Tangweera: Life and Adventures among Gentle Savages

by Charles Napier Bell

In the 1980s, conflicts between the Miskito people of Nicaragua's eastern coast and the Sandinistas drew international attention. Indeed, the Miskitos' struggle to defend their cultural autonomy and land rights points out a curious historical anomaly. This native group has long had closer ties to British and American culture than to Hispanic Nicaraguan culture. C. Napier Bell, son of a British trader, grew up on the Miskito Coast in the nineteenth century and spoke the Miskito language fluently. Tangweera , first published in 1899, is Bell's autobiographical account of his boyhood experiences. Rich in ethnographic detail, the book records an idyllic life of hunting, fishing, and trading. Bell describes the social customs and beliefs of the various Indian peoples he knew, as well as the relations among the coastal Miskito, the black creole population, and the tribes of the interior—the latter a subject of continuing importance. Although Bell shared common nineteenth-century ideas about the inferiority of “savage” races, his affection for the Miskito people and his love of their land fill Tangweera . Anthropologists, historians, naturalists, and travelers in the region will find this fascinating reading. The introduction by Philip A. Dennis, Professor of Anthropology at Texas Tech University, provides a modern observer's view of Miskito culture and discusses important changes and continuities since Bell's time.

358 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1899

About the author

1854-1936

Reviews

[Ariane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a memoir of Bell's childhood when he lived amongst the Miskitu of Nicaragua. He writes about the adventures he had and the scrapes that he got into. Although many of the things that he wrote would be seen as problematic during this era, it is obvious that he very much loved the Miskitu and had plenty of respect for him

I really liked this book. I've been getting into ethnographies and books about the indigenous of Central America as of late, and this book fit right into those categories. Bell is very easy to read. He paints great descriptions, so much so, that I could easily picture what he described. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the Miskitu, life in 1800s Nicaragua, ethnography, etc.

[Steven Monrad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book from several perspectives.
One of those unique situations in someone's life recorded by someone who can document and write well.
Scanned in full on Google Books.