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Rising Voices: Writings of Young Native Americans
An astonishing collection of poems and essays written by young contemporary Native Americans. Words of protest against prejudice and oppression, poems of estrangement and pain, cries for lost worlds and lost identities -- but also songs of celebration and joy for the future.
- GenresPoetryNative American
131 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 21, 2023
I did my best to shorten this, but I got really excited talking about it lmao:
Nebraska Library Commission Book Club Spotlight - November 21st, 2023
With Thanksgiving finally here, I was pulled toward a recent donation in our collection that I found to be a fantastic and thought-provoking read for closing out Native American Heritage Month. Curated by Arlene Hirschfelder and Beverly R. Singer, Rising Voices: Writings of Young Native Americans is a collection of essays, poems, and stories from the late 1880s to the early 1990s. Hirschfelder speaks of the young authors featured in the collection: “their words bear vivid, often eloquent witness to the realities of their lives over the past hundred years. They have much to tell us”.
Separated into the categories of Identity, Family, Homelands, Ritual and Ceremony, Education, and Harsh Realities. Each section includes writings that exemplify a part of the youth’s life. From gorgeous descriptions of mesas to warm and comforting home lives, there is also the truth of the hardships and poverty Native Americans were forced into, and many still live in today. The young writers’ strong sense of awareness and personal values ring throughout the collection, especially as we move into modern times.
Rising Voices is a beautiful and unique collection that spans multiple viewpoints and lives of young Native Americans throughout the last century. Readers are treated to breathtaking poetry and heart-wrenching essays that stick with you long after. This collection includes work from elementary schoolers to graduating seniors, making this the perfect selection for any aged Book Club Group. There is a wealth of continued reading and discussions to be had, especially on the different backgrounds and viewpoints of each author. Some have a deep sense of self and justice, while others bask in the love from their families. My favorite reading, If I Were a Pony, is a collaborative poem by Navajo children where the speaker wishes they were a pinto pony so they could run away to live a carefree life out on the mesa. It is a good exercise to delve into what the author’s were feeling, and what purpose does each excerpt serve in this wider narrative created by Hirschfelder and Singer.
For a further example of discussion topics, one particular section that stood out to me was Education—pieces included covered topics from US Indian Boarding Schools that worked to assimilate Native American youth from their culture to more modern school efforts to reintroduce students to what has been lost.
Carlisle Indian School, whose mission was to “Kill the Indian, save the Man,” often published propagandist essays and stories from their students as a way to fundraise and maintain a good social image. One essay titled Opportunity, written by Alvis M. Morrin in 1914, extols the virtue of the off-reservation school. He speaks on famous Native Americans, such as former Vice President Charles Curtis, and shows his reverence towards the perceived landscape of progress while still maintaining his heritage:
In stark contrast, a more modern excerpt included from 1996 when Holy Rosary High School in South Dakota introduced a new course called Modern Indian Psychology in an effort to teach their young Lakota students the importance of their history and the cultural values of their people. In Something Really Different, students reported feeling a sense of belonging and pride they had never had before, highlighting the importance that young Native Americans continue to learn about their history.
How are these student’s voices being used? And are they being promoted for their benefit or someone else’s? And what purpose do they serve in the anthology?
Nebraska Library Commission Book Club Spotlight - November 21st, 2023
With Thanksgiving finally here, I was pulled toward a recent donation in our collection that I found to be a fantastic and thought-provoking read for closing out Native American Heritage Month. Curated by Arlene Hirschfelder and Beverly R. Singer, Rising Voices: Writings of Young Native Americans is a collection of essays, poems, and stories from the late 1880s to the early 1990s. Hirschfelder speaks of the young authors featured in the collection: “their words bear vivid, often eloquent witness to the realities of their lives over the past hundred years. They have much to tell us”.
Separated into the categories of Identity, Family, Homelands, Ritual and Ceremony, Education, and Harsh Realities. Each section includes writings that exemplify a part of the youth’s life. From gorgeous descriptions of mesas to warm and comforting home lives, there is also the truth of the hardships and poverty Native Americans were forced into, and many still live in today. The young writers’ strong sense of awareness and personal values ring throughout the collection, especially as we move into modern times.
