Comparing the Cataloguing of Indigenous Scholarships: First Steps and Finding

This paper provides an analysis of data collected on the continued prevalence of outdated, marginalizing terms in contemporary cataloguing practices, stemming from the Library of Congress Subject Heading term “Indians” and all its related terms. Using Manitoba Archival Information Network’s (MAIN) list of current LCSH and recommended alternatives as a foundation, we built a dataset from titles published in the last five years. We show a wide distribution of LCSH used to catalogue fiction and non-fiction, with outdated but recognized terms like “Indians of North America-History” appearing the most frequently and ambiguous and offensive terms like “Indian gays” appearing throughout the dataset. We discuss two primary problems with the continued use of current LCSH terms: their ambiguity limits the effectiveness of an institution’s catalog, and they do not reflect the way Indigenous Peoples, Nations, and communities in North America prefer to represent themselves as individuals and collectives. These findings support those of parallel scholarship on knowl­edge organization practices for works on Indigenous topics and provide a foundation for further work.

ХУДОЖНЬО-КОМПОЗИЦІЙНІ ЕЛЕМЕНТИ КОСТЮМА НАРОДІВ ПІВНІЧНОЇ АМЕРИКИ ЯК ТВОРЧЕ ДЖЕРЕЛО ДЛЯ РОЗРОБКИ КОЛЕКЦІЇ ОДЯГУ

To determine the artistic and compositional features of ethnic costume of the peoples of North America for design-projection of the modern collections of women`s clothes. The visual-analytical and the literary-analytical methods, as well as the method of synectics, etc. are used. Based on the analysis of artistic and compositional solutions for ethnic costumes of the peoples of North America, in particular, Crow, Creek, Navaho, Pancho and Pueblo, their inherent elements and decorations are identified, and the possibility of their use as a creative source for the designing of modern collections of clothes in ethnic style, using the latest fashion trends and the draping method, is presented. Compositional and constructive, and decorative solutions for the models of women`s clothes are systematized in accordance with the fashion trends of the SS 19/20 season; specific artistic and compositional elements of the ethnic costume of the Indians of North America are distinguished; possible types of finishing are described, and their application in design-projecting of the collections of clothes are presented. Artistic-design and constructive-technological solutions for the models of women`s clothes using the artistic and compositional elements of the national costume of the Indians of North America are developed.

First Nations/Native Americans and Religion: Bibliographic Conversation and Recommendations

A quick search using the subject “Indians of North America – Religion” in Bridwell Library’s catalog retrieved 130 results out of a collection of about 490,000 volumes. This suggests (a) The Library of Congress may want to consider revising some of its subject headings (but that is a topic for another time), (b) religious and spiritual practices among native North Americans/First Nations are not widely studied by our students. While there are certainly exceptions, likely this situation is not unique among theological libraries. This session represents an effort to rectify this by sharing and inviting colleagues to share recommendations of resources on spirituality and religious beliefs and practices of various native North American/First Nations groups and their relation to the faith traditions that are more broadly represented in our collections.

Ethno-cultural contacts of ancestors of the Khanty and Mansi peoples based on the materials of game culture

Introduction: game culture of the Khanty end Mansi peoples has been developed over a long period of time, and it reveals different game plots, analogies of which we can find only in the Far East, Amur region, North-East of Russia and in North America. This allows us to determine the directions of the oldest contacts of migrations and cultural borrowings. Objective: to reveal common game plots in the culture of the Ob Ugrians and the peoples of the Far East and the North- East of Russia with following determination of the time and place of their emergence. Research materials: game plots published in works on the game culture of the Ob Ugrians, the peoples of the Far East, the Amur region, the North-East of Russia, and the Indians of North America. Results and novelty of the research: two games «The Snow Snake» and «Get Into the Ring With A Spear» were revealed, which linked the game cultures of Western Siberia, the Far East, the Amur region and North America, as well as at least three original stories: games with a large number of stones, various types of jumping, and jumping over sledges (narty) of the Khanty and Mansi peoples, which found analogies with the games of the peoples of the Far East and the North-East of Russia. The same type of rules, similar game equipment, and the male character of the games are observed. The author comes to the conclusion that the considered games originate from the oldest male rituals that came to America with Paleolithic migrants and have been preserved in the format of games. The games of the Eskimos, Chukchi, Koryaks and peoples of the Amur region, as well as the Ob Ugrians, indicate the existence of a common cultural space at a later time, but not earlier than the Paleolithic. Subsequently, the unity was destroyed: tribes and cultures migrated to the North-West (the ancestors of the Khanty and Mansi), to the North-East (the ancestors of the Chukchi, Koryaks, Evenks, etc.), and to the East (the ancestors of the peoples of the Amur region and the Far East). The novelty of the work lies in the fact that the game culture of the mentioned ethnic groups in a comparative aspect has not previously been the subject of scientific research.

Revisiting Paul Kanes Wanderings of an Artist Among the Indians of North America

Paul Kanes paintings and sketches which form the basis of Wanderings of an Artist, were made with the aim of presenting an “extensive series of illustrations of the characteristics, habits and scenery of the country and its inhabitants.” However, a careful and detailed reading of his paintings and writings show that he actually violated the trust that the American Indians placed in him by depicting false images. Working in the background of Lasswells theory of propaganda this study seeks to demonstrate how the images and writings that he created, fulfilled no purpose, other than that of propaganda. The essay takes as its base the short fiction of Sherman Alexies Scalp Dance by Spokane Indians and attempts to show through the text how Kane, in reality, violated the trust that the American Indian tribes placed in him, by allowing him to photograph them in various poses and at various times of the day and year.