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Orit Tamir, Ph.D.
Professor of Anthropology, Department of Behavioral Sciences
New Mexico Highlands University
This charming short novel
takes us through a full life circle journey of Kumi from his
boyhood as a Lakota boy through adulthood, to old age.
Kumi's journey of stories provides life lessons -- Native
American style.
Traditional Native American
stories, and storytelling, while wide-ranging have many common
themes shared by the Dinč (Navajo) of the Southwest, the Lakota
of the Plains, the Tlingit of the Northwest Coast, or the
Seminoles of the Southeast. Traditional Native American stories
tend to honor all life; give the four legged and the winged
living beings human-like characteristics; tell and re-tell the
story of creation; and, emphasize listening as a way of
experiencing past present and future. The Wolf and Owl Remember,
while focusing on the Lakota, provide readers with both Lakota
and universal life lessons including instructions on Lakota
creation story, traditional living, hunting, birding, and
friendship. Above all, Wolf and Owl Remember provides a
continuum of stories that presents readers, young and young at
heart, with a fuller sense of being.
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Tracy Roberts
Write Field Services
Today the planet and its
species face a myriad of problems that include: global
conflicts, famine, global warming, depletion of our natural
resources and the extinction of species. Many people
are wondering what the future holds. As we look to
create solutions through technological advancement, we often
neglect our history. We do not consider the lessons we can
learn from the history of various cultures.
Author Antoinette
Sarcinella reaches into her Native American Folklore history
to create a children's story presented as an ancient lesson
of wisdom to help with today's world problems.
Antoinette draws on her
own Hunkpapa Lakota and Assiniboine heritage to bring her
book, Owl & Wolf Remember, to a level that all cultures can
identify with. Kumi, a young boy full of spirit and
curiosity, comes across an inured bird. In a
compassionate effort to help the bird, Kumi takes it home.
The bird recognizes Kumi's innocent eagerness for knowledge
and introduces him to a Wolf and Owl. The animals take
Kumi on a mystical journey through space and time where they
and other animals share their stories of life.
The stories are rich
with symbolism as each animal delivers important messages of
harmony, unity, peace, and most importantly, hope. The
dialogue is effective in that the animals tell their stories
in such a simplistic and charming way that a child would
easily understand. The vivid descriptions that entail
the use of colors, emotions, and the natural world and its
beauty, will inspire a child to tap into their imaginations.
The vibrant and artistic illustrations by Joseph Wolves Kill
add to the story making it a more engaging and enjoyable
read. Readers will feel as though they are traveling
with Kumi and the animals, experiencing and understanding
their feelings, thoughts and the principle message that we
must not forget that underneath all of our differences, we
are all connected to each other as well as the planet.
This is Antoinette's
first book that delves into the myth and folklore genre of
depicting the individual uniqueness of animals. She
takes a distinctive approach to this genre by applying the
messages to today's problems. I hope there are more
books to follow as I see her developing the writing success
of such folklore story tellers as Joseph and James Bruchac.
I highly recommend Wolf & Owl Remember as an entertaining
read that delivers profound wisdom that will not only by
enjoyed by children, but adults reading it with them.
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