The Peace Chief

A Plains tribe that subsisted on the buffalo, the Cheyennes depended for survival on the valor and skill of their braves in the hunt and in battle. The fiery spirit of the young warriors was balanced by the calm wisdom of the tribal headmen, the peace chiefs, who met yearly as the Council of the Forty-four. "A Cheyenne chief was required to be a man of peace, to be brave, and to be of generous heart," writes Stan Hoig. "Of these qualities the first was unconditionally the most important, for upon it rested the moral restraint required for the warlike Cheyenne Nation." As the Cheyennes began to feel the westward crush of white civilization in the nineteenth century, a great burden fell to the peace chiefs. Reconciliation with the whites was the tribe's only hope for survival, and the chiefs were the buffers between their own warriors and the United States military, who were out to "win the West." The chiefs found themselves struggling to maintain the integrity of their people-struggling against overwhelming military forces, against disease, against the debauchery brought by "firewater," and against the irreversible decline of their source of livelihood, the buffalo. They were trapped by history in a nearly impossible position. Their story is a heroic epic and, oftentimes, a tragedy. No single book has dealt as intensively as this one with the institution of the peace chiefs. The author has gleaned significant material from all available published sources and from contemporary newspapers. A generous selection of photographs and extensive quotations from ninteteenth-century observers add to the authenticity of the text. Following a brief analysis of the Sweet Medicine legend and its relation to the Council of the Forty-four, the more prominent nineteenth-century chiefs are treated individually in a lucid, felicitous style that will appeal to both students and lay readers of Indian history. As adopted Cheyenne chief Boyce D. Timmons says in his preface to this volume, "Great wisdom, intellect, and love are expressed by the remarkable Cheyenne chiefs, and if you enter their tipi with an open heart and mind, you might have some understanding of the great 'Circle of Life.'"

A young Indian's rise to a high position in the Cherokee nation. He is Young Puppy and through his eyes is seen a war between, on the one side the Cherokee allied with the French, and on the other the Indian slave-catchers working for the Spanish. By the author of War Woman.

The Compelling, Tragic Story of a Great Cheyenne Chief As white settlers poured into the west during the nineteenth century, many famous Indian chiefs fought to stop them, including Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Geronimo. But one great Cheyenne chief, Black Kettle, understood that the whites could not be stopped. To save his people, he worked unceasingly to establish peace and avoid bloodshed. Yet despite his heroic efforts, the Cheyennes were repeatedly betrayed and would become the victims of two notorious massacres, the second of which cost Black Kettle his life. In this first biography of black Kettle, historian Thom Hatch at last gives us the full story of this illustrious Native American leader, offering an unforgettable portrait of a chief who sought peace but found war. Praise For Thom Hatch The Blue, the Gray, and the Red Clear and even-handed. . . . This popular history recounts grim, bloody, lesser-known events of the Civil War. . . . The slaughter of Black Kettle's Cheyennes at Sand Creek . . . forms a devastating chapter. -Publishers Weekly The Custer Companion Highly recommended . . . a reliable and impartial guide to the subject and literature. -Library Journal Custer and the Battle of Little Bighorn A work that is readable by itself, meticulously researched and clearly written. -The Tulsa World

Chris Nicola lives on the Penacook Indian Reservation and goes to school in town. School is great, but at home the Penacook are divided over building a casino on a beautiful island Chris thinks of as his own. What can one sixth-grade boy do?

A Native American Thanksgiving address, offered to Mother Earth in gratitude for her bounty and for the variety of her creatures

The children of the Tsimshian village of Kitkatla love to play at being hunters, eager for their turn to join the grown-ups. But when they capture and mistreat a crow, the Chief of the Heavens, angered at their disrespect, brings down a powerful storm. The rain floods the Earth and villagers have no choice but to abandon their homes and flee to their canoes. As the seas rise, the villagers tie themselves to the top of Anchor Mountain, where they pray for days on end and promise to teach their children to value all life. The storm stops and the waters recede. From that point on, the villagers appoint a chief to perform the Peace Dance at every potlatch and, with it, pass on the story of the flood and the importance of respect. With eighteen new illustrations from Roy Henry Vickers and exceptional narrative, Peace Dancer will delight readers of all ages and add to the collection of global flood stories.

“Hadar and the Chief of Peace” (book 6) touches upon the eternal struggle for peace. It is based on the words of Chief Joseph of the Nez Pierce when he surrendered to the US Cavalry. I have mythologized what may have led to his radical choice in a brutal time. In book 6, was the Chief of Peace consoled and counseled by his conscience? His imagination? A holy man? Hadar? The chief struggles to protect his people from war, yet this inflicts him with heartbreaking sorrows. Comforted by Hadar’s words (“No decision you make for the good of your people will be wrong”), he surrenders with a peaceful heart and great words. Hear his words. Understand his heart. Choose his path! May this story help you find greater awareness. Amen. “Bless the voice that tells these stories.” —Carol Weston (educator and author) “Whether as an ongoing source of inspiration or a starting point for further study, these tales (books one through six) may prove meaningful to readers inclined toward spiritual exploration.” —Kirkus