Quietly tucked into the front cover of The Drum Calls Softly, the blurb asserts that this illustrated book is of equal importance to children and adults alike. From the beautifully painted illustrations, to the world-class musicianship of Northern Cree on the accompanying audio CD, I have never read a blurb that was so right. Whether you page through the book listening to the narration in Cree, or you follow the story on its own, The Drum is a powerfully narrated tale of spiritual belonging that transcends cultural barriers.
David Bouchard, an award-winning author who is best known for Nokum Is My Teacher, and Shelley Willier, a first time author, poetically weave fragments of oral history into a story that chronicles the power of the drum, rhythm, and movement in Cree, and most every, culture around the world. The lyrical storyline pulls the reader into the rhythm of the Round Dance, and the cyclical nature of life - from nature’s cycles to the bonds of human friendship. “Dance in circles around the drum/ Seek the magic and it will come./ Shut your eyes so you might hear/ That song is sung to draw you near.”
Jim Poitras, a self-taught and internationally renowned painter, contributes illustrations that add another dimension to the story being told. Poitras fluctuates between literal interpretations of the scenes described by Bouchard and Willier, to more abstract cultural representations that compliment the musical selection and extend the narrative to a truly multi-media project. His skillful brushstrokes accentuate the cyclical nature of the story, and show the graceful movements of the Round Dance. Northern Cree, a grammy-nominated pow-wow group perform the singing and drumming that is interspersed within the spoken narrative, as well as additional stand-alone tracks. All in all The Drum proves to be an artistically crafted bilingual book that has the potential to educate both children and adults alike about Cree culture, and the nature of the world we live in.
A Native American Thought of It is similarly an educational book, and although it is slightly more straight-forward, it is no less important. Written by Rocky Landon, an Ojibway band member and Native Studies consultant from Ontario, with children’s book author David MacDonald, A Native American Thought of It chronicles inventions and accomplishments of Native Americans across the Americas. Now it is not that these inventions and accomplishments are insignificant or unheard of, rather many of them are a part of our daily lives. Landon discusses everything from Moccasins to syringes, diapers and even hacky sacks. Each of these items was being used by different Native cultures across the Americas before European colonization.
Landon is also careful to avoid broad generalizations about “Native America”. In the beginning of the book there is a map that shows the diverse native cultures across the continent, from Algonquin to Zuni. As he traces Native American accomplishments throughout the book he is quick to cite the specific cultures that used the inventions, and why they were necessary for that culture. What people used depended on what they were exposed to, and what natural resources existed in their environment. For example communities that lived in the Eastern Woodlands and around the Great Lakes were able to use birch bark as a scroll to write on, while other communities instead used rocks because they were more readily available. All of this history teaches the reader that Native America is not one monotonous culture, rather a plethora of cultures spread across an enormous continent.
At the end of the book Landon includes a pivotal section entitled “Native Americans Today” that bridges the gap between past and present. He highlights Native American astronauts, athletes and politicians that are successful around the world today. He also brings to light how Native cultures are flourishing across the continent, how Native languages are being taught in schools, and how Native arts are thriving in galleries, museums and people’s homes. This section shows that Native cultures do not only exist in our history books, but they are an important part of our present lives.
Both of these books bring a diverse spectrum of Native American cultures to the forefront. A Native American Thought of It offers a broad overview of cultural, scientific, and artistic contributions in the past and in the present. The Drum Calls Softly showcases the artistic talents of contemporary Native American artists, while sharing the cultural practices of the Cree and their connection to the rest of the world. Each of these books shows us the significance of Native American cultures and histories in our lives, and both deserve a permanent spot on any reader’s bookshelf; whether they are a child or an intellectually curious adult.

by Elizabeth A. Shramko

Copyright 2009 Foreword Magazine, Volume 12, no. 1 ( )