Enter the mystical world of the Hopi snake dancer as the tribe prays for rain.  Enjoy the antics of the Zia clown dancers as they delight spectators with practical jokes.  You'll find yourself quickly immersed in the drama and excitement of the Native American dances and rituals depicted in this unique and educational coloring book. 

        Thirty-eight finely detailed line drawings, including seven double-page spreads, depict dancers in elaborate costumes celebrating a rich harvest, driving away evil spirits and healing the sick, asking the gods for a successful hunt and good harvest, and much more.  Among the traditional events portrayed are the Rio Grande Pueblo deer dance, the Song for Dead Warriors, the corn dance of Santa Clara Pueblo, the Cheyenne Dog Soldiers' dance, the Inuit seal hunt dance, the ghost dance of the western Plains, and more.  Illustrations also include such authentic tribal artifacts as a buffalo hide war medicine shield, and ivory good luck charm, and a 13th-century wooded mask.  Informative, fact-filled captions provide explanations of each ceremony as well as coloring suggestions for costumes, headdresses, and body paint.

        Sure to delight and inform colorists of all ages, this carefully researched collection will also fascinate students and enthusiasts of Native American life and culture.

Peter F. Copeland