Image of the Week: Lakota Village
© Durga Yael Bernhard
Here is the title page of my second illustrated picture book,
Spotted Eagle & Black Crow: A Lakota Legend, published in 1993 by Holiday House. This was the first of many books in which I've used front matter (endpapers or title page) as a place to show the setting. It's a good option, as there is rarely any other space in the story. Every word is weighed and measured in a picture book, and every page is designed to carry a specific message.
My goal was to not only show the central northern plains where the Lakota people once lived, but to provide a window into their lifestyle. Native American tribes of the Great Plains lived by complex social rules. Their teepees were arranged in a circle, reflecting their cyclical view of life. People worked together in small groups to collect water in animal bladders; to stretch and scrape hides; to spear fish; and to scout out antelope and buffalo on horseback. Children played with leather balls or handmade dolls. In the 19th century, European traders brought glass beads which the Lakota used to adorn their clothing and handicrafts. I had to learn about all these activities well enough to paint a picture of them.
The resulting illustration gives a rather rosy birds' eye view of daily life. From harsh winters to inter-tribal warfare, from starvation to disease to intruding settlers, life was far from easy for the Lakota. But such realities are not for children's eyes. Instead, the story introduces a different reality: that of sibling rivalry and betrayal. Every tradition has at least one such story, and children relate to it easily. This particular legend presents a moral dilemma in which the selfish brother sacrifices his life in order to repent for his betrayal – a thought-provoking example of the Lakota belief system.
My job as an illustrator was to draw young readers into a time and place that is long gone. If they were intrigued by what I portrayed, perhaps they would want to learn more. Even if I did err in the direction of idealizing life in a Lakota village, at least children were given a glimpse of an important part of American history.
Spotted Eagle & Black Crow has long been out of print, but if you want to read the book, you can order it through your library or find used copies on Amazon.
D Yael Bernhard