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list price: $19.95
edition:Paperback
category: Social Science
published: Apr 2018
ISBN:9781772032178
publisher: Heritage House Publishing

Napi

The Trickster

by Hugh Dempsey, illustrated by Alyssa Koski, foreword by Pauline Dempsey

tagged: indigenous studies, cultural, folklore & mythology
Description

An enthralling collection of traditional Blackfoot stories revealing the frailty of mankind and the enduring power of narrative.

Napi, the Old Man of the Blackfoot Nation, appears prominently in mythology, sometimes as a quasi-Creator, sometimes a fool, and sometimes a brutal murderer. Although Napi is given credit for creating many of the objects and creatures on Earth, and indeed the Earth itself, the Blackfoot do not consider him to be god-like. Napi stories tell of this mythical figure creating the world and everything in it, but getting into trouble when he starts tinkering with his own creation. Perhaps for this reason, anthropologists have labelled him a trickster/creator.

For thousands of years, people have gathered around the campfire and listened to stories of how Napi blundered and schemed his way through Blackfoot country. They laugh at how Napi was outwitted by a lame fox, how he tried to fly with the geese only to look down when he was told not to and fell to the earth. He makes a perfect subject for telling, listening, and enjoying—and for teaching.

Reproduced by permission of Blackfoot Elders, these stories offer complex insight into an ancient and still-thriving culture through the figure of a flawed yet powerful creature—a mirror of humankind itself.

About the Authors

Hugh Dempsey is the author of many books on western Canadian history, but is perhaps best known for his biographies of the First Nations people, including books on Crowfoot, Big Bear, Red Crow, and Charcoal. He is a recipient of the Order of Canada, has an honorary doctorate from the university of Calgary, and is an honorary chief of the Blood tribe. He is also Chief Curator Emeritus of the Glenbow Museum and Adjunct Professor of History at the University of Calgary. He lives in Calgary with his wife, Pauline


Alyssa Koski is an illustrator, animator and entrepreneur. She graduated from the Alberta College of Art and Design (now Alberta University of the Arts) with a major in Character Design. Alyssa specializes in whimsical and narrative-based illustration, following the themes of adventure, magic and belief in the impossible. She mostly works on children’s books, graphic novels and short film 2D animation. She is also the curator of her grandma’s traditional Blackfoot dress collection, which she showcases in museums, pop-up exhibits and fashion shows. She has a mixed heritage of Blackfoot and European ancestry and is a member of the Kainai Nation. She lives in her hometown of Okotoks with her family and many dogs.


Alyssa Koski is an illustrator, animator and entrepreneur. She graduated from the Alberta College of Art and Design (now Alberta University of the Arts) with a major in Character Design. Alyssa specializes in whimsical and narrative-based illustration, following the themes of adventure, magic and belief in the impossible. She mostly works on children’s books, graphic novels and short film 2D animation. She is also the curator of her grandma’s traditional Blackfoot dress collection, which she showcases in museums, pop-up exhibits and fashion shows. She has a mixed heritage of Blackfoot and European ancestry and is a member of the Kainai Nation. She lives in her hometown of Okotoks with her family and many dogs.

Editorial Review

By gathering together a sizeable collection of stories passed down through oral tradition, Dempsey and Koski offer insight into a venerable and still-thriving culture, as well as a piece of history to be kept and passed on to younger generations for years to come.

— Vue Weekly

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