Cheyenne Memories

by John Stands In Timber, Margot Liberty

This classic work is an oral history of the Cheyenne Indians from legendary times to the early reservation years, a collaborative effort by the Cheyenne tribal historian, John Stands in Timber, and anthropologist Margot Liberty. Published in 1967, the book now has an updated bibliography and a new preface by Liberty, in which she shares her recollections of Stands in Timber and describes the circumstances of the Cheyenne over the past thirty years.

Stands in Timber was born in 1882, a few years after his grandfather was killed in the Custer battle. In this book he recounts tribal myths and sacred rituals, conflict with traditional enemies and whites, and eventual “civilization” and settlement on a reservation. The retelling of Cheyenne traditions formed an important part of Stands in Timber’s life from early childhood, and on his return from school in 1905 he became the primary keeper of the oral literature of his people, seeking out every elder who could contribute personal memories to Cheyenne lore. In 1956 he met Margot Liberty, then an Indian Affairs Bureau teacher, who helped him tape-record more than thirty hours of recollections. From these she compiled this unique and lively folk history, one based on a longtime inside view that can never be duplicated.

“This is an extraordinarily fascinating book, . . . a book that all Americans, Indians as well as non-Indians, will treasure.”―Alvin M. Josephy, Jr.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Native American History, American History, Native American

368 pages, Paperback

First published November 28, 1967

Reviews

[Kid · Rating 4 out of 5]

a fantastic collection of Cheyenne history and legends.

[Abigail Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed some chapters more than others- overall a great read about the Cheyenne people.

[Nate Hendrix · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really interesting to hear Cheyenne legends and history told by a member of the tribe, who lived during some of the events. Not as depressing as books on Native Americans can sometimes be.

[Kenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really appreciated the fact that the book was written from the viewpoint of John Stands In Timber; the stories were engaging and often poignant. That such a large amount of the book was devoted to battles is a sad testament to what life was like for Native American tribes post-European contact.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liberty's footnotes are pretty awesome. I read this book and feel like I'm sitting and listening to Stands in Timbers right next to me. One afternoon I sat outside in the snow and read 12 chapters of it. My hand got a frozen cramp but I just couldn't put it down. Excellent book.

[Emily]

So far so good. If you like American Indian books and haven't read this then you don't like American Indian books as much as you think.