The Bighorn River flows
through the reservation.
As it goes, it meets the
Little Bighorn. They are like
a big brother and a little
brother together.
The sound of it makes
the reservation special.
It seems as if it protects
the reservation with happiness
And care. The reservation
knows it has a close friend
and that’s the river.
The river wants to flow
to all the four winds but
knows it can just flow one way
with the same wind.
THE BIGHORN RIVER – LEN PLENTY, 1988
Rising Voices is a beautiful and unique collection that spans multiple viewpoints and lives of young Native Americans throughout the last century. Readers are treated to breathtaking poetry and heart-wrenching essays that stick with you long after. This collection includes work from elementary schoolers to graduating seniors, making this the perfect selection for any aged Book Club Group. There is a wealth of continued reading and discussions to be had, especially on the different backgrounds and viewpoints of each author. Some have a deep sense of self and justice, while others bask in the love from their families. My favorite reading, If I Were a Pony, is a collaborative poem by Navajo children where the speaker wishes they were a pinto pony so they could run away to live a carefree life out on the mesa. It is a good exercise to delve into what the author’s were feeling, and what purpose does each excerpt serve in this wider narrative created by Hirschfelder and Singer.
For a further example of discussion topics, one particular section that stood out to me was Education—pieces included covered topics from US Indian Boarding Schools that worked to assimilate Native American youth from their culture to more modern school efforts to reintroduce students to what has been lost.
Carlisle Indian School, whose mission was to “Kill the Indian, save the Man,” often published propagandist essays and stories from their students as a way to fundraise and maintain a good social image. One essay titled Opportunity, written by Alvis M. Morrin in 1914, extols the virtue of the off-reservation school. He speaks on famous Native Americans, such as former Vice President Charles Curtis, and shows his reverence towards the perceived landscape of progress while still maintaining his heritage:
“Our lot is easier than theirs [our forefathers], for race prejudice has been overcome, and a beneficent Government is giving the Indian youth the opportunities which one belonged only to the white man. Open doors to any vocation are waiting for the Indian to enter.”
In stark contrast, a more modern excerpt included from 1996 when Holy Rosary High School in South Dakota introduced a new course called Modern Indian Psychology in an effort to teach their young Lakota students the importance of their history and the cultural values of their people. In Something Really Different, students reported feeling a sense of belonging and pride they had never had before, highlighting the importance that young Native Americans continue to learn about their history.
“Before this course, we didn’t even know that Indians were important or that it was important for us to know Indian history and values.” – Patrick Kills Crow and Mary Crazy Thunder
“Now I am glad I am an Indian. Before I was ashamed of it.” – Francis Clifford
How are these student’s voices being used? And are they being promoted for their benefit or someone else’s? And what purpose do they serve in the anthology?
January 3, 2018
Poignant. I read some reviews saying the quality wasn't "very good". It's a collection of poems written by kids conveying their reality through poetry. What did you expect, Shakespeare? Many of them were very touching. I can't imagine what it must have been like to experience those things.
May 17, 2021
I thought this book was very beautiful. Reading about the dreams of other young people makes me feel more passionate about our future, because we share the same dreams.
Likes:
-I liked the imagery in many different poems. Most of these were very simple and straightforward, but the things that they described made me see exactly what they were seeing.
-I think native american culture is so beautiful, but it's been bastardized by Hollywood. Hearing about their culture from the point of view of actual native american people is much more satisfying.
-I liked how a lot of these stories were written by kids or teenagers. My life is so different to a lot of theirs, but we still relate in so many ways.
Dislikes:
I literally don't have any dislikes. It's hard to dislike anything about this book. Some of the stories were definitely very simple, but that's because they were written by children and not authors. I think that the fact that they're not at all perfect is better because it's real and genuine. They don't really use a lot of flowery language, but I don't think that's necessary. Only likes for this one sorry
Likes:
-I liked the imagery in many different poems. Most of these were very simple and straightforward, but the things that they described made me see exactly what they were seeing.
-I think native american culture is so beautiful, but it's been bastardized by Hollywood. Hearing about their culture from the point of view of actual native american people is much more satisfying.
