Waterlily

Waterlily is an important and complex book. It isn't quite historical record nor does it read like most historical fiction. Deloria vividly recreates everyday life for the Dakotas in the nineteenth-century from field research and interviews. She tells the story of Blue Bird, her daughter Waterlily, and, their society built of kinship rules. <br /> A difficult read the point lies less in development of characters and more in the development of the time period. This is further complicated by the fact the Deloria herself never saw publication of this book. Constant criticism to cut down the length and cut scenes that would not interest white audiences led her to many rewrites never coming together in a “publishable” version in her lifetime. Deloria faced significant challenges completing her work. Being both a woman and a Sioux Indian never received the credit she deserved for her invaluable contributions to ethnology.<br /> Waterlily is a triumph. It is the masterwork of Ella Deloria. What it lacks in modern readability it more than makes up in it's invaluable historical significance and in the harrowing history of the manuscript itself. <a href="https://goodreads.com/book/show/5965797.Waterlily_New_Edition" title="Waterlily New Edition by Ella Cara Deloria" rel="noopener">Waterlily: New Edition</a>

I wouldn't read this primarily for its literary merits, I would read it to learn about the Dakota way of life through an anthropological lens. That said, I did come to genuinely believe in and care about the characters, so the book is not *without* literary merit. I never got bored. Ella Deloria stops at least once a page to explain the customs of the characters, which interrupts the narrative, but because I actually wanted to learn about these customs, I didn't mind that. I loved it. And I am now totally obsessed with the very different outlook presented in this novel. I think she does a good job of showing a very different way of life without editorializing. She doesn't put Dakota values up on a pedestal, nor does she seem in any way judgmental of them. She leaves that to her readers. I came away wishing my own culture possessed the wisdom and beauty of many Dakota practices, while at the same time being able to recognize the things that would make growing up in that culture frustrating. There is no such thing as a perfect culture, but it is nice to be exposed to alternatives.

I think it's a mistake for people to judge this book based on the White people that edited Deloria's work. Because doing this places the blame on her instead of them. It assumes that she doesn't have any autonomy. Once again, White people would be taking away Native women's ability to speak for themselves. And this book is Ella Cara Deloria's work. This is her book, not theirs. She went against everything the White anthropologists were doing. Those White people? Yeah they would talk about Native Americans as if they were animals, describing their "habits." But Deloria? She put emotion into her book to humanize them. To give them a voice. Specifically, she gave a voice to the Lakota people. When the nation looked at Native Americans as stereotypes, like the Noble Savage, she took apart those ideas by painting those people as they were, not as the animalistic beings White anthropologists envisioned. <br /><br />I loved this book. I loved how kinship plays a part in Waterlily and Blue Bird's society. Oh and the quiet way in which they would show each other love and kindness is adorable. I love seeing how different cultures express love. <br /><br />If you want to read more female narratives by Indigenous women, this is a great start.<br /><br />Just a note: this is the type of book that takes its time. Its strength is relationships. It gives us so much richness in terms of the love that people experience in their lives. It's not agonizingly slow, but it's not written like a typical book. I would read this for the relationships and for getting a sense of the world tribes lived in before assimilation and removal.

I'm reading this for a book discussion. It was not one that I would normally have chosen. However, I quickly got drawn into Blue Bird and Waterlily's story. I saw other reviews say that this was slow moving, and I can only think this is because it is about an ordinary life. I found Waterlily beautifully written, and I gained much appreciation for the Sioux way of life.

This is a "must read" for anyone interested in plains history. An authentic picture of Native American Life, written by a Native American with a ph.d

A simple, yet insightful, look at Sioux life. Struck yet again by the beauty, restraint and complex social rules of the Sioux way. The hospitality, the responsibility, the strong sense of community is all portrayed in rich detail. A way of life that disappeared so our way could come - what shame and sadness.

This is the kind of required reading I wish we were assigned in school. <i>Waterlily</i> tells the story of three generations of Lakota women before the reservation period. The novel, completed in 1948 but published posthumously in 1988, was an attempt to introduce Native American culture to non-scholars and non-Natives. <br /><br />Dubbed an "insider anthropologist,” Ella Cara Deloria (also called Aŋpétu Wašté Wiŋ) was an educator, ethnographer, linguist, and novelist of European American and Native American ancestry. <i>Waterlily</i> provides a rich understanding of traditional Lakota culture and masterfully summarizes the important themes of Deloria’s Sioux studies.<br /><br />Hands down 5-stars for what she did here, but my reading experience is better represented by 3-stars. My interest waned after the first few chapters and I only finished this because it was the last book of my reading challenge. I believe I learned a lot though and found this to be a wonderfully loaded novel. Highly recommend for those who are curious about Sioux conventions and kinship etiquette from a genuine female perspective.

I’m glad I read both the publisher’s preface and, found after the story, the biographical sketch of the author prior to reading the story. Each provided context and gave me comfort in the authenticity of what was written. The gently moving saga provides detailed insights into a way of life long gone, and encourages musings about history and comparisons to the present. I am in awe of Ella Cara Deloria.

Not a typical historical novel. More just an intriguing insight to Sioux culture and everyday life.

This book was read in preparation of my upcoming trip to South Dakota in January for an immersion to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Reading this book on Lakota life really opened up new doors for me. I don't think I've ever read anything about Native Americans, much less such a lucid novel about one woman in the tribe. The writing is clear and to the point without much fluff. It's written by 1/4 Indian in the 20th century who had done significant ethnography on Lakotas and their language. It's something I certainly never would have picked up unless I had been assigned it for my trip. What I'm struck by is that they are (to most readers of Indian literature this will be a no-brainer) quite known for their artwork and for their spiritual nature, although this doesn't come across as strongly for the women in the tipospaye (the tipi circle). For the women, they are very industrious in keeping and storing the meat and provide a safe haven for their men. Many of the women are laconic, which I did not know, but care deeply for their kinsmen. <br /><br />A good read but because I'm a 21st century male, who has been deeply affected by Michael Bay and Steven Spielburg this book was a tough slog.