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Sun Chief: The Autobiography of a Hopi Indian
The story of Don C. Talayesva, the Sun Chief, who was born and reared until the age of ten as a Hopi Indian, and then trained as a white man until he was twenty. Although torn between two worlds and cultures, he returned to Hopiland and readopted all the tribal customs.This is his autobiography, written for Leo Simmons, a white man who was a clan brother.
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Paperback
,
488 pages
Published
September 10th 1963
by Yale University Press
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Community Reviews
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Though the title of the book suggests it's an autobiography, only a third of the book is in the Sun Chief's own words. And his part is written very roughly with abrupt transitions. My first thought was it read more like a pioneer person's diary and when I read the other two thirds I found out that Don indeed wrote his story this way (but without dates). It just rambles on from one scene to the next without giving the reader any warning of subject change.
The other two thirds of the book is on res ...more
The other two thirds of the book is on res ...more
This is a very eye-opening autobiography in the world of the Hopi. It was assigned for my cross-cultural psychology class and while the length made it stressful to finish I'm glad it was introduced to my life. I know various things about Native Americans from history classes and I know of their mistreatment. This book gives you a view into the Native American, Hopi in particular, life from the perspective of Don Talayesva. The reader is able to follow his activities from birth and by doing so ac
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An autobiography of a Hopi man who lived from 1890 into the 1940s. This book was cutting-edge at the time -- a "psychobiography" or examination of patterns someone's life events as a way of understanding his or her personality. It did bother me that the editor, Leo Simmons, approached Talayesva as an example of social "maladjustment," and that he sometimes coerced him into talking and writing about tribal knowledge. But I have given this book a high rating anyway because there are a lot of teach
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I read this book because I have also been to Oraibi. I had read in an Arizona travel guide about the Hopi communities on the Three Mesas. So I drove across the mesas to Oraibi. I had read that not so many years ago, the population had shrunk to under 50, and that most residents were quite elderly. And also that the community had no power because it didn't want the energy field of electricity above or below them. It would interfere with the spirits. And neither sketching nor photographs were allo
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THis was a great book. I read it for a college class a number of years ago. I am going to reread this book. It it not often that we get to read autobiographies of Native peoples. I get mixed emotions when I read them, being native myself. I'll write a new review when my memory is refreshed ater rereading this one.
Interesting autobiography of a Hopi Indian. He's a down-to-earth guy who does no boasting and tells all. Seemed quite real to me.
One of my absolute favorite books. I need to make time to reread it.
I give up! This book is slow, choppy, and repetitive.
I wish it wasn't. The actual content is fascinating, but I just can't get into it. Every chapter is a slog through lists of people whose names I won't remember because they're never mentioned again. There's a level of detail that would be admirable if it wasn't so dickensian & dense.
I am officially marking "Sun Chief" DNF.
I wish it wasn't. The actual content is fascinating, but I just can't get into it. Every chapter is a slog through lists of people whose names I won't remember because they're never mentioned again. There's a level of detail that would be admirable if it wasn't so dickensian & dense.
I am officially marking "Sun Chief" DNF.
A classic life history/autobiography of an early 20th century Hopi leader, with all the problems associated with Anglo anthropologists 'collecting' First Nations' stories, revealing the things they shouldn't, and betraying in the name of 'science' - but with it an exceptional piece of work 'from the native's point of view' (as Clifford Geertz would have described it).
Oct 09, 2008
Marcy
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
adults only, interested in the Hopi culture
After having gone to Hopiland, courtesy of the Brookline Education Foundation, I learned SO much more about the Hopi culture to teach young children. Then I read Sun Chief. This is all you want to understand about the Hopi culture as an ADULT. Wow! It uncovers the "layers" of the Hopi traditions, celebrations, and lifestyle. NOT FOR CHILDREN.
Nov 02, 2010
Brandon Willis
added it
This book was very informative, both on how to write autobiographies, but also about the culture of Hopi Indians. This could be very useful if I decide to incorporate this information in a literary journalistic piece
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