A Chemehuevi Song: The Resilience of a Southern Paiute Tribe by Clifford E. Trafzer


A Chemehuevi Song: The Resilience of a Southern Paiute Tribe
Title : A Chemehuevi Song: The Resilience of a Southern Paiute Tribe
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : 0295994584
ISBN-10 : 9780295994581
Format Type : Hardcover
Number of Pages : 328
Publication : First published February 1, 2015

The Chemehuevi of the Twenty-Nine Palms tribe of Southern California stands as a testament to the power of perseverance. This small, nomadic band of Southern Paiute Indians has been repeatedly marginalized by European settlers, other Native groups, and, until now, historical narratives that have all too often overlooked them.

Having survived much of the past two centuries without rights to their homeland or any self-governing abilities, the Chemehuevi were a mostly "forgotten" people until the creation of the Twenty-Nine Palms Reservation in 1974. Since then, they have formed a tribal government that addresses many of the same challenges faced by other tribes, including preserving cultural identity and managing a thriving gaming industry.

A dedicated historian who worked closely with the Chemehuevi for more than a decade, Clifford Trafzer shows how this once-splintered tribe persevered using sacred songs and other cultural practices to maintain tribal identity during the long period when it lacked both a homeland and autonomy.