Zitkala-sa

Zitkala-sa
Zitkala-Ša (1876–1938) was a Native American writer, musician, and activist from the Yankton Sioux tribe. She is known for her autobiographical essays, which document her experiences of cultural conflict and assimilation in works like "American Indian Stories" and "Old Indian Legends." As a fierce advocate for Indigenous rights, she co-founded the National Council of American Indians in 1926. Zitkala-Ša also played a significant role in preserving Native American heritage through her writings and by composing the first Native American opera, "The Sun Dance."

Author's Books:


IMPRESSIONS OF AN INDIAN CHILDHOOD I. MY MOTHER. A wigwam of weather-stained canvas stood at the base of some irregularly ascending hills. A footpath wound its way gently down the sloping land till it reached the broad river bottom; creeping through the long swamp grasses that bent over it on either side, it came out on the edge of the Missouri. Here, morning, noon, and evening, my mother came to draw... more...

IKTOMI is a spider fairy. He wears brown deerskin leggins with long soft fringes on either side, and tiny beaded moccasins on his feet. His long black hair is parted in the middle and wrapped with red, red bands. Each round braid hangs over a small brown ear and falls forward over his shoulders. He even paints his funny face with red and yellow, and draws big black rings around his eyes. He wears a... more...