Seven Arrows by Hyemeyohsts Storm (1973, Paperback, Reissue)

This book was found to be offensive by the Northern Cheyenne. It talks about the White Shaman's role in poetry.

PLEASE do a GOOGLE search for Hyemeyohsts Storm & add the word FAKE, or PLASTIC. See how Indian People feel about his books!

HYEMHOYOSTS STORM DESECRATES CHEYENNE BELIEFS
By Rupert Costo, President of the American Indian Historical Society and Publisher of The Indian Historian

Seven Arrows brings disgrace to its publisher, Harper and
Row. It falsifies and desecrates the traditions of the Northern
Cheyenne, which it purports to describe.

This reviewer withholds judgment as to whether Mr. Storm is a
Cheyenne as he claims to be.* He certainly shows little or no
understanding of the Cheyenne Way. The publisher circulated a letter giving Storm's enrollment number. But an enrollment number does not an Indian make! Quite a few Anglos and some blacks were adopted into Indian tribes. Sometimes the Indians were forced by the US government to accept them. In other cases whites were deceitful enrolled.

If indeed he is an Indian, the tribal chairman states "I
don't know how he got on the tribal rolls." Shame on him for making a blasphemous travesty of the Cheyenne Way in Seven Arrows.

This is a book put together with considerable pretensions.
The first thing that strikes the eye is the illustrative work:

1) The color plates are a solid disaster, in extremely poor taste, and the end result desecrates the Cheyenne religion. The Cheyenne do not use such garish colors. Theirs were the colors of the earth.

2) The designs are actually blasphemous to Cheyenne religion,
portraying their religious motifs in the worst possible manner,
making a mockery of the religious beliefs and the theological system of the people.

There are so many irreligious and irreverent inaccuracies in
this book that a committee of the Northern Cheyenne is now examining it in detail.** The reaction of Cheyenne people at Lame Deer was disbelief and anger: "Bunk!"

1) His description of the Sun dance is WRONG.

2) His drawing of the Sun Dance Lodge is NOT Cheyenne.

3) The Four Sacred Directions are INACCURATELY described as north-south-east-west. They are in fact the northeast-northwest-southeast-​southwest.

4) The sacred number given is WRONG.

5) The Cheyenne shield colors are WRONG. They are red, black, white, and yellow, not the monstrosity of color shown in the plates.

6) The shield designs are WRONG and actually BLASPHEME the Cheyenne religion.

The publisher has boasted this will be a best seller. Not
surprising. This is a White Man's interpretation of the Cheyenne. A reader searching for a true interpretation of the Cheyenne people will not find it in this book.

It is most unfortunate that this author, who has no religious
or secular status in the tribe, is so presumptuous as to
bestow "Indian" names upon his White benefactor, Douglas Latimer, a vice president of Harper and Row. Only the tribe and religious leaders can do this. In performing such an irreligious act, Storm has outraged and insulted the Cheyenne, their tribal traditions, and religion. On the other hand, it is inconceivable any self respecting individual would accept a pseudo-Indian name given by one who is not authorized to do so. No self respecting Indian would do it either. It is ump quah, as we say.

This reviewer wonders whether Storm is attempting to create a
new theology for the Cheyenne.*** If so he has failed, and succeeded only in vulgarizing one of the most beautiful but least known

I got this for my sister and her grandson. We both have read this wonderful and beautiful book.I have had my copie for about 30 yrs and will not give it up. Its about a great journey round stories of the Great Plains Indian People.You will feel like one of the many Character's in thier guest of lesson's in life that you can feel some place in you life . ENJOY

My spouse is Native American and is very interested in his culture. I replaced this book for one that was lost. If you have any interest in Native American Culture this would be a good title for you to read.