Daughters of the Earth also by Carolyn Nietllammer A MilRlCAN I NDI.\ N FOOD AND loRE DAUGHTERS The Lives and Legends OF THE EARTH of American Indian Women b4 CAROLYN NIETHAIv1Iv1ER COLLIER BOOKS Macmillan Publisiting Company NEW YORK C OLLIER MACM I LLAN P UBL ISHERS LONDON To My Sisters 'Vho, in seebng answers for today and tomorrow Might pause, and look at yesterday Copyright © 1977 by Cuolyn Niethammer All rights reserved. No p~ rt of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher. Macmillan Publi5hing Company 866 Third Ihenue, New York, N. l' . 10011 Collier Macmillan Canada, Ine. Library of Congress Cataioging in Publication Data Niethammer, Carol)'fl Daughters of the earth. BibliOifaphy: p. 1. Indians of North America-'Vomen. 1. Indians of North America- Social life and customs. I. Title. Eq8.WSNS3 970~.OO."97 76'56103 ISBN <Hl l -Q96 1 So·: pbk. FIIlST CO L LIEIl 8001:5 ED I TION 1977 30 29 28 27 26 2.S 24 ~lacmil1an books are available al $pt'Cial discounts for bulk purchases for sales promotions. PfClniums, fund · raising, or educational use. For details, contact: Special Sales Director Macmillan Publishing Company S66 Third Avenue New York, N. Y. l oon Printed in the United States of America Contents Introduction J: Tire Dawn of Life , CHILDBIRTH IN NATIVE AMERICA 2: The Indian Child '3 CROWINC AND LEAIlNINC IN EAIlLY AMERICA 3: From l'vlenarclle to Menopause 37 A TIME FOR TABOOS "I: Sharing Cl Life 57 FROM COU RTSHIP THROUCII WIDOWIlOOD 5: Making Cl Home WOMAN'S ECONOMIC ROLE 6: \Vomen of Power , 39 LEADERS, DOCTOIlS, AND WITCII.ES T \Vomen and War IIELPERS, . ' ICHTERS, VICTO RS, AND VANQU ISHED vii 8: Time for Fun , 87 CIlAFTS ASD RECREATION 9: Early Sexual Patterns "'7 A SORMAL PART OF NATURE 10: Religion and Spirituality 'J5 A COSST"'''''' REALITY u : Completion of the Cycle '49 OLD WOMEN ASD DEATH Notes ,6J Annotated Bibliography ,67 ,IX) Bibliography Index '79 viii ---------------------------------------------------------------------, Acknowledgments Although most of the informatIon for this book was gathered from historical records, several modern Indian women were kind enough to share with me some of their life experiences so that I could gain a deeper feeling for just what it means to be a Native American. I would like to thank Veronica Orf (Colville ), Annette Wilson (San Ildefonso), Dorothy Gcorge ( Hopi ), Mafian Hufford (Navajo ), Edna Baldwin ( Kiowa ). Pauline Good Morning (Taos), and Roherta Hazel Begay (Navajo ) . I am also indebted to Constance Schrader, who suggested the idea for the book and encouraged me by her continuing belief in the worth of the project; Daphne Scott, librarian at the Arizona State Museum, who provided valuable research assistance; and Kate Cloud and Julie Szekely. who read the manu- script and made many helpful cri ticisms. I would especially like to acknowledge the help of the late Dr. Thomas Hinton, who suggested source materials, freely offered his encouragement and knowledge, and checked the manusc ript for anthropological accuracy. His friendship and his help will be missed. "Gathering Buffalo Berries" -one of a series of photographs taken of Plains Indians by Rodman Wanamaker in the nineteenth century_ (Courtesy of the America" Museum of Natural History)