[Review of] Gilbert C. Din and Abraham P. Nasatir. The Imperial Osages : Spanish-Indian Diplomacy in the Mississippi Valley

Authors

Lyle Koehler

Orginal Publication Date

1985

Journal Title

Explorations in Sights and Sounds

Volume

5

Issue

ess/vol5/iss1

First Page

28

Last Page

28

Abstract

In a sixty-year career Abraham P. Nasatir collected 200,000 sheets of transcripts, photostats, and notes on the Spanish regime in the upper Mississippi Valley. His colleague Gilbert C. Din is also a student of the Spanish-Indian (primarily Osage) relations on the west bank of the Mississippi before 1808. Their study, The Imperial Osages, contains an excellent description of Osage culture (including the important economic role played by women), a fine examination of the impact of U.S. policy on the Osages after the demise of Spanish rule, and a good conclusion, bibliography, and index. However, the remainder of the book consists of a never-ending chronicle of Osage attacks on hunters and traders, internecine fighting between the commanders of different Spanish posts, and Spanish efforts to preserve the peace when faced with pressure from the French, English, and finally the Americans.

Rights

Copyright, ​©EES, The National Association for Ethnic Studies, 1985