Vampires and Werewolves: Young Adult Novels by Native Authors

Are there any vampire books by Native authors? Yes, there are! Fans of the popular book and movie Twilight may also find these exciting stories by American Indians for YA* readers appealing:

The Night Wanderer: A Native Gothic Novel, written by Drew Hayden Taylor (Ojibway) was published in 2007 by Annick Press. It’s a compelling vampire story set on a First Nations community in Ontario where sixteen-year-old Tiffany is dealing with major mixed-up emotions about her exciting new boyfriend, her protective and strict father, and her absent, now pregnant, mother. It’s also about Pierre L’Errant-his 350 years as a vampire roaming the world until he gives into his strong longing to return to his Ojibway village. Well known for his play Toronto at Dreamer's Rock, Drew Hayden Taylor originally wrote this vampire story as a play and later expanded it into an excellent novel. You can read an interview with him about The Night Wanderer on Cynthia Leitich Smith’s blog at: http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2008/11/author-interview-drew-hayden-taylor-on.html.



Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee Creek), in addition to her excellent web site and blog, often writes about contemporary American Indian youth. However, Tantalize is very different from her well-known YA book, Rain is Not My Indian Name. A dark fantasy, Tantalize is about Quincie Morris, high school senior, restaurant owner, and vampire who loves a werewolf.

Smith’s latest book is Eternal. From the promotional materials on her web site, it sounds like a winner: “In alternating points of view, Miranda and Zachary navigate a cut-throat eternal aristocracy as they play out a dangerous and darkly hilarious love story for the ages. With diabolical wit, the author of Tantalize revisits a deliciously dark world where vampires vie with angels — and girls just want to have fangs.”

* What are YA books? They are books for young adults. Some YA books can be read and enjoyed by young teens in middle school while others appeal to high school and up readers-mostly due to their mature content.

Strength and Courage: Native American Cancer Survivor Stories

The Archives & Special Collections is pleased to present a new oral history collection: Strength and Courage: Native American Cancer Survivor Stories. With funding provided by the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the New England division of the American Cancer Society, Northeast Tribal Wellness & Cancer Prevention is working to document Native American experiences with cancer to provide helpful information to current and future generations. Transcripts of taped interviews with Native American cancer survivors are available to be viewed by the general public and researchers. Recordings and mementos are also being collected, though some of these materials may be restricted. This on-going project is currently focusing on members of the Mashantucket Pequot tribe. The long-term goal is to collect donations from Native American cancer survivors throughout the Northeast.

For more information contact the Archives & Special Collections.

Phone: (860) 396-7020
Email: archive [at] mptn-nsn.gov

New Books - January 2009

Below we list some of the most notable titles from our recent acquisitions. Please follow the link to the catalog record for more information.


Attaquin, Helen Avis Alyce. A brief history of Gay Head, or ’Aquiniuh’. [S.l. : s.n.], c1970. Catalog record

Bross, Kristina and Hilary E. Wyss, eds. Early native literacies in New England : a documentary and critical anthology. Amherst : University of Massachusetts Press, c2008. Catalog record

McBride, Kevin, David Naumec and Rahiem Eleazer. American Battlefield Protection Program grant : battlefields of the Pequot War : presentations to landholders. Mashantucket, Conn. : Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center, 2008. Catalog record

Moondancer and Strong Woman. A cultural history of the Native peoples of southern New England : voices from past and present. Boulder, Colo. : Bèauu Press, c2006. Catalog record

Morrison, Michael A. and James Brewer Stewart. Race and the early republic : racial consciousness and nation-building in the early republic. Lanham, Md. : Rowman & Littlefield, [2002]. Catalog record

Prins, Harald E.L. and Bunny McBride. Asticou’s island domain : Wabanaki peoples at Mount Desert Island, 1500-2000 : Acadia National Park ethnographic overview and assessment. Boston, Mass. : Northeast Region Ethnography Program, National Park Service, 2007. Catalog record

Rubertone, Patricia E. Archaeologies of placemaking : monuments, memories, and engagement in native North America. Walnut Creek, Calif. : Left Coast Press, c2008. Catalog record

Tucker, Spencer C., ed. The encyclopedia of North American colonial conflicts to 1775 : a political, social, and military history. Santa Barbara, Calif. : ABC-CLIO, c2008. Catalog record

Van Zandt, Cynthia J. Brothers among nations : the pursuit of intercultural alliances in early America, 1580-1660. Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2008. Catalog record

Explore Inuit Art

This winter, the Mashantucket Gallery hosts an exhibit of Inuit art from the Heard Museum, Arctic Spirit (December 27 – February 28), which showcases traditional and contemporary art by the indigenous peoples of the Far North. Visitors are encouraged to learn more about this topic through the Museum’s Research Library. We highly recommend the following select titles from our collection.

Arctic spirit: Inuit art from the Albrecht Collection at the Heard Museum / Ingo Hessel. (Research Library – Stacks E 99 .E7 H43 2006)
This handsomely illustrated catalog is a perfect complement to the exhibition of the same name. Visitors will find especially enlightening the artists’ interviews printed within.

