WELCOME TO THE RESERVATION....

Their ancient ways are gone for good - or worse. Their religion, culture and legends live on only in the dusty archives of historical memory. Or do they? Look closely - the Apache, Cherokee, Blackfoot and Cheyenne are still around. However, you are more likely to find them in Wall Street offices than on the prairie.

How much do we think about these sons and daughters of Nature? They lived at a level of harmony with the environment that we can only guess at and dream of now. Their's is a rich cultural history, strangely innocent despite the amount of bloodshed that took place by them, amongst them and in their name. What we do know of their cultural roots and philosophies of life is tainted by commercial romanticism - exploited and twisted beyond recognition for novelty value. Are they shamed into speechlessness over this today, or is their legendary silence based more on their dismissal of shallow modern minds?

Wouldn’t it be a worthwhile pursuit to trace them back to their days of unsullied glory? To explore the legends at their source and discover for ourselves what causes these ancient people to walk the now alien soil of their native land with their heads held high?

Sample thumbnails taken from the collection. Click on image to view larger picture.

The Native American Indian Collection 3-CD Set is a never-before-seen representation of America’s original inhabitants. Over 5,000 photographs of Native Americans as they really were, taken by Edward S. Curtis (one of the most recognized and celebrated photographers of Native people) are included in this amazing collection. This groundbreaking photographic collection constitutes one of the most significant records of Native culture ever produced.

The North American Indian by Edward S. Curtis, included in full in this exhaustive compilation, is one of the most relevant and controversial treatises on traditional American Indian culture ever produced. With an astounding wealth of photographic images taken between 1907 and 1930 - the Glory Years of the American Indian - this collection took over 30 years to complete.

In the early years of the 20th century, Curtis embarked on a thirty-year mission to trace the roots of the most enduring Native American tribes. Along with most scholars of this period, he believed that indigenous communities would inevitably be absorbed into white society, losing their unique cultural identities. He wanted to create a scholarly and artistic work that would document the ceremonies, beliefs, customs, daily life, and leaders of these groups before they vanished. Rediscovered in the 1960s and 1970s, Curtis's photographic work is now included in virtually every anthology of historical photographs of Native Americans and is frequently used to illustrate books and documentaries.

In all, this innovative triple CD set features 7 early film clips, authoritative books and various related texts.

A breathtaking treasury of photographs, early films and a generous distillation of Edward S. Curtis’ greatest works give you an authentic bird’s-eye view of Native Indian American life and culture.

EDITORIAL REVIEW:

From his earliest efforts at photographing local Puget Sound Native Americans digging for clams and mussels on the tide flats, Edward S. Curtis had embarked on a remarkable mission. He eventually visited various tribal communities with the object of forming a comprehensive and permanent record of all the important tribes of the United States. Along with most scholars of this period, he believed that indigenous communities would inevitably be absorbed into white society, losing their unique cultural identities. It was his aim to immortalize as much of these communities by audiovisual means before this happened.

This collection features the most noteworthy fruits of Curtis’ photographic odyssey, carefully selected from amongst the 40,000 photographs he took.

The Native American Indian Collection 3-CD Set from A2ZCDS is a rare treat for students, serious researchers and the casually interested alike. The material it contains reveals a hitherto unexplored dimension of Native American culture, history and heritage that will provide hours of fascinating browsing.