The North American Indian by Edward S. Curtis, Frederick Webb Hodge

“The information that is to be gathered … respecting the mode of life of one of the great races of mankind, must be collected at once or the opportunity will be lost.”
In 1906, J. P. Morgan provided Edward Curtis with $75,000 to produce a series on Native Americans and he recorded tribal lore and history, and he described traditional foods, housing, garments, recreation, ceremonies, and funeral customs. Curtis’s goal was to photograph and to document as much of Native American traditional life as possible before that way of life disappears.
Contents:
The Apache
Historical Sketch
Homeland and Life
Mythology – Creation Myth
Medicine and Medicine-men
The Messiah Craze
Puberty Rite
Dance of the Gods
The Jicarillas
Home and General Customs
Mythology – Creation Myth
Miracle Performers
Origin of Fire
The Navaho
Home Life, Arts, and Beliefs
History
Mythology – Creation Myth
Miracle Performers
Legend of the Happiness Chant
Legend of the Night Chant
Ceremonies—the Night Chant
Maturity Ceremony
Marriage
Southern Athapascan Comparative Vocabulary