"Few people might seem more prone to exploitation than Indians performing in Wild West shows. But by illuminating the continuing dance between objectification and agency, loss and resilience, and cultural destruction and cultural rebirth, this carefully researched, eye-opening book explains the long history of these remarkable performers from the nineteenth century to the present."-Louis S. Warren, author of Buffalo Bill's America: William Cody and the Wild West Show

"A distinguished contribution to the literature about Wild West shows and the performative tradition in Native America. With imagination and skill, the author engages significant debates concerning representations of Native peoples and recurring questions about Native agency. The scholarship is not only sound; it is a model for ethnohistory."-L. G. Moses, author of Wild West Shows and the Images of American Indians, 1883-1933

Book of the Year Awards-History-ForeWord Reviews (finalist)

A thought-provoking examination of Wild West shows-from the Native perspective

Now that the West is no longer so wild, it's easy to dismiss Buffalo Bill Cody's world-famous Wild West shows as promoters of stereotypes and clichés. But looking at this unique American genre from the Native American point of view provides thought-provoking new perspectives. Focusing on the experiences of Native performers and performances, Linda Scarangella McNenly begins her examination of these spectacles with Buffalo Bill's 1880s pageants. She then traces the continuing performance of these acts, still a feature of regional celebrations in both Canada and the United States-and even at Euro Disney.

Drawing on interviews with contemporary performers and descendants of twentieth-century performers, McNenly elicits insider perspectives to suggest new interpretations of their performances and experiences; she also uses these insights to analyze archival materials, especially photographs. Some Native performers saw Wild West shows not neces