In Madonna Swan: A Lakota Woman's Story, Mark St. Pierre skillfully weaves together his interviews with Madonna Swan-Abdulla to capture the indomitable spirit of a Lakota woman as she celebrates the joys and endures the sufferings of her remarkable life on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in South Dakota. Born in 1928, Madonna Swan was winona --the first-born daughter--of Lucy High Pine and James Swan. She held a special place in an extended family of grandparents, parents, and ten brothers and sisters. For the ...
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In Madonna Swan: A Lakota Woman's Story, Mark St. Pierre skillfully weaves together his interviews with Madonna Swan-Abdulla to capture the indomitable spirit of a Lakota woman as she celebrates the joys and endures the sufferings of her remarkable life on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in South Dakota. Born in 1928, Madonna Swan was winona --the first-born daughter--of Lucy High Pine and James Swan. She held a special place in an extended family of grandparents, parents, and ten brothers and sisters. For the Swans, as for other Lakota Sioux, life on the reservation in the first half of the twentieth century was appallingly difficult. In her narrative, Madonna details her life-her earliest childhood memories, the Lakota traditions taught by her grandparents, the daily struggle against poverty and prejudice, and her education at Stephan Mission, South Dakota. Stricken with dreaded tuberculosis at age sixteen, she survived nearly seven years in Sioux Sanitorium, a place where most other Sioux victims of TB quickly expired. Madonna's strength of spirit and determination to live carried her through the chanhu sica --badlungs--and into a new life, free of disease. She survived to marry, have a family, go to college, and teach in the reservation's Head Start program. A symbol of courage for all women, Indian and non-Indian alike, Madonna Swan-Abdulla was named North American Indian Woman of the Year in 1983. She still lives on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation, where her Lakota people honor her as matriarch.
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Seller's Description:
Very Good. Size: 8x5x1; [Inscribed, signed by author on half title page] Stated first edition. Hardcover and dust jacket. Minimal shelf wear. Foxing to page ends and end pages. Good binding and cover. Clean, unmarked pages. 22 cm, 207 p. *Autographed by author. * Tells the story of the Lakota woman who overcame poverty, prejudice, and turberculosis to get married, go to college, and become a teacher on her Sioux reservation.
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Seller's Description:
Very Good in Very Good jacket. Signed by Author Lakota matriarch Madonna Swan-Abdulla recounts her upbringing within an extended family on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in South Dakota in the early part of the 20th century. Her grandmother and mother told stories to her of "the Grandfathers" (ancestor spirits) designed to give her a moral education and courage.
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Seller's Description:
Very Good in Very Good jacket. Inscribed and Signed By Author Inscribed "To Julie, With your family history you'll love this book. Madonna is one of those rare people who we seldom label hero until someone points them out! Best to you, Mark St. Pierre 12/21/91."
