The Truth About Lies About Indians

by Darrell Dennis

IT’S TIME TO TELL THE REAL STORY FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE NORTH AMERICAN NATIVE — AND THE REAL STORY IS FAR MORE FASCINATING THAN ANY ROMANTICIZED MYTHOLOGY

The North American Indian is arguably the supreme iconic symbol of this continent. It is also one of the most stereotyped. Many misconceptions can be attributed to a simple lack of knowledge about Native history. For far too long this continent has been presented as being built and formed at the expense of Native people, when it was actually formed as a result of Native Americans.

This is not to say that the history we learn about Native people is untrue – it’s just that about 95% of the story has been omitted. As a result, most North Americans know very little about the real history of Native people and tend to rely on 500 years of misconceptions and stereotypes.

Laughter is the universal language and Peace Pipe Dreams harnesses that language to offer a fresh perspective on the wealth of materials about Native people and their history, and provide a humorous explanation as to why our commonly held beliefs about Indigenous people are usually nothing more than broad misconceptions. In addition, Dennis supplies the book with interviews from leading experts in Native studies and North American history to provide a pointed and often unheard perspective on these misconceptions. The balanced and fair perspective Dennis provides on the issues presented in the book are sure you appeal to a wide audience.

Peace Pipe Dreams educates readers through entertaining stories, a comedic personal perspective, and a straightforward, easy-to-comprehend explanation of the Native experience in North America. In the five hundred years since Columbus bumbled across the Americas a lot of misinformation has been built up surrounding this continent’s original inhabitants. After five hundred years, Peace Pipe Dreams finally sets the record straight.

Read an excerpt

See also
darrelldennis.com

RIGHTS SOLD

Canada: Douglas & McIntyre, Oct 2014
World English Audio: Penguin Random House Canada

(Photo: courtesy of author)

ABOUT DARRELL DENNIS

Originally from the Shuswap First Nation in B.C., L.A.-based ReVision Quest host Darrell Dennis is an actor, comedian, and screen writer. He's best known for his roles in Northwood, The Rez, and as host of Bingo and a Movie. Darrell has had two plays produced (Trickster of Third Avenue East and Tales of an Urban Indian) and wrote the short film Moccasin Flats, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and went on to become the TV series. After two years with the Second City National Touring Company, Darrell co-founded the comedy troupe Tonto's Nephews. Darrell was recently one of 13 people selected throughout the world to participate in the prestigious Sundance Writer's Lab.

• “Entertaining and enlightening”: Liz Braun at Original Cin reviews Darrell Dennis’ film The Great Salish Heist

• Darrell Dennis writes, directs, and stars in Indigenous heist film The Great Salish Heist hitting the big screen this month

• Filming for Darrell Dennis’ feature film Sweet Summer Pow Wow is underway

• Darrell Dennis and his co-authors are shortlisted for the Governor General's Literary Awards for drama!

• The Peace Pipe Dreams audiobook is out this month from PRHC and Darrell is currently shooting, directing, and acting in a film he wrote: The Great Salish Heist

• Congratulations to Darrell Dennis, whose Tales of an Urban Indian is one of four films being invested in by Telefilm Canada

• Darrell Dennis wins PMC Aboriginal Literature Award

• Listen to Darrell on CBC's The Next Chapter and read on CBC Books website

• 'Darrell Dennis examines First Nation assumptions in new book'

• From the host of CBC's ReVision Quest

PEACE PIPE DREAMS TABLE OF CONTENTS

Native Names
       “What do we call you this week?”
Native Perceptions: The European P.O.V.
       “Walk like an In-di-an”
Native Perceptions: The North American P.O.V.
       “Our home and Native land?”
Natives & Alcohol
       “Why the only Indian on Cheers was a wooden Indian”
Religion & Residential Sc hools
       “Peace pipe dreams”
Treaties
       “Sign on the dotted lie”
Native Land
       “Let’s call ahead and make reservations”
Native Government
       “Chief and council or flotsam and jetsam?”
The Future
       “Indianfinity and beyond!”