Description
For almost three decades, Edward Curtis photographed the First Peoples of the North American West and studied their cultures. As part of his fieldwork, he cruised the Pacific Northwest coast and ventured into the lands of the Blackfoot Confederacy, both north and south of the Medicine Line.
Alarmed that the traditional Aboriginal ways of life seemed in danger of disappearing forever, Curtis made an incredible effort to capture the daily routines, character and dignity of First Peoples through photography and audio recordings. Against seemingly insurmountable odds and at substantial personal and financial sacrifice, he completed the 20-volume masterpiece The North American Indian, deemed “the most gigantic undertaking in the making of books since the King James edition of the Bible” by the New York Herald.
With more than 150 photographs, Edward S. Curtis Above the Medicine Line is both a compelling narrative that sheds new light on the Curtis mystique and a fascinating overview of many of the First Peoples he studied a century ago.
Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels
- Age:
- 16
- Grade:
- 11
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Excellent pictorial history book!
I ordered this book from Munro's of Victoria, out of curiosity. It did not disappoint. The pictures are amazingly clear and a beautiful tribute to the history of the First Nations.
Librarian review
Edward S. Curtis Above the Medicine Line: Portraits of Aboriginal Life in the Canadian West
Edward S. Curtis was a well known photographer who became an ethnographer of many Aboriginal nations in western Canada and the United States. This is the story of his life and how documented information about nations such as the Coast Salish, Siksika and the Kwakwaka’wakw between 1900 and 1930. This book provides excellent information about ethnographers’ bias and the tension created between preserving the cultures and creating an image of the “noble savage”. Information about specific nations describes battles, daily routines and ceremonies. The author succeeds in identifying historical bias.
Source: The Association of Book Publishers of BC. Canadian Aboriginal Books for Schools. 2010-2011.
Librarian review
Edward S. Curtis Above the Medicine Line: Portraits of Aboriginal Life in the Canadian West
Edward S. Curtis was a well known photographer who became an ethnographer of many Aboriginal nations in western Canada and the United States. This is the story of his life and how documented information about nations such as the Coast Salish, Siksika and the Kwakwaka’wakw between 1900 and 1930. This book provides excellent information about ethnographers’ bias and the tension created between preserving the cultures and creating an image of the “noble savage”. Information about specific nations describes battles, daily routines and ceremonies. The author succeeds in identifying historical bias.
Source: The Association of Book Publishers of BC. BC Books for BC Schools. 2010-2011.
