Native performers in wild west shows

the long version

"In an examination of Wild West spectacles from Buffalo Bill Cody's 1880s pageants to contemporary celebrations in Canada, the United States, and even Paris, Linda Scarangella McNenly draws on interviews with Native performers and their descendants and analyzes diverse archival materials. Reinterpreting the performances that many have seen as the product of an economy commodifying Native cultures, McNenly brings to the fore Native voices that deem Wild West shows not necessarily as demeaning spectacles, but as potential opportunities-for travel, employment, recognition, and the preservation and expression of important cultural traditions. While acknowledging the irreversible effects of colonialism, McNenly challenges standard notions of the interaction between Native cultures and colonial powers, underscoring the agency of a colonized people." from back cover.