As Sacred to Us: Simon Pokagon’s Birch Bark Stories in Their Contexts

by Blaire Morseau (Editor)

Originally published in 1893 and 1901, Simon Pokagon’s birch bark stories were printed on thinly peeled and elegantly bound birch bark. In this edition, these rare booklets are reprinted with new essays that set the stories in cultural, linguistic, historical, and even geological context. Experts in Native literary traditions, history, Algonquian languages, the Michigan landscape, and materials conservation illuminate the thousands of years of Indigenous knowledge that Pokagon elevated in his stories. This is an essential resource for teachers and scholars of Native literature, Neshnabé pasts and futures, Algonquian linguistics, and book history. 

166 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2023

Reviews

[Aleks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simon Pokagon’s essays are really neat, but I cannot stress enough how much I don’t care about the commentaries. Hot take: secondary sources are meant to be written, not read.

[claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting. but meh.

[J Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Sacred to Us, edited by Blaire Morseau, collects Simon Pokagon's Birch Bark Stories with essays that offer some contextualization and insight.

I was only familiar with one of the works included, so this was both a chance to read some new (to me) texts and gain a better understanding of the importance of Indigenous works. It is important not just for those within that culture but for anyone wanting to work to help maintain peoples' heritage and language.

The works by Pokagon are fascinating in their own right but is made even more rich with the information offered in the essays. No matter what your specific area of interest might be, from linguistics to history and more, you will find ways into these works and by extension into how you can approach other works.

While there is an academic flavor to the essays, they are readily accessible for any reader with an interest. In fact, I would highly recommend this to anyone who has been hesitant to approach Indigenous texts for fear of not understanding. The very things you will learn about appreciating Pokagon's books will be the same broad topics you will want to learn to appreciate other works. Use this as a guideline as well as a resource for these specific texts.

I am anxious to attend a virtual presentation Morseau will be giving on November 17, 2023. If you see this before then, register at https://umich.zoom.us/webinar/registe... . I am not sure if the presentations will be archived, but if you read this after that date look for the presentation as part of The Clements Bookworm series at the University of Michigan.

Highly recommended for any reader with an interest in Indigenous culture and history, from academics to the casual reader.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.