Review of \u3ci\u3eWomen of the First Nations: Power, Wisdom, and Strength\u3c/i\u3e Edited by Christine Miller and Patricia Chuchryk, with Maria Smallface Marule, Brenda Manyfingers, and Cheryl Deering

This book fulfills one of two purposes emerging from the first National Symposium on Aboriginal Women of Canada: Past, Present, and Future, held in 1989 at the University of Lethbridge, Alberta: to bring together a collection of talks-as oral texts-and academic papers about various aspects of Aboriginal women\u27s lives written by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women. Even though Aboriginal women point out the importance of traditional teachings about land, family, and community, they also raise economic, academic, social, and identity issues that spring from traditional and colonial frameworks. Emma LaRocque says it better: Weare being asked to confront some of our own traditions at a time when there seems to be a great need for a recall of traditions to help us retain our identities as Aboriginal people. But there is no choiceas women we must be circumspect in our recall of tradition. We must ask ourselves whether and to what extent tradition is liberating to us as women. We must ask ourselves wherein lies (lie) our source(s) of empowerment. We know enough about human history that we cannot assume that all Aboriginal traditions universally respected and honoured women. (And is respect and honour all that we can ask for?) (14) The range of topics and issues makes this book a practical reader for introductory courses on First Nations studies and gender. Diane P. Payment, Laura Peers, and Sarah Carter discuss the influence of women\u27s roles in Metis, Saulteaux, and prairie Indian groups during the fur trade, the Riel rebellion, and other events, and show how women\u27s survival skills helped their families and communities. JoAnne Fiske emphasizes Carrier women\u27s ways of adapting and developing leadership skills despite the detrimental era of residential schooling. Rosemary Brown, Jennifer Blythe, and Peggy McGuire examine the impact of environmental, economic, and political changes upon women\u27s lives and work