolmaster in the government service that staffed the schools of the Indian reservations. By 1906 she had acquired an Eastman Kodak camera with which over the next two decades she photographed both the ceremonial and daily life of the Northern Cheyenne and the Lakota Sioux in Montana and South Dakota. This book has a twofold value. Just as Tuell's photographs of the Cheyenne and Lakota are uniquely revealing of their way of life in the early 20th century, the carefully researched text by Aadland, a Montana secondary school teacher, provides detailed commentary on the tribes and their cultures. Tuell had the opportunity to photograph both a Sioux Sun Dance and the Cheyenne Massaum (Animal Dance) ceremony, rituals sacred to the tribes but discouraged and often forbidden by the government. While his book is intended as a tribute to Tuell's photography, Aadland has written it with his students in mind. The book is rich in cultural material and, although it has no index, the end notes and bibliographical suggestions are extremely helpful for further reading. KLIATT Codes: JSA—Recommended for junior and senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2000, Mountain Press, 182p, illus, notes, bibliog, 24cm, 00-036063, $18.00. Ages 13 to adult. Reviewer: Patricia A. Moore; Academic Resource Ctr., Emmanuel College, Boston, MA (retired), November 2000 (Vol. 34 No. 6)