Book Description

Using examples from Indigenous community oral history projects throughout Canada and the United States, this new edition is informed by best practices to show how oral history can be done in different contexts. The Indigenous Oral History Manual: Canada and the United States, the expanded second edition of The American Indian Oral History Manual (2008), contains information about selected Indigenous oral histories, legal and ethical issues, project planning considerations, choosing recording equipment and budgeting, planning and carrying out interviews in various settings, stewardship of project materials, and ways Indigenous communities use oral histories. A centerpiece of the book is a collection of oral history project profiles from Canada and the United States that illustrate the range of possibilities that people interested in Indigenous oral history might pursue. It emphasizes the importance of community engagement and adhering to appropriate local protocols and ethical standards, inviting readers to understand that oral history work can take various forms with people whose cultural heritage has always relied on oral transmission of knowledge. The book is ideal for students, scholars, and Indigenous communities who seek to engage ethically with tribal and First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities in oral history work that meets community needs.