Until now few people have been aware of the prevalence of belief in some form of rebirth or reincarnation among North American native peoples. This collection of essays by anthropologists and one psychiatrist examines this concept among native American societies, from near the time of contact until the present day.

Amerindian Rebirth opens with a foreword by Gananath Obeyesekere that contrasts North American and Hindu/Buddhist/Jain beliefs. The introduction gives an overview, and the first chapter summarizes the context, distribution, and variety of recorded belief. All the papers...

In 1985 and 1986, ninety-year-old Witsuwit'en Chief, Maxlaxlex - or Johnny David as he is better known - was the first Witsuwit'en to give Commission Evidence in the Delgamuukw land claims case in which the Witsuwit'en and Gitxsan of Northern British Columbia were battling for title to their traditional territories.

'Hang Onto These Words' presents the actual transcripts of the questions and answers between lawyers working on both sides and this knowledgeable and outspoken Native elder who spoke in his own language and whose words were then translated by an...