Alaska-Native-Health Books

For Alaskans, this story of "Benny's Flag" is part of our history. For others, it offers a unique view into some of the values that shape life in the 49th state. What other place would have a contest for schoolchildren to design the state flag? Benny, who won the contest, wanted to express his love for Alaska in his design, and so he looked to nature for his inspiration. As did the illustrator. The lush and evocative two page paintings bring the reader right into Benny's world, while the author tells the story with simplicity and grace. The warmth of this beautifully illustrated book will draw in adults as well as children.

This is an amazing book on public health of Native Americans which nobody else but a Native American could have written. It introduces the reader to the complexity of health, environment, spirituality and survival of one of the most disadvanted people living on Mother Earth. Breast cancer among women, we assume, is a lifestyle disease among affluent westernized women. Lori Colomeda tells a different, a frightening story from the Arctic Circle. Remember? Fresh, clean air, fresh water, fresh seafood? Forget about it. Colomeda leads you into an area of human and medical ecology you wouldn't have thought it existed. The Circumpolar regions are currently the regions of the world with one of the highest prevalences of cancer, and of breast cancer among women in particular. Why? Well, one of the causes is the fallout of pollution hitting these areas via climate and atmospheric streams. We may not inhale the pollutants in New York City or London, because they travel up North. "Through the Northern Looking Glass" leaves us pretty ugly people destroying the fundaments of our life and most of all: Mother Earth. This is an excellent study on environment, public health and culture. If you only want to read one book shaking up your westernized mind as regards public health, why don't you try Lori Colomeda. This is strong medicine.

The book itself is actually extremely sad. If you're in the right mood, you will cry. But despite this, it has great originality. I shuffled through the section and spotted this book which was recommended to me. I grasped it and cracked it open, seeping into a chair, captivated by the 1st chapter. I love the voice in it. It's recognizable and understandable. This book is very real and interesting. Whilst reading this book, you are also learning! Imagine that! :) I enjoyed it; I'm sure you will too.

I loved this book. When I first became a teen, I picked up this book at the bookstore and couldn't put it down. It was a very easy read with simple writing. I felt that the author did a very good job because the narrating really did seem like it came from a 12 year old Yup'ik girl. Minuk was spunky, always curious, and ready to learn. This gave me an inside peek into the life of Yup'ik eskimos. The ending was so good, that I read the last chapter over and over again after finishing it.

In the story Ashes in the Pathway a girl, Minuk and her entire family went to a summer camp and met white people whose cultures were different from theirs. Minuk and her cousin met Mrs.Hoff and her family. She learned many differences between her culture and the white people's culture. Summer soon ended and winter began. All of the sudden during the winter illness came upon the family and people and made everything wrong.
I liked this book because I like to learn about the different cultures. I learned a lot about the Yupik culture and people just by reading this book. My favorite part of the book was when Minuk and Teksik walked back to the camp where Minuk makes her final decision of what she wants to do. I also liked this book because you can just picture this in your head and question yourself what would you do in that situation?
What I didn't like in some of the book was that some of the parts didn't interest me as much, like at the beginning. My least favorite part of the novel was in the middle when everyone became sick of a certain illness that you will find out if you read the book. I didn't like this part because it made me feel sad and depressed inside.
My favorite character was the protagonist, Minuk because she is a brave smart teenaged Yupik girl who makes the ultimate decision at the end of the story.
I enjoyed reading this book because I got to learn different cultures and also it was entertaining.

When I first saw this book, it stood out. Hastily I checked it out, and finished it in one day. The plot seems a little--odd, but it really seems like it's coming from a 12 year old's point to view. Minuk's character is very destinguished, and you get the sense of what it was like in her tribe. I highly recommend this book to all.

Minuk of the Yup'ik group of Inuits in Alaska in the 1890's tells us right away some of things a girl must know to become a "good" woman:

*Take food to the men in their house and wait to take away the dishes
*Eat little, save the best for family, never eat alone
*Sew beautiful clothes (to be praised by the husband in front of other men, for this was an honor)
*Always obey the rules for women so as not to spoil a husband's luck in hunting.
*To obey all rules for women in order to be praised as a "good woman."

By laying out rules of behavior early on, writer Kirkpatrick Hill, who grew up in Alaska, sets the tone for the rest of the story of Minuk and her tribe's encounter with white missionaries, who come in "to civilize" them. The ways of missionaries have surely changed since the last century. The two adult Hoffs arrive with a superior attitude: only Christian beliefs are correct and all other people will go to Hell for not accepting them. However, their son David accepts the Yup'iks as they are, although, on one occasion, he is nudged into repeating his parents.

When qualities of "good women" are first outlined, I had to squash my feminist hostility. Incredibly, by story's end, I agreed with Minuk's choice to stay with the tribe and the deep sense of community it brings to each member.

One surprising aspect of this culture is that a woman may renounce her husband for abusive behavior. All she has to do is go before the men's council and say she renounces him. Afterward, Mr. Hoff goes before them to express his displeasure with the renouncing because divorce is "wrong" before God. Such a sick belief goes back to the misognynist belief that women have less value an abusive marriage. Don't let me get started!

I thought Mrs Hoff would be a representative character of the good Christian, but the excessive workload wears down her spirit and makes her gripey and grumpy. Eventually, the couple and their son move on to their next "call" in a new location. The white nurse returns to her home in Massachusetts.

Girls of Many Lands is an excellent series published by the American Girl conglomerate. What I particularly like about the books is the clarity of writing and the booming good stories of life and girls in other times and places. If we are to be citizens of the world and avoid xenophobia, we must encourage our girls to broaden horizons. My library girls eat up these books as fast as I can get them in. What better recommendation than that!

Other books in the series:
Spring Pearl: The Last Flower (Girls of Many Lands)
Neela: Victory Song (Girls of Many Lands)
Saba: Under the Hyena's Foot (Girls of Many Lands)
Leyla: The Black Tulip (Girls of Many Lands)
Kathleen: The Celtic Knot (Girls of Many Lands)