Nancy Oestreich Lurie

I have had this book for decades and am glad to have finally finished it to learn a little more about one of the indigenous groups where I live [Wisconsin]. It is somewhat between a staid scholarly work [i.e. with notes] and a memoir.
It was first spoken orally by Mountain Wolf Woman in both Ho-Chungra and English into a tape reccorder with Lurie as audience. Then Lurie ranscribed it with help in translation from a relative of the Mountain Wolf Woman, and approved by her. As such, she was show more telling events that were important to her, without attempting to make a "story" of them that a white person might be expecting, but she was also alert to her listeners expression & could expand parts that she sensed weren't understood. So it was distantly interesting to me until I realized that I knew a Ho-Chunk woman who potentially could be Mountain Wolf Woman's descendant [tho I strongly doubt it]. But keeping a current connection in mind as I read helped me find more immediate interest in learning about attitudes and values.
She was born in 1884 & died November 9, 1960, so experienced a great deal of changes. She had a good memory and even remembered some incidents from 2 yr old (which she later verified with her mother). Lurie describes her as a very open and friendly person, capable & self-determined. She does not go into a great deal of detail about how traditional items were made, but presents a more action oriented life of where they did, how they supported themselves, who they knew. Lurie's inserted explanations are very helpful. For instance, she talks for a while about getting clothes from a thrift store for an old man, which were gratefully received, and sharing food actually orally spoken by Mountain Wolf Woman in both Ho-Chunk and English, then transcribed bywith him. It isn't until after he offers to teach her his healing knowledge that Lurie informs us that traditionally clothes and food were offered in payment before one would be taught such matters. That explanation is not provided by Mountain Wolf Woman. So I read the book with one bookmark in the text and the other in the related notes section. show less