Inuit art: an introduction / by Ingo Hessel; photography by Dieter Hessel; with a foreword by George Swinton. (Reading Room- Browsing Collection REF E 99 .E7 H493 1998)
Here is an excellent primer on the various arts of Inuit culture. Touching on sculpture, carving, textile weaving and the graphic arts (drawing, printmaking, and painting), this amply illustrated book provides an overview for those new to the subject. Attention is given to the historical development of these arts and their relation to the broader Inuit culture.

The Inuit imagination: Arctic myth and sculpture / Harold Seidelman & James Turner. (Reading Room – Browsing Collection E 99 .E7 S45 1994)
Combining images of contemporary Inuit sculpture with traditional stories and songs, the author’s demonstrate how closely the art and mythology of the North are interrelated.

Nuvisavik: the place where we weave / edited by Maria Von Finckenstein. (Reading Room – Browsing Collection REF NK 8998 .U66 N88 2002)
A documentation of the exhibit of the same name, this catalog is an informative and visually attractive showcase for the work of the Pangnirtung Tapestry Studio of Baffin Island. The exhibit was produced by the Canadian Museum of Civilization, which was the first touring exhibition of Inuit weaving. Full color images are complemented by a collection of essays which help place the works within their cultural context.

Eskimo masks: art and ceremony / Dorothy Jean Ray; photographs by Alfred A. Blaker. (Research Library – Stacks: E 99 .E7 R28 1967)
Written in 1967, this well researched work presented the topic of Eskimo masks as a comparatively under-represented area of study in Native Alaskan arts. A wide range of diversity is revealed within this single art form: from tiny finger masks to nearly full-body coverings; from realistic portraits to fantasy visions. The authors endeavor to show these mask as an integral part of Eskimo ceremonialism.

Songs in stone [videorecording]: an arctic journey home / Triad Film Productions; directed by John Houston; produced by Peter d’Entremont; written by John Houston and Geoff LeBoutillier. (Video Cabinets VID E 99 .E7 S663 1999)
Shot principally on Baffin Island in the wilds of the Canadian Arctic, this film pays tribute to the sculptors and printmakers of Cape Dorset, providing a sensitive and detailed look at their work.

For even more resources, a bibliography of library materials on Inuit art has been created and is available in the Research Library. The Libraries and Archives are free and open to the public during Museum hours. Contact the Research Library for more information about our resources, 860-396-6897.

Question & Answer: Wampum

An occasional feature, where we post some of the interesting email questions we receive.

Question: I am trying to find out how to make wampum. I have collected the necessary shells and would now like to find a book, article, or some other source to guide me through the process. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Answer: Thanks for contacting us. First I recommend looking at our Wampum Bibliography . The material listed there will give you some background on the history and cultural uses of wampum.

The best source we have on wampum beadmaking is found in:

Orchard, William C. Beads and Beadwork of the American Indians. Museum of the American Indian Heye Foundation. New York. 1975.

This text is also available online as part of the Universal Library Project hosted at Internet Archive: http://www.archive.org/details/beadsandbeadwork002194mbp

See the chapter on titled Wampum which includes not only a discussion of the tools used and illustrations of the bead making process, but also valuable historical and cultural information.

As far as the process for belt weaving, a great description of the process can be found on pp.51-55 of:

Morgan, Lewis Henry and Herbert Marshall Lloyd. League of the Ho-dé-no-sau-nee Or Iroquois. Dodd, Mead and Company, 1901.

Available online from Google Books: http://books.google.com/books?id=hh0TAAAAYAAJ

The most common width was 3 fingers or the width of 7 beads, the length ranging from 2 to 6 feet. In belt-making, which is a simple process, eight strands or cords of bark thread are first twisted from filaments of slippery elm, of the requisite length and size; after which they are passed through a strip of deerskin to separate them at equal distances from each other in parallel lines. A splint is then sprung in the form of a bow, to which each end of the several strings is secured, and by which all of them are held in tension, like warp threads in a weaving machine. Seven beads, these making the intended width of the belts, are then run upon a thread by means of a needle, and are passed under the cords at right angles, so as to bring one bead lengthwise between each cord and the one next in position. The thread is then passed back along the upper side of the cords, and again through each of the beads; so that each bead is held firmly in its place by means of the two threads, one passing under and one over the cords. This process is continued until the belt reaches its intended length, when the ends of the cords are tied, the end of the belt covered and afterwards trimmed with ribbons. In ancient times both the cords and the threads were of sinew.

Email your questions to: reference [at] mptn-nsn.gov

Giving Thanks: Thoughts on Native Thanksgivings from the Children’s Library

November…Native Americans…Thanksgiving Day…Why do these terms seem to go together? Native people and their stories should not be relegated to the fall season-whether in curriculum, text books or storytimes. Not only do the original inhabitants of this land give thanks many times throughout the year, they and others have created a growing body of children’s literature which can and should be read throughout the year and across the curriculum.

