Rachel's Children

Stories from a Contemporary Native American Woman

By (author) Steve Beard

Publication date:

22 June 2004

Length of book:

160 pages

Publisher

AltaMira Press

ISBN-13: 9780759106895

Rachel's Children is a true story, based on real events. It is an engaging and humorous account of a contemporary Ojibwa household and the woman and her children who are at its core. As their lives unfold, we understand how traditional beliefs and oral history help Rachel and her family cope as they encounter racism and educational discrimination in rural northern Michigan. When a white educator arrives in RachelOs household to learn about 'Indians,' she discovers the harsh reality of backwoods life. Beardslee is the queen of sucker punches—she writes in an unexpected combination of ethnography, theatrical script, and novel, echoing the Ojibwa style of storytelling. Her absorbing story about survival of the Native American family encourages a greater understanding of cultural diversity, and will be valuable for instructors in Native studies, multicultural education, womenOs studies, and anthropology.

Chapter 1 1: On a Clear Day Indians Can See Forever
Chapter 2 2: The Life Expectancy Myth
Chapter 3 3: The Practical Side of Being Married to the West Wind
Chapter 4 4: Us versus Them
Chapter 5 5: If You Find Something That Works, Stick With It
Chapter 6 6: Maple Syrup
Chapter 7 7: Jam
Chapter 8 8: The Sock Pile From Hell
Chapter 9 9: No Rest for the Wicked
Chapter 10 10: Flooding the Ice Rink
Chapter 11 11: Skate
Chapter 12 12: The Dog Story
Chapter 13 13: Crispy Fish
Chapter 14 14: The Fine Art of Trash
Chapter 15 15: Compost
Chapter 16 16: Community Property
Chapter 17 17: Freezing Rain
Chapter 18 18: Liars and Fakers
Chapter 19 19: Dogs, Horses, and Indians are Defenseless
Chapter 20 20: Separate is Not Equal
Chapter 21 21: Benefit of the Doubt
Chapter 22 22: The Stalking
Chapter 23 23: Cultural Appropriation
Chapter 24 24: The Social Worker
Chapter 25 25: Equinox
Chapter 26 26: A Single Feather
Chapter 27 27: Deodorant Before Columus
Chapter 28 28: Boys Will Be Boys
Chapter 29 29: Holes-in-the-Sky
Chapter 30 30: Math and Snakes
Chapter 31 31: The Wiindigoog
Chapter 32 32: Manaboozhou's Children

Using contemporary stories that put to test the values of the traditional stories, Rachel's Children is a collection of laugh-out-loud narratives and a searing indictment of racism in the United States.