Cherokee Women: Gender and Culture Change, 1700-1835 (Indians of the Southeast)

Thea Perdue adds an excellent addition to the Indians of the Southeast series by giving a new perspective on the role of women in Cherokee society. There are very few books that assess how women were affected by European invaders in a traditional society. The women existed in a matrilineal world where they controlled trade and social functions which are retold expertly here. Perdue recounts how war, diplomacy, and economics changed the roles of women and how the European viewpoints were dominant. The book ends with a look at the supposed Renaissance that occurred when missionaries from the Moravians began to work on a language and develop societal roles in Cherokee tribes.The literature on Indians of the Southeast, and Indians in general, is growing quickly and this will become a staple within the historiography. For those who want to look at the history of the Cherokee this is an invaluable source. Furthermore for those who want to look at matrilineal roles and how they affected European and Indian relations than this is a great way to study them.

This book raises the bar for women's cultural history in general and is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the Cherokee, especially Cherokee women. Perdue's book is one of those rare works which has garnered numerous academic accolades with its depth of research still presenting it in a manner that makes it accessible to the average reader. While documenting the massive changes Cherokee women experienced through colonial contact and removal, she also tells the story of the continuity of a culture and a people. The choice of the cover art, a rendering of a woman from each of the seven clans, is brilliant as it emphasizes her principle point, Cherokee women are the people. Her scholarship is significantly influencing the field and works like this are the reason. If you are interested in Cherokee history, women's history or in obtaining a deeper understanding of southern American cultural, read this book.

This is one of the most interesting history books I have read. Perdue explains Cherokee history (mostly prior to the Trail of Tears) in terms of the cultural changes brought about by contact with the English and, later, the Americans. These changes all affected (usually negatively) the power of women in Cherokee culture. I was particularly interested because of my Cherokee ancestry. I was reading along and there was my great great great grandmother's name, and her story, a story that had been lost in our family oral tradition. This book, therefore, was very personally important to me. Perdue documents everything, often from original manuscripts, but this book is not a dull scholarly work. Even if you have no ancestral connection to Native Americans, you will find this book fascinating.

THE WOLF CLAN MAKES A STATEMENT

Full of insights into the lives of Cherokee women, and, by extension, Cherokee men and children as well. Fascinating that women in the Cherokee Nation, prior to the meddling and devastation inflicted by white settlers and the US government, had so much power and prestige. Wonderful book.

This book is so worthwhile! A story of a people by their descendants, not those who sought to remove them from the Earth. I am a daughter Selu. I will learn more about her.

ᎣᏏᏲ,Elaborating on the reasoning behind moontime and clarifying gender roles of both War Women and Beloved Women this book should be in every ᏣᎳᎩ home with both women and men reading it. Rarely are there books published solely about the women it dwells into the old and new way that women and men work together to make our nation strong. Not sure how this book could be given below a 3 star rating.ᏩᏙ! For this book!

Extremely interesting. I really thought this was going to be some Feminist agenda type propaganda but actually the Cherokees went much farther than today's feminists. Their women effectively "wore the pants" in their civilization. Sure the men hunted and held the councils, but the women controlled the food supply and the children, so they were dominant. A good read. Also enjoyed learning about Cherokee civilization in general and Uktenas!

I got this book for a review assessment I needed to do as a part of my history degree. I dont think i could have chosen a more interesting book. It was easy to read and intriguing throughout, with a mix of cherokee folklore and contemporary accounts as evidence. Reading this book has interested me in a whole new area of history and gender studies. I'll be buying more from this author soon.