Carry Forth the Stories

Seasoned anthropologist/ethnographer Rodney Frey offers personal and professional insights into the power and value of storytelling gleaned from more than forty years of working successfully with indigenous peoples. He frames his "ethnographic memoir" as "the quest of an ethnographer to learn from his hosts and engage in collaborative, applied, ethical-based research, writing, and classroom pedagogy." He addresses permissions and cultural property rights, tribal review, and "giving back" to the host community, along with indigenous learning styles, perspectives, and knowledge. His experiences with collaborative research projects offer a model for others seeking to work with tribal communities. Throughout the book, Frey intertwines stories gathered from interviews, oral histories, and elders. He also shares facets of his own cancer journey seeking therapy from both Native and Western healing traditions.