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Kýzýlderili Mitolojisi (American Indian Mythology), by Alice Marriott and Carol K. Rachlin. Translated by Ünsal Özünlü. 1994, 294 pages. Available from Ýmge Kitabevi, Konur Sokak 43A, Kýzýlay, Ankara.

Yeryüzüne Dokun: Kýzýlderili Gözüyle Kðzðlderili Benliði (Touch the Earth: A Self-Portrait of Indian Existence), by T. C. McLuhan. Trans. Ece Soydam. 1994, 239 pages. Available from Ýmge Kitabevi, Konur Sokak 43A, Kðzðlay, Ankara.

Kýzýlderili Mitolojisi, translated by Ünsal Özünlü, is a recent contribution to the limited publications on Native Americans available in Turkish. On the one hand, since there are not many translations of books on Native Americans, it serves as a reference work for those who are interested in Indian cultural heritage. The fact that the book is in its second printing demonstrates the genuine interest of Turkish readers in Native Americans. On the other hand, it opens a window to the alluring, yet enigmatic world of the Native Americans.

Kýzýlderili Mitolojisi introduces different Native American tribes to the readers and exposes the diversity of their cultures. The introduction offers a brief history of the indigenous peoples of North America--their migration patterns, the arrival of the Europeans, the attempts of the latter to Christianize the natives, and their efforts to push the natives out of their lands.

The book consists of a compilation of myths and legends most of which are told to Alice Marriott by members of different tribes, reflecting the rich oral tradition of Native Americans.Kýzýlderili Mitolojisi consists of four parts. The first, "The World Beyond Ours," comprises nine stories that are creation myths and monster-stories. The second, entitled "The World Around Us," has fourteen stories belonging to different tribes. The third, "The World We Live In Now," is made up of seven stories and the fourth, "The World We Go To," contains six stories that deal with death, as the title implies. Before the narration of each story, brief information is given about the tribe the story belongs to.

The difficulty in translating the book comes from the cultural and linguistic differences. Yet, Ünsal Özünlü, professor of linguistics at Hacettepe University, with his background in linguistics, manages to manipulate words and retain the essence of Native American oral tradition.

Yeryüzüne Dokun: Kýzýlderili Gözüyle Kýzýlderili Benliði, translated by Ece Soydam, has helped increase the interest of Turkish readers in Native Americans. As a book in which the Native Americans speak for themselves and relate their lives, it stands as one of the uncommon works offering the Native American perspective. So far Native Americans have mostly been depicted through the eyes of the White. The book is made up of passages taken from the speeches and writings of Native Americans who lived in all parts of the North American continent between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

Yerzüzüne Dokun consists of four chapters. The first depicts the Native American way of life and the Native American's respect for the environment. The second chapter describes his/her encounter with the White, while the third chapter is about his/her becoming powerless. Finally, the fourth chapter reveals his/her determination to survive. Essentially, the book advocates establishing a right relationship with nature through the rediscovery of the environment in order to prevent the destruction of humankind.

The words of sage Native Americans not only reveal striking differences between their culture and that of the Whites, but also raise questions pertaining to civilization and society in general. In the last section of the book, Vine Deloria Jr., the author of Custer Died For Your Sins, makes a provokative statement directed against the Whites.

The Native American philosophy of life, his/her relationship with nature and with the Whites are presented, through Native American eyes, with an unadorned, lucid and simple style typical of the Native American. Soydam's ease in translation, conveying the simple yet potent style of the Native American discourse, stems from the fact that she has lived among the Native Americans and has observed closely their way of life.