-I liked how a lot of these stories were written by kids or teenagers. My life is so different to a lot of theirs, but we still relate in so many ways.
Dislikes:
I literally don't have any dislikes. It's hard to dislike anything about this book. Some of the stories were definitely very simple, but that's because they were written by children and not authors. I think that the fact that they're not at all perfect is better because it's real and genuine. They don't really use a lot of flowery language, but I don't think that's necessary. Only likes for this one sorry
April 8, 2019
One of my seventh grade special education students I work with chose this collection of poems and essays for National Poetry month. I was excited to see her choose such a diverse anthology independently. This quick read is separated into six parts: Identity, Family, Homelands, Ritual and Ceremony, Education, and Harsh Realities. The writing is not amazing in and of itself (to be fair - most of the authors were in middle school and high school) I was also surprised by how many of the writers self identified as “Indian.” Still, it was refreshing to hear about different cultures from people actually IN the culture. It is a book about them that is also by them and for that reason alone it is at least worth having in a library for students to look through.
December 3, 2021
I wish this book had more five stars. If you think about it, when they mean young writers, they mean young native writers from as young an age of 8 to high school seniors. They don’t have their bachelors or a degree and yet, their words are strong, powerful, and loud in this book. They are expressing themselves, native children and teens that talk about their traditions, their way of life, who they are, their families, and hardships that they have been through. There’s even accounts from those that attended native boarding schools that have closed down, and it makes me so sad. I love it. This book. I love this book and the writers in it.
July 15, 2017
A collection of poems and pieces by native american adolescents on various topics such as identity, family and homeland. Its a lonely and painful sort of book about the aftermath of destruction and the superhuman will to gather ones self. The quality of the writing its self however unfortunately is quite poor.
June 13, 2023
A selection of prose and poems written by Native American children. The writings are compiled in categories of:
*Identity
*Family
*Homelands
*Ritual and Ceremony
*Education
*Harsh Realities
Many of these writings mourn the loss of the Indian ways.
Very compelling.
*Identity
*Family
*Homelands
*Ritual and Ceremony
*Education
*Harsh Realities
Many of these writings mourn the loss of the Indian ways.
Very compelling.
July 2, 2019
I loved the insight from the many authors. Beautiful poems and honest prose make this a meaningful read for all ages.
December 12, 2020
Very fast, Very moving, Very important read.
Read
January 21, 2021Raw and real and unapologetic.
I so appreciated the info summaries after each piece.
My favorites were To Be an Indian, My Family, and Going into Space. So good.😭😭😭
I so appreciated the info summaries after each piece.
My favorites were To Be an Indian, My Family, and Going into Space. So good.😭😭😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
May 13, 2022this book is horrible in my opinion i do not like reading poems, and this is all that this book is. i had to read this for my ela class, i don't recommend
November 10, 2008
Genre: Collected works: poems and essays
Reading Level: Transitional
Topics & Themes: Native American children perspective.
Curricular Use: For writing or reading. Read aloud and shared.
Social: Unfair treatment of Native Americans. Religion of Native American tribes.
Literary Elements: A collection of poems and essays split into six categories: Identity, Family, Homelands, Ritual and Ceremony, Education, and Harsh Realities. An introduction of the importance of each section. Gives brief mention of author and purpose writing was for: book, school project, calendar.
Text & Pictures: N/A
Additional Notes: As reading the book, I was distracted by the author excerpts and often found myself skipping the writing to found out who wrote the poem/essay and for what purpose. Would like to see that before the writings. Thought some of the poems were generic feelings of young people and not necessarily particular to Native Americans.
Favorite poem: Old Man, the Sweat Lodge - great use of Native American rituals and imagery.
Reading Level: Transitional
Topics & Themes: Native American children perspective.
Curricular Use: For writing or reading. Read aloud and shared.
Social: Unfair treatment of Native Americans. Religion of Native American tribes.
Literary Elements: A collection of poems and essays split into six categories: Identity, Family, Homelands, Ritual and Ceremony, Education, and Harsh Realities. An introduction of the importance of each section. Gives brief mention of author and purpose writing was for: book, school project, calendar.
