Cheyenne Narrative, 1890–2020

Abstract

Cheyenne narrative is among the most collected and published bodies of Native American narrative. This comparative analysis of material from 1890 onwards attempts to evaluate documentation methods by considering collaborator identification and interlocutors’ own agendas. It also attempts to identify key critical approaches to Cheyenne narrative. Dividing the history of Cheyenne narrative documentation into three periods (early ethnographers, autobiography collectors, and contemporary collaborators), the analysis shows both continuances and changes in major Cheyenne narratives. Original field notes and interviews are examined to re-evaluate published material, and future documentation and analysis paths are suggested.