Dreamers With Power: The Menominee

by George D. Spindler

One of the best studies of change in an American Indian community! This book provides essential background to understanding the past and the present of the Menominee Indians of Wisconsin. Focus is on the several adaptive strategies that various segments of the Menominee have employed to cope with the prolonged confrontation between incongruent cultural systems--their own and the white man's. The Menominee were dreamers and people of power. Their religious associations, rituals, witch bags, and medicine bundles were all devices for acquiring and maintaining sacred power. Their dreams told them of the future, instructed them about the meaning of events, gave them roles and purposes in life, and provided them with access to power. Today only a few still dream, and only a very few still have sacred power.

Genres: Anthropology, Ethnography

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

George Dearborn Spindler, Stanford University.

Reviews

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

very enlightening, but somewhat limited piece of anthropology.