Zuni. Selected Writings of Frank Hamilton Cushing. Edited, with an introduction by Jesse Green. Foreword by Fred Eggan.

by Frank Hamilton Cushing

Frank Hamilton Cushing's stay at Zuni pueblo from 1879 to 1884 made him the first professional anthropologist actually to live with his subjects. A pioneer in southwestern ethnology, he combined the discipline of science with a remarkable imaginative capacity for identifying with Indian modes of thought and perception--and corresponding gifts of expression.

Genres: Anthropology, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published November 1, 1979

About the author

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_H...

Reviews

[Marc Severson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good overview of the important contributions to anthropology of Frank Hamilton Cushing. The reader can find here: an exhaustive introduction to Cushing and his background, samples of his writings, examples of Zuni Folktales, and referrals for further study.
The forward by Fred Eggan, and the introduction by Jesse Green, who edited the book, offer many useful insights into the life and times of Cushing and the forces that shaped him.
The book is extensively annotated and includes many period line drawings illustrating the subjects. This is one of my favorite books about the Zuñi (Shiwi) people, "The People of the Middle Place".

[Bruce Mendelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frank Cushing was hired by the U.S. government as an ethnologist to study the Zuni (Pueblo) tribe in the late 1870s. He lived with the Zunis for many years and was eventually incorporated into the tribe. He was able to attend and participate in many of the Zuni traditions. He was even given the title of Zuni 1st War Chief.
This is a fascinating and well written summary of many of Cushing's experiences among the Zunis. I recommend this book to anyone interested in American Indigenous history and culture.

[Ernest Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating first-person accounts and documentation of the Zuñi, as well as inspiration for science fiction about what it's like to study an alien culture.

[Bret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cushing was hired by the U.S. government to study the Zuni (Pueblo) tribe in the late 1870s. His duty was to investigate their habits, traditions, language, etc. He was supposed to keep a diary with drawings and report back to his superiors
in order to give the government more advantage in dealing with them. When Cushing was eventually accepted as one of the tribe and eventually given the title of Zuni 1st War Chief, U.S. officials started hearing less and less from him. Scheduled meetings were missed, and less info was being shared by Cushing. I won't spoil it for you.

[Robert Gay · Rating 4 out of 5]

And book interesting not only for its ethnology but also for its look at the time it was written and the cultural lenses that existed at that time.