A review by shelleyanderson4127
The Ohlone Way: Indian Life in the San Francisco-Monterey Bay Area by Malcolm Margolin

4.0

This is an account of the life and times of indigenous people in the San Francisco-Monterey Bay (USA) before Spanish colonisation. It's a well-written, extensively researched, account aimed at the general reader, by a non-indigenous writer. It's become a classic of sorts, found in many California museums and national parks. It is clear to see why: the writing flows easily, the attitude is respectful (there is an interesting afterword in which the author talks about being taken to task by Native activists) and it depicts a people in their entirety: working, playing, scheming and praying. The Ohlone encompass many different groups, and the rich geography supported one of the most populous Native groups in North America. I especially appreciate the last chapter, for which the author interviewed contemporary Ohlone descendants, as it emphasizes that the Ohlone are still alive and here (though, as one descendant notes: "They have become accustomed to being ignored"). Reading this alongside a more monumental book like David Treuer's The Heart of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present makes an informative combination.