Reincarnation Beliefs of North American Indians: Soul Journeys, Metamorphosis, and Near Death Experiences

This very interesting volume is a compilation of reincarnation beliefs, experiences, movements, and stories among North American Indians, including near-death experiences, soul travel, and metamorphoses. The accounts were taken largely from two sources: the Smithsonian Institution's Bureau of American Ethnology publications and The Internet Sacred Text Archive... (CH, May'03, 40-5172). Most range in date from the 19th to the early 20th century. Many different North American groups are represented, including the Inuit of the North, the Kwakiutl of the Northwest Coast, the Hopi of the Southwest, the Winnebago of the Great Lakes, the Cherokee of the Southeast, and the Sioux of the Plains. The collection is preceded by a chapter with an overview of North American Indian religious beliefs. The final two chapters offer a brief comparison of North American Indian reincarnation beliefs and experiences with those from Greek and Roman history and from the world's great religions, pointing to the commonalities among all pr-emodern peoples. Black-and-white photos appear throughout, largely taken from Edward Curtis's 20-volume set The North American Indian (1907-30). Summing Up: Highly recommended.