Life in the Far North

Christine Linge MacDonald, a past director of the Toronto & District
Parent Co-operative Preschool Corporation and a freelance writer, is an
elementary-school teacher in Whitby.

These latest volumes in the Native Nations series touch on both the
geography and the broader history of North America through their close
examination of the First Nations. From the crashing surf of the Pacific
Northwest, to the frozen tundra of the Arctic and the searing deserts of
the Southwest, North America’s varying climates and landforms have
been the major influence in the lifestyles of the First Nations, who
have always lived close to the land. Even though the basic necessities
of living are common to the various groups examined here, their highly
individual approaches to these staples are surprising.

The lush rainforests of the Northwest Pacific Coast were home to many
tribes and language groups, whose interaction over the centuries led to
cultural similarities. Their social organization was based on clans,
moieties, and phratries, and on ranks (nobles, commoners, and slaves).
The plentiful salmon, cedar, and waterways affected every aspect of
their lives. Separate maps in Nations of the Northwest Coast show the
two different coastal groups: the northern tribes (Haida, Salish, etc.)
and the southern peoples (Tillamook, Athapaskans), whose warmer climate
brought about significant differences in lifestyle.

Famous Native North Americans opens with early heroes like Hiawatha,
who helped unite the warring Five Nations. It then discusses the many
chiefs, like Seattle and Quanah Parker, who were famous for fiercely
defending their territories and customs from the invading Europeans, and
covers many Natives who strove to preserve their heritage through arts
and learning, including linguist Sequoyah and poet Emily Pauline
Johnson.

Life of the Navajo and Life in the Far North focus on the details of
daily life in dramatically different environments. While the Navajo
cared for their horses, goats, and sheep, the Inuit depended on sled
dogs, seal, whales, and caribou. Details of hunting, cooking, crafting,
clothing, games, and beliefs are described and generously illustrated.

All of the volumes hold the reader’s attention with an impressive
variety of modern photographs, detailed illustrations, and beautiful
paintings. Most volumes conclude with a list of websites pertaining to
these nations as they exist today. Highly recommended.