Text & Pictures: N/A
Additional Notes: As reading the book, I was distracted by the author excerpts and often found myself skipping the writing to found out who wrote the poem/essay and for what purpose. Would like to see that before the writings. Thought some of the poems were generic feelings of young people and not necessarily particular to Native Americans.
Favorite poem: Old Man, the Sweat Lodge - great use of Native American rituals and imagery.
April 30, 2009
"Rising Voices" was selected by Arlene Hirschfelder and Beverly Singer. It is a book that is a composition of poems written by young Native Americans. This novel expresses how important it is to understand and appreciate cultures of all sorts. I would say that this would be good for 3rd-6th graders. This book would be a good read aloud good or an independent reading. The genre of this book can be seen as more of memoirs almost I think because it is the feelings of African American students and they are openly express them through their writing. I recommend this book because it helps students understand some issues and struggles that go on with students of a different heritage and some of those problems may be the same as theirs.
April 17, 2013
Rising voices is an educational book about Native Americans. Written by Arlene B. Hirschfelder and Beverley R. Singer, it is a wonderful book containing story's, knowledge and poetry of young Native Americans. These are very education and exciting sometimes to read.
These young Native Americans have written stories and poetry about their lives and how they feel, containing a real and true perspective of what the English had done to them, what it was like to be taken away from families and forced to go to schools against their will, and made to live in crappy reservations after have been living in a peaceful and fulfilling world, this book tells the real story's. Plus, it contains tons of information involving different tribes the young people belonged too.
These young Native Americans have written stories and poetry about their lives and how they feel, containing a real and true perspective of what the English had done to them, what it was like to be taken away from families and forced to go to schools against their will, and made to live in crappy reservations after have been living in a peaceful and fulfilling world, this book tells the real story's. Plus, it contains tons of information involving different tribes the young people belonged too.
August 15, 2016
I had bought this book a few years ago and never had a chance to read it. It's a quick read - maybe an hour at most. But it's not an easy read. Young people, as young as elementary school kids write about losing their heritage and culture and history to the white men's wars and greed. Essays and poems on the themes of family, identity, homelands, ritual and ceremony, education, and harsh realities make up the book. Some pieces brought me to tears because the emotion is so raw and unfiltered. It's naive and without censor.
A pleasant suprise was in the last essay - sixteen year old Cameron Cuch writes about how he percieves "the Creator's book, which is the whole of his creation" as the nature's university, to learn and depend on. (1991)
A pleasant suprise was in the last essay - sixteen year old Cameron Cuch writes about how he percieves "the Creator's book, which is the whole of his creation" as the nature's university, to learn and depend on. (1991)
February 18, 2011
Nice quick read. Some interesting stories and poems. The problem was that many of the stories or essays were no complete, they were just segments of longer pieces. I would have liked to see the full works. It was a little date sometimes. A good read though. Interesting to read some of the works and then see how old the writer actually was.
April 20, 2009
Genre:book of poems
Reading Level: Transitional 4-6
Topics & Themes: based on Native American children
Curricular Use:Read aloud
Literary Elements:This book has a mixture of poems and essays that are organized into a book written based on Native American children.
Reading Level: Transitional 4-6
Topics & Themes: based on Native American children
Curricular Use:Read aloud
Literary Elements:This book has a mixture of poems and essays that are organized into a book written based on Native American children.
April 30, 2009
Reading level- 4-6
Genre-book of poems
Topic-Poems based on Native American children
Social-Children speaking out
Curricula Use-independent reading
Text and pictures- N/A
Summary- book of poems and essays that are written by Native American children.
Genre-book of poems
Topic-Poems based on Native American children
Social-Children speaking out
Curricula Use-independent reading
Text and pictures- N/A
Summary- book of poems and essays that are written by Native American children.
July 30, 2012
Decent amateur poetry. Seemed as if a majority of the book was from anthologies that Mick Fedullo put together. Took about 2 hours to read.
October 15, 2013
contiains some writing, but clean text; $0.99
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2014
Boring and pointless.
July 14, 2015
Read as part of an American Indian Literature class in college and held onto it.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews