LIGHT OF THE FEATHER

By Mick Fedullo

Book Overview

Chronicles Fedullo's unique journey into the heart of contemporary Native America, describing how one white man crossed the cultural divide to discover, among his Native American students, old and new... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 038547136X
• ISBN13: 9780385471367
• Release Date: September 1993
• Publisher: Anchor
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.69 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.8" x 5.3"

Customer Reviews

I didn't want the book to end!

I found this at my local library and I will end up buying it. This was a wonderful book--"Mr. Mick" presented a detailed and warm history of his experiences teaching on reservations throughout the country. I learned a lot about our local tribes in Arizona as well as in other places. When I was finished with this book, I was a little sad because I wanted to learn how his teaching journey continued. A family member is planning to become a high school teacher, and I am going to get this book for her as an inspiration on how to be a good teacher. I highly recommend this book for those who want to learn about Native cultures and those who are thinking about going into the teaching field (he provides examples of good and bad teachers...I hope the bad teachers have left the profession!)

Good information regarding life on reservations

Mick Fedullo should be commended for his long-standing efforts in teaching creative writing to Native American students. From his own account in Light of the Feather, he has been successful in connecting with Indian students and providing a vehicle with which they can express themselves and communicate their feelings and ideas regarding their lives, culture, past, and present. As someone who has taught and lived on a reservation for four years, I'm in awe of how he was able to work his way into the many reservation communities as he did and be accepted as such. This is no easy accomplishment. He does point out a sad reality regarding teachers on reservation schools, that there are some who really don't belong there because of an inability or unwillingness to get to know and respect the Indians. Yes, prejudice still exists on reservations, even in 2005. Add to this teacher incompetence, and it is no wonder that Indian schools perform where they do in relation to the rest of the nation. What Fedullo doesn't do in this book is offer suggestions or point the finger (or nose and chin) in other directions that need to be addressed. Schools do need to improve, but so do families in the Indian communities. And all of these changes need to occur swiftly and sincerely, or else many more Indian children are going to continue to be disenfranchised by the system in place and life in general. I firmly beleive that Native Americans are the most precious group of people in the United States, and that positive measures need to occur for their people and their future to remain intact. I do look forward to Fedullo's next installment. Light of the Feather was published in 1992 and so much has changed since then. I'm aware that he is still living and working in Montana and am curious to see how he perceives the culture of Native Americans has changed, especially since the invasion of the internet and all the other modern trappings of accessibility into reservation life.

Clear pictures of Native American life

For anyone wanting to have an insider's view of Native American life read Mick Fedullo's "Light of the Feather". The author tries to clearly explain life within the communities and tries to debunk myths. This book is an excellent overview of why self-determination should continue in the world today. It also provides readers with insights that they otherwise would not have the opportunity to see.

Fedullo puts aside stereotypes & and discovers his students.

Mick Fedullo's Light of the Feather displays his child-like wonderment of the Indian world as he goes from reservation to reservation teaching students writing and language skills. The openness and acceptance of tribal cultures he expresses help Indian students trust him as he strives to discover more about them. Fedullo values the tribal customs of each group and becomes a better teacher by becoming closely involved with every student. As he travels throughout the southwest and up to Montana, Fedullo learns more about Indian people and helps to bridge the gap between white and non-white people. I highly recommend this book for teachers, students, Indians and non-Indians.