WHERE THE REDWINGED BLACKBIRDS SING

Where the Red-Winged Blackbirds Sing explores how the Akimel Oodham (River People) and their ancestors adapted to economic, political, and environmental constraints in Arizona's Gila River Valley. Their connection to their sense of peoplehood and himdag (lifeway) enabled them to restore their water rights and revitalize their Indigenous culture. The book emphasizes the values of adaptation, innovation, and co-creation and highlights the Akimel Oodham's contributions to American history and agriculture.

Format: Paperback
Length: 464 pages
Publication date: 15 June 2022
Publisher: COLORADO & UTAH STATE UNI PRES

Where the Red-Winged Blackbirds Sing delves into the fascinating ways in which the Akimel Oodham, also known as the "River People," and their ancestors, the Huhugam, navigated the complex web of economic, political, and environmental challenges imposed by federal Indian policy, the Indian Bureau, and an expanding settler population in Arizona's Gila River Valley. At the core of the Oodham's resilience lay their deep connection to their sense of peoplehood and their himdag ("lifeway"), which ultimately led to the restoration of their water rights and the revitalization of their Indigenous culture. Author Jennifer Bess takes us on a journey to explore the Akimel Oodham's worldview, which intertwines their origins with a profound responsibility to cultivate the Gila River Valley and uphold their legacy of adaptation and obligations as "world-builders." These world-builders not only co-created a life-sustaining environment but also participated in flexible networks of economic exchange. Bess contextualizes this worldview within the context of the Huhugam-Akimel Oodham agricultural economy spanning over a thousand years. By drawing on Akimel Oodham traditional ecological knowledge, innovations, and interpretive strategies found in archives and interviews, Bess showcases how the Akimel Oodham engaged in agriculture not merely for economic purposes but rather to fulfill their lifeways, collective identity, enduring future, and the realization of the values embodied in their sacred stories.

Where the Red-Winged Blackbirds Sing shines a spotlight on the values of adaptation, innovation, and collaborative creation that are integral to the Akimel Oodham way of life, and it chronicles the significant contributions the Akimel Oodham have made to American history and the history of agriculture. This book will appeal to scholars specializing in Indigenous studies, American Southwestern history, and agricultural history alike.

ISBN-13: 9781646423101