“It is our view that, with the possible exception of classroom visits by American Indian people, excellent children’s literature is the most effective way to counter deeply held stereotypes and help children focus on similarities among people as well as cultural differences. The literature serves as a catalyst to extend related activities into other areas of the curriculum.”

Lessons from Turtle Island: Native Curriculum in Early Childhood Classrooms, by Guy W. Jones (Hunkpapa Lakota) and Sally Moomaw, published by Redleaf Press, 2002, p.xii.

To assist people in finding “excellent literature,” the Children’s Library has lists of many books written by American Indians, about themselves and their lives. These materials are important as they provide teachers, parents and children with more accurate information about the cultures, values and beliefs of many tribal nations and people. The books and videos present information not only about the importance of celebrations to Native communities today, but also about the depth and significance of traditional Native gatherings.

Powwows and socials are among the Native American gatherings held throughout the United States and Canada when people come together to celebrate their common heritages and unique cultures. Whether large or small, indoors or outside, powwows are celebrations with dancing, food, crafts, contests, family and friends. Summertime gatherings such as Strawberry Thanksgiving and the Green Corn Festival draw Native people together after having been separated by a long winter. Fall brings harvest celebrations and winter is a time for storytelling. Native American seasonal celebrations play an important role in the reaffirmation of cultures, traditions and communities both in the past and today. We recommend using books on our online bibliographies, including Selected Materials about Native American Thanksgivings, to expand knowledge and understanding of Native cultures.

Teachers, here are some books which will help you update your lesson plans about thanksgiving celebrations and encourage use of Native American materials every month of the year.

Many Thanksgivings: Teaching Thanksgiving-Including the Wampanoag Perspective. The Boston Children’s Museum, 2002.

1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving, by Catherine O’Neill Grace and Margaret M. Bruchac (Abenaki). National Geographic Society, 2001.

Thanksgiving: A Native Perspective, by Doris Seale (Santee/Cree), Beverly Slapin and Carolyn Silverman (Cherokee/Blackfeet). Oyate, 1995.

That Bloody Question

The Research Library reference desk gets its fair share of unusual requests, as I'm sure any other library does. One of our strangest questions is also a recurring one. Within the past eight months I have been asked three times, "Can I get my blood tested at the library?" They mean a test for DNA analysis in order to prove Native American ancestry. The notion that you could get your blood tested at a library seems slightly less incredible when you consider the high frequency with which we receive questions related to personal genealogical research. Still, I am so taken aback each time I am asked, that I felt pressed to research the issue, if only to arm myself with some knowledge the next time I get the question.

Local genealogy resources

First, to address the issue of our genealogy resources, while the MPMRC library collections have not been developed to support this type of research, we do have a small collection of materials that could help a beginner get started: You may download our bibliography here. Visitors researching family histories from the vicinity of New London County are welcome to use our microfilm collections of census, vital, and land records from this locale. Please contact the library for more details about these records. Most often, we refer patrons with serious genealogical inquiries to the Connecticut State Library or Mystic, Connecticut's Indian & Colonial Research Center, where they have more resources and trained genealogists on staff to help.

Genetic genealogy

Back to the blood test question, genetic genealogy has been a rapidly developing field since breakthroughs in the late 1990's. It was popularized with the publication of Bryan Sykes' The Seven Daughters of Eve in 2001, and since then a number of commercial enterprises have sprung up offering services by which individuals can genetically verify their ancestral origins. Family Tree DNA, self-described as the first and largest, claims to have "the largest DNA databases in the field of Genetic Genealogy with 216831 records", but there is also AncestryByDNA.com, GeneTree, and DNA Heritage, among others. Prices for most of these tests appear to range from $100-$200.


No blood required

According to the International Society of Genetic Genealogy, "Commercial DNA testing companies utilize saliva/buccal cell sampling via swabs and various other collection containers." A typical DNA kit contains a Q-Tip type cotton swab, some instructions, and a return envelope.

What can the test tell you?

These companies get their results from matching your DNA structure against those of other samples in their database. Again from ISOGG, "If there are any matches in the database of the testing company, it will show the people you match. Depending upon the company you test with, other information may be made available to you, like your ethnic origin, [including] Native American ancestry." Test results also typically include certificates, charts, graphs, migration maps of ancestors, and in the case of Native Americans, a map of tribal origins.


For more information see:

International Society of Genetic Genealogy's FAQ: http://www.isogg.org/ggfaq.htm

Jobling, Mark; Chris Tyler-Smith (Aug, 2003). "The human Y chromosome: an evolutionary marker comes of age" . Nature Reviews Genetics 4: 599–612. Nature Publishing Group.

Shriver, Mark D. & Rick A. Kittles "Genetic Ancestry and the Search for Personalized Genetic Histories." Nature Reviews. Genetics (2004) 5:8: 611-18.

Genetic Genealogy on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_genealogy

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Update 5/29/2005: We continue to find interesting articles on this topic online. Please see our bookmarks at http://delicious.com/pequotmuseumlibrary/genetics