(NAME-MCE) Illustration of "scalp belt" in CADDIE WOODLAWN

[Debbie Reese]

Good morning,

The older printings of CADDIE  WOODLAWN, with 
illustrations by Seredy, include one of the scalp 
belt. I've scanned it and you can see it at my 
second blog, "Images of Indians in Children's Books."
http://imagesofindiansinchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/

Thanks to all of you who've sent me resources to 
use to trace this term. Most of you note it in 
other works of fiction, also by individuals who 
are not Native. I don't mean to say that a Native 
author would not use it, or that a white one 
would. Things aren't quite that way. I do mean, 
however, to ask that you think carefully about the source.

There were (and are) deliberate initiatives and 
unwitting (uncritical) writers who sought to 
create an image of American Indians as horrific 
savages. That subtext is present, even in books 
like CADDIE, where there are "friendly" Indians, 
or white characters defending (or saving, as 
Caddie does) the "friendly" or "good" Indians.

In one of my publications, I suggested that works 
of fiction about American Indians need to be 
evaluated as carefully for accuracy as a work of 
non-fiction is. I made that statement because of 
the overwhelming amount of garbage present in 
children's books. CADDIE is old and outdated, but 
still very much in circulation. WHY?????  A lot 
of people have written to me to say they're 
shocked at the representations of American 
Indians in it. WHY does the publishing industry 
keep printing these awful books?  Sure---they 
make money, but I think there's another agenda at 
work. I can say, generously, that most people 
aren't aware of that agenda. I suggest, though, 
that there is an interest afoot at confining us 
(American Indians) to the past. Bloodthirsty or 
romantic, as long as its in the past, its gobbled up. Why?

Will YOU take Caddie Woodlawn off your shelf and 
do a critical read of it with kids in your library or classroom? Why? Why not?

Debbie


Debbie A. Reese (Nambé Pueblo)
Assistant Professor, American Indian Studies
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Native American House, Room 2005
1204 West Nevada Street, MC-138
Urbana, Illinois 61801

Email: debreese at uiuc.edu
Internet Resource & Blog: 
http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/
Native American House: http://www.nah.uiuc.edu

TEL 217-265-9885
FAX 217-265-9880